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Indian refineries and fertilizer companies may delay issuing new tenders for renewable, or “green,” hydrogen and ammonia until existing awarded projects show progress, as concerns grow over execution, a senior official at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy told Platts. Following the government’s push

Spanish TVB prices, representing the value of LNG stored in tanks across Spain’s regasification plants, observed a wider discount to the Dutch TTF gas hub than delivered LNG into Northwest Europe and the Mediterranean, indicating oversupplied Spanish balances and uneconomic regasification margins. Platts, part of

The conflict in the Middle East is expected to accelerate demand for clean energy in Europe and boost the case for battery storage, while straining supply chains and intensifying pressure on grid connections and permitting, experts at European law firm Fieldfisher told Platts in an

Gas-focused Energean plans to double in size over the next decade, building a 300,000 boe/d business with three equally-weighted production pillars in Israel, Egypt and West Africa, its CEO told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. In a wide-ranging interview on the sidelines of an

The July JKM-NWE derivatives spread widened in the last two weeks of April as prolonged risks to LNG flows via the Strait of Hormuz reinforced the pull toward Asia, while weak European storage economics continued to cap Northwest European gas prices. Platts, part of S&P

European corn prices hit a more than nine-month high on May 5 due to increased origin costs, higher freight rates and stronger Chicago Board of Trade futures, according to brokers and traders in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed

Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines sees Southeast Asia entering a new phase of growth opportunities as the group expands beyond traditional shipping into energy infrastructure, logistics, and wider supply-chain businesses across the region, the company’s senior managing executive officer Tomoaki Ichida told Platts, part of S&P

Industry groups across the US metals and mining sectors agreed that trade action is needed to counter excess capacity and forced labor abroad, but split over which countries should be targeted under President Donald Trump’s evolving tariff strategy. The US Trade Representative requested input after

Russia’s Zarubezhneft plans to resume work on the long-delayed Tuna gas block in Indonesia’s Natuna Sea in June, after the project stalled following the withdrawal of the UK’s Harbour Energy, Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Deputy Minister Yuliot Tanjung said May 14. Tanjung met Zarubezhneft

China’s orthoxylene exports retreated from an all-time high in March to 28,702 mt in April, down 33% month over month, the latest customs data showed May 20. Taiwan and India were the two largest buyers of Chinese OX in April, each accounting for 38% of

The EU remains on track to meet its 2030 targets for securing critical raw materials, despite significant implementation challenges ahead, a senior EU official said May 20. The remarks come as the EU implements the Critical Raw Materials Act, adopted in 2024, to strengthen the

Japan’s JERA expects to be able to absorb any supply disruption from potential strike actions at the Ichthys LNG sites in Australia, Kosuke Tanaka, head of the LNG division at the largest Japanese power generation company, said May 27. The company may also consider cutting

Persistent global sulfur price hikes have led to widespread issues across the fertilizer sector, including reduced operating margins and production interruptions, companies and traders said. Sulfur prices have climbed since the Feb. 28 start of the Middle East war, which trapped about half of all

Greece has remained skeptical about the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework, its top shipping official said June 1, as some of the country’s largest shipowners voiced opposition to the regulation in its current form. Greece abstained from an October 2025 vote at the UN agency

New York’s rollback of its landmark 2019 climate law is expected to delay the state’s transition away from its natural gas system, as reliability concerns raise questions about retiring gas-fired generation plants. As part of the 2026-2027 fiscal year budget process, New York rolled back

Colombia’s June 21 presidential election could reopen the country’s oil and gas industry if business-friendly candidate Abelardo de la Espriella wins, although passing any reforms would face significant obstacles, according to industry sources. De la Espriella led the May 31 election against Iván Cepeda but

Oil prices rose April 20 following the US seizure of an Iranian ship and the continuation of the Strait of Hormuz blockade by the US. The strait is now back to being effectively closed, as expectations fade of a quick resolution of the Middle East

The long-troubled Kwinana lithium hydroxide plant in Western Australia will soon be competitive, despite doubts from part-owner IGO Ltd., according to Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia Pty. Ltd. CEO Raj Surendran. The Kwinana lithium hydroxide plant was beset with poor delivery of construction and cost overruns

Rising demand from the Atlantic Basin may support VLCC freight rates despite growing concerns about a structural oversupply in the tanker market amid trade disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, China Merchants Energy Shipping said April 27. CMES’s Secretary of the Board of Directors, Kong

India’s Directorate General of Trade Remedies has recommended a reduction in antidumping duties on metallurgical coke imports from several countries, according to a notification dated April 28, sparking optimism among overseas coke producers. The notification recommends taxing imports of met coke with ash content below

