UK firms are planning to invest hundreds of billions in an attempt to bubble-wrap supply chains and bring manufacturing closer to home, new research suggests. Investment in re-industrialisation among UK firms is expected to hit $423.5bn over the course next three years, according to research from professional services firm Capgemini, up from $351.4bn over the last three years. The research, based on a survey of 200 supply chain and manufacturing executives at UK firms with more than $1bn in revenue, suggests that the trend towards re-shoring is…

Via Metal Miner Copper prices continued their breakout during March, rising 4.25%. Prices then formed a second higher high on March 15, followed by a new higher low on March 27. The rally continued throughout April as prices climbed an additional 7.59%. As of April 15, they stand at their highest level since June 2022. Source: MetalMiner Insights, Chart & Correlation Analysis Tool  New Russian Sanctions Hit Copper, Aluminum, Nickel The UK and U.S. announced a new round of sanctions late Friday afternoon, restricting the trade of Russian…

After several hours of silence following Iran’s unprecedented missile-and-drone attack on Israel, Russia issued its first formal reaction: The Foreign Ministry voiced what it said was Moscow’s “extreme concern” over “the latest dangerous escalation in the region.” There may be some truth to that statement, as analysts say that a full-scale war in the Middle East would not be in the interests of President Vladimir Putin’s government. For now, though, it seems more likely that the Kremlin is enthusiastic…

In a bid to stabilize gas prices amid the upcoming summer driving season and Presidential election, the Biden administration wants to ensure that the United States remains on a steady economic course. White House economic adviser Lael Brainard emphasized the administration's commitment to maintaining gas prices within current ranges during a statement on Thursday, according to Reuters, without elaborating on how that would be achieved. In the past, steps to keep gasoline prices in check included attempts to strong-arm OPEC/OPEC+ to boost crude…

Geothermal energy is at the precipice of a major breakthrough in the United States. As technology rapidly advances, it’s seeming more possible than ever that the once niche energy production method could soon scale up for mass deployment in nearly any environment. Pilot projects are taking off across the country as federal funding rolls in for research and development of these new methods, but the future of geothermal remains mired in political uncertainty. While it currently enjoys bipartisan support, many pundits worry that a…

As the world anxiously awaited the outcome of Iran's large-scale attack against Israel, some Arab countries had already taken steps to blunt its impact. When the dust from the April 13 attack settled, the vast majority of the hundreds of drones and missiles launched by Iran had been shot down -- by Israel, its Western allies, and Jordan, despite its strong opposition to Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. At least two other Arab states -- Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), which have been highly critical of the Gaza war and have joined…

China scooped up record volumes of crude oil imports from Russia in March, adding 790,000 barrels per day to its stockpiles, up from 570,000 bpd in January and February, Reuters’ Clyde Russell reported on Thursday, citing official Chinese import data.  Beijing’s efforts to boost its strategic stockpiles is simultaneously skewing the country’s oil demand picture, with record imports of Russian oil contributing to a false picture of the country’s overall demand, Russell notes.  First-quarter numbers for the year…

China scooped up record volumes of crude oil imports from Russia in March, adding 790,000 barrels per day to its stockpiles, up from 570,000 bpd in January and February, Reuters’ Clyde Russell reported on Thursday, citing official Chinese import data.  Beijing’s efforts to boost its strategic stockpiles is simultaneously skewing the country’s oil demand picture, with record imports of Russian oil contributing to a false picture of the country’s overall demand, Russell notes.  First-quarter numbers for the year…

At the start of this week, following Iran's missile attack on Israel, oil prices inched up. The key word here was "inched". The attack was a first; it came from the fourth-largest oil producer in OPEC, and it targeted a country notorious for its military prowess. Yet prices only inched up rather than soaring. One could argue this was because the situation was apparently defused quickly, with neither of the sides willing to engage in an escalation, but this may only be part of the reason for oil prices' lukewarm reaction. The other reason is U.S.…

While Petrobras is touting a potential start to drilling in an environmentally sensitive area offshore the mouth of the Amazon River, indigenous communities are increasingly opposing the exploration plans of Brazil’s state-owned oil giant, which has yet to receive an all-clear license to drill, Reuters reports, citing interviews with locals and memos and documents it has reviewed. After spending a decade selling off many assets outside Brazil, Petrobras is now shifting its strategy to portfolio diversification, keeping the focus on the…

