The US Dollar Index slid to 97.40, its weakest level since January, after softer-than-expected June inflation data reinforced market bets on a September Federal Reserve rate cut. Futures markets now price in an 80% probability of a quarter-point cut next quarter, up from 55% a week earlier, pressuring short-term Treasury…
Henry Hub natural gas futures dropped to $2.10 per MMBtu, a three-month low, as forecasts point to below-normal cooling demand across the southern United States through late July. Storage inventories are running about 9% above the five-year average after a mild start to summer, easing concerns about supply tightness heading…
Chicago wheat futures fell to $5.85 a bushel, down 4% this week, as Ukrainian grain shipments through the Black Sea corridor reached a post-war high of 4.2 million tonnes in June. Insurance costs for vessels transiting the corridor have dropped to their lowest since 2022, encouraging more charterers to route…
Cocoa futures have climbed toward $4,180 per tonne — the highest level in nearly two weeks — driven by a combination of short covering and fresh supply concerns out of Ivory Coast. The world’s largest cocoa producer has seen heavy rainfall cause widespread flooding in key growing regions, disrupting farming…
Ofgem confirmed on May 27 that the UK energy price cap will rise by 13% from 1 July 2026, pushing annual bills for a typical dual-fuel household to approximately £1,862 — an increase of £221 per year. The regulator cited the cascading impact of the US-Iran war on global gas…
The S&P 500 closed at an all-time high of 7,563 on Thursday, May 28, extending a powerful equity rally driven by technology and artificial intelligence stocks. The benchmark index has now risen more than 10% from its March lows, when the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict briefly rattled investor sentiment…
Brent crude slipped to around $93 per barrel on Friday, May 29, as markets reacted positively to reports that the United States and Iran have agreed to extend their ceasefire by 60 days. The tentative deal, which includes provisions for unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, has taken significant…
Daily transit slots through the Panama Canal are returning to pre-drought norms after a sustained rainy season lifted Gatun Lake to within centimeters of its full operating level. The Panama Canal Authority has raised the daily booking quota to 36 vessels, up from a low of 22 during last year’s…
Day-ahead power prices across continental Europe tumbled to multi-year lows this week as a record stretch of solar generation, mild temperatures, and high wind output overwhelmed midday demand. German baseload prices traded below €20 per MWh on several afternoons, with negative prints recorded in Spain, the Netherlands, and parts of…