Logistics differentials for Brazilian biodiesel contracts between producers and fuel distributors for May and June period increased marginally, following higher costs due to geopolitical conflict, but were contained by seasonal demand and uncertainties around the country’s blend increase. Considering the average of the eight regions

Indian non-basmati rice prices hit multiyear lows amid subdued domestic demand, as changing import policies in key African destinations like Senegal, Benin, and Burkina Faso, combined with new crop arrivals, weighed on the market, Platts data showed. Platts-assessed India Parboiled 5% rice fell by $44/mt

US beef trimming imports remain above year-ago levels amid a slow pace of slaughter of bulls and cows, the main source of lean beef trimmings. The US Department of Agriculture said in the May 8 Imported Meat Passed for Entry in the US report that

Indian rice exporters expressed concerns over a possible rise in domestic fuel prices, which could aggravate the current situation of truck shortages, increased logistical costs, and potentially lead to a rise in input costs for rice, sources told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, May

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggered a historic disruption to fossil fuel supplies, and should accelerate clean energy deployment, with governments and markets responding to disrupted oil and liquefied natural gas flows by fast-tracking renewable electricity, electric vehicles and heat pumps rather than

International Maritime Organization member states May 19 passed another resolution to condemn Iran’s attacks on merchant ships around the Strait of Hormuz following recent Iranian moves to formalize its control over the key energy chokepoint. During the UN agency’s 111th Maritime Safety Committee session May

The Strait of Hormuz closure could trigger a “severe” global food price crisis in the next six to 12 months, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said in a statement May 20. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy and fertilizer trade,

British pig farmers are calling on retailers and processors to provide long-term supply commitments as contract cancellations threaten the viability of independent producers struggling with oversupply and declining prices that have pressured the sector since autumn 2025. Leading pork processors have issued contract termination notices

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s cobalt export ban and subsequent quota system have been successful in both bringing fairer and more sustainable price levels and boosting global cooperation, Eric Kalala, the CEO of state-owned Entreprise Générale de Cobalt said in an interview. “If we don’t

Greece has remained skeptical about the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework, its top shipping official said June 1, as some of the country’s largest shipowners voiced opposition to the regulation in its current form. Greece abstained from an October 2025 vote at the UN agency

Singapore has secured enough replacement cargoes to offset disrupted supplies from Qatar through the end of 2026, Singapore Energy Market Authority Chief Executive Puah Kok Keong said in a June 3 interview in Houston. Qatar had been supplying about one cargo per month to Singapore

Indonesia expects oil and gas lifting to increase in 2027, supported by activities such as drilling, well intervention programs and upstream projects, upstream regulator SKK Migas Chairman Djoko Siswanto told lawmakers June 3. Oil lifting is projected to be 602,000-615,000 barrels/day in 2027, compared with

Eight vessels transited the contested Strait of Hormuz April 19, a drop of roughly two-thirds from the day before, S&P Global Commodities At Sea said in an April 20 report. Many ships approaching the strait turned back April 19, CAS said, in response to shots

A potential industrial action at INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG sites in Australia is in focus, with a ballot set to close on April 24 on strike action that could begin as early as May 7, amid ongoing supply disruptions stemming from the Middle East conflict. Market

China’s lithium spot and futures prices continued to rise April 27, led by expectations of tightening raw material supply and higher downstream demand in China, several China-based market sources, including producers, traders and analysts, said April 27. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed assessed

Hydrogen prices are expected to start reaching parity with diesel by 2030, Madadh MacLaine, founder and secretary general of the Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association, told Platts in an emailed interview. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, last assessed the India renewable hydrogen term contract

Burkina Faso’s decision to suspend rice imports with immediate effect is expected to weigh on Indian export prices and disrupt regional trade flows into West Africa, market sources told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, April 30. The decision, outlined in an inter-ministerial communiqué dated

Mexico’s decision to close its border to US pork imports following a pseudorabies outbreak in Iowa has disrupted the North American pork trade and raised concerns about supply and prices, market participants told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. The ban, which took effect after

Rising fertilizer and fuel costs stemming from the war in the Middle East are squeezing US farm margins, though the impact on corn and wheat prices has been muted so far as producers work through winter inventories, according to US and Canadian market participants. The

Market participants in the Philippines and Vietnam expressed skepticism May 11 over the reported rice trade agreement between the two countries, saying details remain unclear and that the Philippine government may have limited ability to secure Vietnamese fragrant 5% rice at the targeted level of

US President Donald Trump said China wants to buy oil, LNG and other goods from the US, speaking during a May 14 interview with Fox News following discussions with China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing. There was no formal announcement of a trade deal between

