Predictions for iron ore prices in 2025 remain mostly mixed, but early signs in the new year indicate an upward trend, at least in Asian markets. According to a report by Reuters, one positive indication was a northward trend of iron ore futures prices on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) …
Read More »Ukraine’s Critical Minerals and the Path to Peace
Ukrainians are learning the transactional nature of the Trump administration as the US president revealed a “critical” (pun intended) part of his plan for ending the three-year old conflict. Media reports say that Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, met with Ukrainian President Zelensky on Feb. 12. The two discussed …
Read More »Europe Tightens Controls on Russian Shadow Fleet
Ever since the U.S. introduced sanctions on Russian energy, Moscow has been transporting oil under the radar using clandestine techniques such as shadow fleets. Demand for Russian crude has risen from some countries as Putin has offered oil at highly discounted rates to maintain Russia’s export revenues. Countries such as …
Read More »China Starts Ultra-Deep Onshore Oil and Gas Drilling Campaign
Chinese companies have launched a new ultradeep drilling campaign in the Taklimakan Desert in northwest China, hoping to unlock more oil and gas resources from deep underground. The drilling campaign, in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, aims to reach oil and gas resources that are about 8,000 meters (26,247 ft) …
Read More »India’s Petrochemical Demand Stays Resilient amid Global Slowdown
Demand for petrochemicals in India is expected to remain resilient as consumption of products is rebounding, executives in the industry told Reuters this week. India’s petrochemicals demand will be a bright spot among the major markets, amid a slowdown in demand in other markets, most notably China, and new supply …
Read More »Red Sea Shipping Traffic Remains Subdued amid Fragile Ceasefire
Vessel transits through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have remained relatively stable at subdued levels since the Iran-backed Houthis said they would limit attacks on commercial vessels. Following the Israel-Gaza ceasefire last month, the Iran-aligned Houthis said they would limit attacks in the Red Sea to vessels …
Read More »China Prepares for First International Green Bond Launch
China is preparing for the listing of its first overseas sovereign green bond, which will take place in London as the frontrunner in the energy transition race seeks to tap the international investor pool. The size and timing of the listing are yet to be divulged but the Singapore portfolio …
Read More »Can Battery Recycling Break China’s Stranglehold on Rare Earth Metals?
Securing reliable and affordable rare earth element supplies has become a key concern in the global clean energy transition. Some have gone so far as to rebrand lithium, the third periodic element, as “white gold” due to its central role as a “critical mineral” in clean technologies including electric vehicle …
Read More »Trump’s Energy Policies Cast Shadow over U.S. Wind Industry
President Trump has been emphatic about his support for oil and gas throughout his electoral campaign and since coming into office. In addition, he has made it clear that he is far less supportive of renewable energy, calling Biden’s groundbreaking climate policy – the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – a …
Read More »India’s Fuel Demand Increased by 3.2% Year-over-Year in January
Fuel demand in India, the world’s third-largest crude oil importer, increased by 3.2% in January from a year earlier, although consumption was lower compared to December 2024, when holiday travel and the end of the monsoon season resulted in a surge in demand. India’s fuel consumption, used by analysts as …
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