While Petrobras is touting a potential start to drilling in an environmentally sensitive area offshore the mouth of the Amazon River, indigenous communities are increasingly opposing the exploration plans of Brazil’s state-owned oil giant, which has yet to receive an all-clear license to drill, Reuters reports, citing interviews with locals and memos and documents it has reviewed. After spending a decade selling off many assets outside Brazil, Petrobras is now shifting its strategy to portfolio diversification, keeping the focus on the…

Demand for gold is high, with Costco reportedly selling up to $200 million worth of gold bars every month in the United States.Gold is considered a unique asset due to its enduring value, historical significance, and application in various technologies like computers, spacecraft, and communications equipment. Commonly regarded as a “safe haven asset”, gold is something investors typically buy to protect themselves during periods of global uncertainty and economic decline. It is for this reason that gold has performed rather strongly…

Kazakhstan, a non-OPEC oil producer part of the OPEC+ agreement, will consider building an oil pipeline in the Caspian Sea, Russian news agency Interfax reported on Thursday, quoting Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry. The country is also considering the construction of another oil pipeline from Atyrau to Kuryk in the medium term, the Kazakh Energy Ministry said in response to questions. “The possibility of constructing an oil pipeline across the Caspian Sea floor will also be studied,” the ministry added, as carried by Interfax.…

Kazakhstan, a non-OPEC oil producer part of the OPEC+ agreement, will consider building an oil pipeline in the Caspian Sea, Russian news agency Interfax reported on Thursday, quoting Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry. The country is also considering the construction of another oil pipeline from Atyrau to Kuryk in the medium term, the Kazakh Energy Ministry said in response to questions. “The possibility of constructing an oil pipeline across the Caspian Sea floor will also be studied,” the ministry added, as carried by Interfax.…

Back in early 2018 when rumours were rife that then-U.S. President Donald Trump was going to unilaterally withdraw his country from the ‘nuclear deal’ with Iran, China moved to position itself to occupy the vacuum that would be left in Iran and Iraq, at the very heart of the Middle East. Beijing knew that Iran continued to wield enormous influence over neighbouring Iraq, and that both together were the biggest oil and gas prize in the entire region, in addition to being at the vanguard of the Shia strand of Islam. In Iran’s case,…

Renewable energy projects and emerging low-carbon technologies are more exposed to the current high interest rate environment globally, which could slow the pace of transition to clean energy, Wood Mackenzie said in a new report on Thursday. The rising interest rates in many major renewables markets in the past two years have significantly raised the cost of capital for new projects, the energy consultancy says. Global monetary policies are set to remain much higher in the coming decades than the near-zero interest rate period in…

The oil price rally has lately lost some steam, with WTI for May delivery and June Brent futures slipping more than 5% since Friday after the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released bearish weekly data that triggered demand concerns. According to the EIA, crude inventories rose 5.84 mb w/w and oil product inventories rose 6.57 mb; however, the builds relative to the five-year average were modest, at just 0.11mb for crude oil and 1.24mb for products. U.S. commercial inventories now stand 16.47mb below the five-year average, with…

Hedge funds and other portfolio managers began to include a higher risk premium in their oil price trades early this month as tensions in the Middle East spiked. Money managers significantly boosted their long positions in crude oil and other major petroleum product contracts in the weeks preceding Iran’s drone attack on Israel this past weekend.   As the geopolitical premium jumped before the attacks, raising buying in oil futures contracts, it’s not so surprising to see Brent Crude prices lingering just below $90 per…

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) remains the fuel of choice for lower-carbon shipping, despite the rise in orders for vessels equipped with dual-fuel methanol and ammonia engines, according to Rystad Energy analysis. While question marks remain around just how environmentally friendly LNG is as a shipping fuel, its price competitiveness, abundant supply and well-developed infrastructure give it an advantage over the alternatives. This is particularly evident with LNG bunkering; fueling ships with LNG. More than 2,400 vessels are equipped to operate…

While the whole world is watching the Arabian/Persian Gulf arena at present, amid lingering fears of an imminent Israeli attack on Iran, a new crisis could be unfolding. According to statements from the Iranian news site Tasnim, which is semi-governmental but linked to the IRGC, Iran's navy is reportedly heading toward the Red Sea to protect Iranian commercial vessels navigating the already highly contested area. The deployment of additional Iranian navy vessels into the Red Sea, bordering not only Egypt, Saudi Arabia, or Sudan but also of vital…