The European Parliament approved May 19 the new steel safeguard measures that will slash tariff-free import volumes by nearly half and double customs duties on excess shipments, as the bloc moves to shield its domestic industry from a global steel surplus ahead of the expiration

The European Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement May 20 on two pieces of legislation implementing EU tariff commitments under the August 2025 EU-US joint statement that includes a sunset clause expiring by the end of 2029 and provisions allowing Brussels to suspend tariff

Geologic hydrogen produced by stimulating naturally occurring underground reactions rather than electrolysis could deliver sustainable aviation fuel at prices well below the current $6-$8/gallon market range and green methanol competitive with the $1,200-$1,500/metric ton decarbonized methanol market, Pierre Levin, CEO and co-founder of Canada-based Vema

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has forced a costly reworking of steel trade flows into the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, sharply widening the gap between FOB China prices and delivered costs in the region, Thaiseer D. Jaffar, CEO of SteelGiant Commodities, said in

Middle East poultry prices remained firm after the Eid Al Adha holiday period, with market participants saying limited alternative suppliers and ongoing logistics uncertainty were preventing a broader decline despite expectations for a weaker summer demand. Platts assessed chicken breast CIF Middle East, basis Jebel

US developer Delfin Midstream said June 3 it reached a $5 billion final investment decision on the country’s first floating LNG export vessel, marking the third US liquefaction project to advance to construction this year. The project will add about 4.4 million metric tons/year of

Crop-based biodiesel outright prices reached multi-year highs June 3, supported by high feedstock prices. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed FAME 0 FOB ARA barge price at $1,535/metric ton June 3, the highest since $1,538/mt on Oct. 24, 2022, when prices were elevated on

US cattle put in feedlots in March totaled 1.709 million head, down 7.3% from 1.843 million head in March 2025, the US Department of Agriculture said in its latest Cattle on Feed report. “[March] placements were the second lowest for March since the series began

The Middle East conflict may cause some companies to delay decarbonization efforts as freight costs, war-risk surcharges and transit disruptions mount, but it could ultimately accelerate a broader shift toward less dependence on fossil fuels, Niki Frank, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific, said

The war in the Middle East has continued to affect the energy sector, particularly oil and gas, but has also disrupted renewable energy supply chains. “You can’t really separate the two anymore,” Jon Powers, president of solar and battery storage developer CleanCapital, told Platts, part

The European Commission has closed the first round of its Hydrogen Mechanism with a large majority of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen suppliers receiving interest from potential buyers, it said in a statement on April 29. The mechanism, operated under the EU Energy and Raw Materials

A looming El Nino weather pattern threatens to tighten farm yields in 2026, due to significantly lower rainfall in Asia and Australia, according to warnings and reports issued by international weather forecasting agencies and farmer groups in April. Wilfran Moufouma Okia, chief of climate prediction

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is rapidly evolving from an energy market disruption into a direct threat to global agricultural output, tightening fertilizer availability just as key planting windows open in the Southern Hemisphere, according to Dennis Voznesenski, sustainable agriculture economist at Commonwealth

Australian wheat prices rose to nearly two-year highs May 8, with the Australian Premium White and Australian Standard White with no protein guarantee (ASW1) hitting $279/mt and $274/mt FOB Kwinana, respectively, based on price assessment data from Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. Year-to-date, APW

Cambodia expects rice exports to exceed 1 million metric tons in 2026, driven by market diversification, government-backed financing support and growing demand from China, Europe and the Philippines, Oknha Lay Chhun Hour, also known as Andy, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, told Platts, part

The European Union’s decision to remove Brazil from its list of approved exporters of animals and animal products over non-compliance with antimicrobial use rules, which is due to come into effect Sept. 3, would have the greatest impact on beef and poultry sectors in the

Australia’s government is open to its A$1.2 billion critical minerals strategic reserve stockpiling materials virtually or physically, but miners say physically stockpiling the priority commodity antimony could be problematic. Antimony will be prioritized in the reserve along with rare earths and gallium, all of which

Wheat and barley export duty reductions in Argentina will help provide some relief to producers’ expected margins as they make their final decisions for the 2026-27 season, the Rosario Board of Trade reported May 22. Starting in June, Argentina’s export duties for wheat and barley

The city of Stockholm has emerged as the world’s fifth-largest buyer of permanent carbon removal credits after signing a 15-year agreement with Stockholm Exergi for 50,000 mt/year, marking a significant expansion of the Swedish capital’s climate strategy as it races to meet ambitious 2030 targets.

