Commodities

A copper smelter in Yantai, Shandong province.
Commodities

Copper prices dragged down by supply glut concerns

As new smelters open, China and renewable demand seen weakening

2 November 2023
Laborers stack sugar cane at a market in Kolkata. India produces around 20% of the world's sugar.
Commodities

India's historic droughts drive up sugar and cotton prices

New Delhi's export curbs and speculative money add to inflationary pressure

31 October 2023
Almonty Industries is working on reopening a tungsten mine in South Korea. The metal is drawing attention amid the war in Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of Almonty Industries)
Materials

Ukraine war depletes tungsten stocks, says Canadian supplier

Almonty to develop South Korean mine to diversify China-dominated munitions metal

30 October 2023
The Israel-Hamas war and growing U.S. government debt are contributing to a rise in gold prices. (Photo by Shinya Sawai)
Commodities

Gold rebounds to $2,000 amid Israel-Hamas war, U.S. debt turmoil

Investors flee to safe-haven metal even as interest rates rise

27 October 2023
A lithium mine in Australia's Northern Territory. The country is a major producer of the critical mineral, used in electric vehicle batteries.
Supply Chain

Australia doubles critical minerals funding with $1.2bn boost

PM Albanese pursues stronger supply chain to reduce China risk

26 October 2023
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The country in September said it would ban exports of rare earths, but the policy now appears to be changing to allow the export of minerals that have been processed in Malaysia. (Pool via Reuters)
Trade

Malaysia to allow exports of processed rare earths: minister

Shipments of raw materials will still be banned as country aims to grow industry

24 October 2023
Indonesia accounts for about 60% of the global production of an oil that finds its way into processed foods, cosmetics and a host of other consumer products. (Photo courtesy of Musim Mas)
Commodities

Singapore-based Indonesia palm oil exporter grapples with EU law

Musim Mas reviews supply chain to comply with deforestation reporting requirement

23 October 2023
BHP Group, the world's largest miner based on market capitalization, is carefully watching China's efforts to stabilize a key sector of its economy.
Commodities

BHP chief counts on China taming property crisis to lift economy

CEO of mining giant sees chance of Chinese 'momentum' gaining pace

20 October 2023
The expansion at the Tangguh facility had been delayed from the initial timeline of 2020, in part by COVID-19. (Photo obtained by Nikkei)
Energy

Japan-backed LNG project in Indonesia boosts output 50%

Mitsubishi, Inpex among investors in BP-operated Tangguh facility

20 October 2023
Russia's wheat exports have kept up with rising global demand, particularly from developing countries.
Commodities

Russia drives wheat prices to near 3-year low with export push

Bumper crop staves off supply fears but feeds concerns about overreliance

17 October 2023
Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, center, and other officials launch Indonesia's crude palm oil exchange on Oct. 13. The country is the world's largest producer and exporter of the commodity.
Commodities

Indonesia launches palm oil exchange to rival Malaysia benchmark

Regulator says voluntary bourse will provide 'transparent' transactions

13 October 2023
A coal mine in Yulin, Shaanxi province, China. The province is one of China's major coal mining hubs.
Caixin

Chinese miners to be hardest hit by global coal job cuts, study finds

Shift to renewables is forecast to slash nearly 250,000 jobs in Shanxi by 2050

12 October 2023
Tractors unload sugar cane into a truck during a harvest in Brazil.
Commodities

Global sugar, rubber prices soar on crude oil's climb

Effects ripple through markets as speculators bet on increased ethanol demand

12 October 2023
Chicken rendang with white rice served at a restaurant in Selangor: The Malaysian government has taken new initiatives to support restaurants in the face of rising rice prices.
Inflation

Malaysia lets restaurants buy imported rice at wholesale prices

Government seeks to stabilize supply of staple in move against inflation

11 October 2023
Some 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products passes through the Strait of Hormuz every day.
Commodities

Israel-Hamas war rattles oil market on fears of escalation

Suspicion of Iran involvement raises specter of U.S. sanctions, Hormuz closure

11 October 2023
A tanker unloads its cargo of imported oil at Yantai, China in June: The country is the world's largest net buyer of crude. (FeatureChina via AP Images)
Opinion

OPEC+ should know high prices will test Asia's oil appetite

Producers group ought to respond quickly to signs of supply-demand imbalance

9 October 2023
The surging rice prices were triggered by India, the world's largest rice exporter, which banned export of its crop amid increasing demand for rice as an alternative to wheat.
Economy

On topic: How do rising rice prices affect Asia?

A collection of stories to catch up on a recent hot topic

8 October 2023
Bangladesh is building its first nuclear power plant.
Commodities

Uranium prices hit post-Fukushima high on nuclear power revival

Resurgent demand and limited supply combine to lift price by half this year

7 October 2023
Workers at a copper smelting plant in Chile. The price of the commodity has tumbled to a four-month low on sluggish Chinese demand.
7 October 2023
Bags of white rice in a hypermarket in Malaysia. Some customers have been shocked to find local rice sold out in shops recently. (Photo by Norman Goh)
Economy

Malaysia PM Anwar warns rice hoarders amid price surge

Government will track down offenders and take legal action, he says

3 October 2023
Bangladesh and the Philippines see a continued role for natural gas in assisting their move to cleaner energy. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters) 
Energy

Philippine, Bangladesh power giants: Gas needed in green transition

Aboitiz, Summit Power point to developing Asia's massive electricity demand

1 October 2023
Weakening demand on top of high supply is weighing on U.S. corn prices.
Commodities

U.S. corn prices slump as top buyer China turns to Brazil

Beijing's push for food security boosts imports from South American country

30 September 2023
Saudi Arabia has reduced oil production since July, while Russia began curbing exports in August.
Commodities

Unexpected China demand, output cuts behind surge in oil prices

Inflation fears grow as futures flirt with $100 per barrel

29 September 2023
A test engineer at work at Mangrove Lithium's Pilot Plant in Delta, British Columbia. The Canadian startup is proposing a new method for refining lithium that could lessen dependence on China. 
Interview

Canada lithium startup eyes Japan firms to curb China dependence

Mangrove Lithium seeks to diversify investors beyond Bill Gates, BMW

28 September 2023
A customer considers her options as she looks at bags of imported white rice at a supermarket in Malaysia. (Photo by Norman Goh)
Economy

Malaysia grapples with rice shortage amid global price surge

Government rolls out programs to increase local production

28 September 2023