Australian copper cathode producer Austral Resources Australia Ltd. aims to produce 50,000 metric tons of copper metal annually after its acquisition of the Rocklands mine and Glencore PLC’s Lady Loretta project in Queensland in 2026. Austral, which was reinstated to the Australian Securities Exchange in

Whether a large newbuild order book would weigh on tanker rates could depend on the pace of shadow-fleet scrapping and evolving demand situations during the Hormuz shipping crisis, some ship operators said June 1. Industry association BIMCO estimates the crude tanker order book size at

US private equity company Summit Agricultural Group plans to invest about $2 billion to build a sustainable aviation fuel plant in Brazil, targeting a first production timeline of 2030, the company’s CEO Will Moore told Platts on June 3. The facility, to be operated through

Serbia has agreed to a further three-month extension to its gas supply contract with Russia’s Gazprom, Serbia’s energy minister Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic said late June 4, following talks in St Petersburg with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller. Dedovic Handanovic said the extension would allow continued, stable,

Brazil’s fed cattle market has remained under strong bullish pressure amid limited availability of slaughter-ready animals. However, after reaching record levels on April 17, prices have entered a more stable phase as uncertainty intensifies around both domestic and global supply and demand dynamics. São Paulo’s

Pakistan has received four bids from three global LNG suppliers for the delivery of three cargoes of spot LNG in the coming weeks, a document received from state-run Pakistan LNG showed April 24. Pakistan LNG invited bids on April 23 for three spot LNG cargoes,

US-based Amogy “deeply believes” that ammonia could account for as high as 40% of the global bunker fuel consumption mix by 2050 as decarbonization gains momentum, company cofounder and CEO Seonghoon Woo told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. Amogy has already completed demonstrations of

India has decided to keep retail prices of gasoline and diesel unchanged for now despite the sharp rise in global crude oil prices, the petroleum ministry said April 29, as ship traffic via the Strait of Hormuz remained constrained amid stalled peace talks between Iran

Live pig prices in Brazil’s five main producing states fell 16% month over month to $1.05/kg, as weak domestic demand and rising exports to Asia reshape the market, according to Brazil’s Center for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics April 28. Brazil’s domestic demand remains weak,

This report is part of the S&P Global Energy Metals Trade Review series, where we dig through datasets and digest some of the key trends in iron ore, metallurgical coal, copper, alumina, cobalt, lithium, nickel and steel and scrap. We also explore what the next

Global sulfuric acid and elemental sulfur prices surged in April as Middle East supply disruptions and tougher Chinese export restrictions severely tightened spot availability across key markets, according to S&P Global Energy CERA analysts. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed sulfuric acid CFR US

Uzbekistan Airports said May 8 it signed a memorandum of understanding with Allied Biofuels for the supply of sustainable aviation fuel and e-SAF, starting in 2030, providing the first disclosed offtake framework for a $6.1 billion integrated biorefinery that would rank among Central Asia’s largest

Singapore Airlines Group has warned that the full impact of the Middle East fuel shock will weigh on its earnings in the next financial year, as elevated jet fuel prices are billed on a delayed basis and broader macroeconomic conditions could affect demand amid a

2027 could see the first deep-sea mineral mining, as the US is expected to issue a permit as early as the first quarter, and potentially push the International Seabed Authority to adopt its Seabed Mining Code to prevent member states from seeking pathways in the

Global protein supply chains face mounting pressure from animal disease outbreaks as industry representatives warned that inadequate investment in animal health systems is leaving livestock sectors exposed to rising biosecurity risks. Speaking at the European Feed Association conference May 19-21, representatives from Spain, Germany and

Brazil’s Center-South sugar production during the second half of April exceeded market expectations as mills accelerated crushing activity at the start of the crop year 2026-27, according to data released May 27 by the Brazilian Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry Association, or UNICA. Sugar production during

Taiwan’s state-run CPC Corporation has emerged as Northeast Asia’s most active spot LNG buyer since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, ramping up purchases to offset supply disruptions and diversify procurement away from its traditional suppliers. Taiwan is among the most exposed buyers in

BP is carrying out more drilling at the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli field and may develop further gas production there, Giovanni Cristofoli, BP’s regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, told reporters June 2. “We’ve got another well coming up soon, and then we’re going to look at

Logistical congestion continues at Morocco’s ports, with eight anchored ships carrying soft wheat still waiting for berths offshore Casablanca for berths, according to Inspection Control Union Maroc’s June 1 port position report. At berth, one ship from Dunkirk, France, was unloading 33,000 metric tons of

The US has determined that several Brazilian trade policies are unreasonable and burden American commerce, adding fresh uncertainty to Brazil’s ethanol sector as producers await clarity on how export quotas under the recently implemented EU-Mercosur trade agreement will be allocated. The US Trade Representative said

Malaysia’s Southern Alliance Mining and Australia-listed Brazilian Critical Minerals have signed a collaboration agreement to jointly identify opportunities for rare earth production, both companies said in a joint statement April 20. The deal aims to maximize the value of their respective rare earth assets and

European methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate markets showed signs of weakening prompt demand despite tight supply, while forward sentiment softened on expectations of increased Asian imports, slightly easing constraints toward late May and June, according to multiple market participants. Methyl methacrylate market conditions

The Global Biofuels Alliance is in active negotiations with the governments across the world to establish a sustainable aviation fuel corridor linking global airports, a framework designed to drive SAF policy harmonization and standardization across jurisdictions and position India as a global aviation bunkering geography,

Two months into the Iran war, Europe has evaded the record price surges that beset the regional gas market during the last energy crisis in 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, with trade out of the Persian Gulf still dramatically diminished, market watchers

India rice trade disruption, linked to China’s rejection of some consignments over the alleged detection of genetically modified varieties, could temporarily divert some demand to Pakistan; however, structural supply constraints and India’s price competitiveness are expected to limit lasting market share gains, market sources said

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is rapidly evolving from an energy market disruption into a direct threat to global agricultural output, tightening fertilizer availability just as key planting windows open in the Southern Hemisphere, according to Dennis Voznesenski, sustainable agriculture economist at Commonwealth

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is rapidly evolving from an energy market disruption into a direct threat to global agricultural output, tightening fertilizer availability just as key planting windows open in the Southern Hemisphere, according to Dennis Voznesenski, sustainable agriculture economist at Commonwealth

Germany’s coalition government on May 13 approved a reform of the heating law as well as the new Electricity Supply Security and Capacity Act (StromVKG), paving the way to tender support for 9 GW of new gas-fired power plants this autumn. Approval of the two

The Platts wheat benchmark, Milling Wheat Marker, spread over Canadian Western Red Spring wheat has widened to a 10-month high of $51/metric ton on May 12, as futures volatility and currency weakness have pressured Canadian wheat prices relative to global benchmarks. Platts is part of

US farmers are anticipating near-term commitments from China to import US agricultural commodities, such as soybeans and beef, following months of slower bilateral trade, according to US-based market participants. After bilateral talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing over

The long-awaited Green Gas Blending Obligation Act has been submitted to the lower house of the Dutch parliament, Tweede Kamer, for official reading on May 26. The new bill, signed by Climate and Green Growth Minister Stientje van Veldhoven, was submitted May 21 and outlines

Ukraine’s energy regulator has cut tariffs for gas storage services in a bid to create “favorable conditions” for building stocks to necessary levels ahead of next winter. In a statement May 26, the National Commission for the Regulation of Energy and Utilities of Ukraine (NERC)

The Offshore Alliance has postponed any strike action at the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG sites in Australia until June 2, an Offshore Alliance spokesperson told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on May 29. “Offshore Alliance members working at INPEX will postpone any Protected Industrial Action

The Offshore Alliance trade union said it began strike action at the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG sites in Australia early June 2, a development that could add to tightening supply in the Pacific Basin. “Protected industrial action ramps up today on all three INPEX facilities with

France’s TotalEnergies, the largest natural gas producer in Argentina, plans to increase production in its offshore and Vaca Muerta assets to expand sales to the local and regional markets, where it sees growing demand, according to Sergio Mengoni, head of operations in the country. The

The Trump administration may have violated federal law by redirecting fiscal year 2025 funds away from clean energy research and development, the US Government Accountability Office concluded in a legal decision issued June 4. The DOE did not respond to a request for comment on

Indonesia will stop importing subsidized low-grade diesel fuel from July 1 as the government enforces its mandatory B50 biodiesel program, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said April 19. “We will no longer import Solar starting July 1, when B50 takes effect. This is Indonesia’s future

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has completed its first ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation for bonded green methanol, marking a step forward in China’s push to expand low-carbon marine fuel supply infrastructure. The operation, carried out on April 22 at the Meishan port area, involved the transfer of around

European ethanol markets are bracing for the start of Mercosur import flows from May 1, with participants watching early quota uptake closely as policy momentum builds for higher blending rates within the EU. Under the EU’s interim trade agreement with Mercosur countries, tariff-rate quotas for

A narrowing spread between Northwest European LNG and Dutch TTF gas hub prices has led to lower utilization across terminals as traders monitor lower regas economics and an unfavorable spread across the European gas and LNG forward curves. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed