Crude (Brent) down $2.46 (-3%) this morning on Trump downplaying further strikes against Iran and easing Middle East escalation fears. Crude is down 22% this month, with last weeks 16% fall being the biggest weekly drop since Covid.
Signs of a renewed global surplus (JPMorgan estimates 1.4 million barrels per day in October) and physical market weakness (Cash Brent now trading at a $1/bbl discount to futures compared to a $30 premium a month ago.. see wetbarrels.com for realtime cash oil prices).
Mid East flows remain robust despite shipping incidents near Hormuz and some attacks (including on Saudi infrastructure).
Propane down $0.057 (-5%) on falling crude and LPG futures amid de-escalation signals. Cocoa down $175 (-3%) on rising ICE certified stocks to 2.5-year highs and weak demand outweighing crop risks. Pentane down $0.071 (-3%) on falling crude and energy complex prices. Newcastle coal down $3.75 (-3%) on sliding crude and LNG prices reducing relative value. Isobutane down $0.043 (-2%) on falling crude and LPG futures.
Kicker: Saxo Bank expects gold to recover over next 12 to 18 months and potentially reclaim earlier 2026 highs (Saxo Bank, Nov 8).
Drivers and the Kicker house view are sourced from third-party news and bank or desk commentary. Informational only, not trade advice. Past Kickers by commodity and house →
Brent crude futures fell on Tuesday, extending losses after US President Donald Trump said military action against Iran is not necessary 'at this point,' easing fears of sustained supply disruptions from the Middle East. Both benchmarks had fallen about 2% in the session, with Brent settling down 5.85% the previous day to its lowest since August 31. Read →
US President Donald Trump indicated he’s keen to pursue diplomacy with Iran and wind down the war following a White House meeting with the prime minister of Qatar. Further strikes on Iran won’t be necessary, though the US remains 'locked and loaded,' Trump said on Monday after talks with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Read →
Corn prices slipped to the lowest since July 1 ahead of the US Department of Agriculture’s monthly supply and demand outlook that’s expected to show larger global supplies of the yellow grain. Futures fell as much as 0.8% to $4.38 bushel in Chicago before trimming losses. Read →
Liquefied natural gas loadings onto tankers from Qatar have picked up over the past few weeks, suggesting the major exporter is seeking to get more cargoes to the global market despite ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The number of LNG shipments departing Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility has ranged from 13 to 15 on a 10-day moving average basis so far this month. Read →
Copper extended its rebound from last week’s slump, tracking a rally in technology shares due to the metal’s use in power infrastructure and data centers. The industrial metal has moved in tandem with artificial intelligence stocks in recent months. Read →
Brent crude traded at $90 a barrel in early European trading after President Trump said military action against Iran did not seem necessary at this point. WTI fell 2.6% to $84.55. Markets are unwinding the geopolitical risk premium built into prices amid signs of de-escalation. Read →
OPEC crude output climbed 1.38 million barrels per day month-on-month to 22.87 million bpd in October, reaching 90% of February's pre-war rate. Gains were led by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq despite export constraints from the Iran conflict. Read →
Supertanker rates for U.S. Gulf to Asia fell to $45 million for 2 million barrels, down from $79.6 million a month ago. The drop makes some long-haul crude trades more attractive while rates remain historically high. Read →
Charts of the day
1
OPEC output chart Oct 2026via @LSREnergy on X · 23 likesReuters survey bar chart showing OPEC oil output rising to 90% of pre-war rate in October
December NYMEX natural gas futures rose 5.4% to $3.16/MMBtu, the highest level in three weeks, on forecasts for cooler temperatures boosting heating demand. Lower 48 output averaged 112.1 Bcf/d so far in November, down from October, while LNG feedgas flows hit a record 19.3 Bcf/d. Demand including exports is projected to rise to 120 Bcf/d next week. Read →
Futures jumped as much as 8.3%, the largest gain since September, after cooler Atlantic seaboard forecasts prompted hedge funds to unwind record short positions. Money managers' short-only position hit a fresh record last week on Super El Niño warm-winter bets. The move was amplified by positioning rather than fundamentals alone. Read →
LNG feedgas demand reached a record 20.4 Bcf/d as export plants ran near full capacity, supporting prices alongside cooler forecasts. December futures rallied comfortably above $3/MMBtu. Production slipped but LNG flows provided the strongest structural bullish factor. Read →
Comstock Resources' Western Haynesville wells average 33 MMcf/d and sit at breakeven near $3/MMBtu, with hedges lifting realized prices only to $2.94. The company relies on a $1.65B asset sale and a drilling venture to sustain nine rigs amid low prices. This highlights margin pressure on Haynesville producers despite LNG demand growth. Read →
With Hormuz and the Red Sea redrawing trade routes minute by minute, you need the quickest, most reliable source of truth. Kpler tracks commodity cargoes and the vessels carrying them. You can see exports, imports, floating storage and more as they develop in real time.
Kpler covers oil, products, gas, and dry bulk. Pair flows with refinery runs, inventories and freight analytics, and the story behind a price move becomes visible before the market has priced it in.
USGC VLGC availability tightened to three ships last week versus a six-ship average, firming spot BLPG3 rates mildly. Every Houston-Chiba propane window remains shut despite 4 cpg FOB weakening, with the best December-January cargo showing a -$30.64/mt margin against naphtha. Forward curves price December freight at $282/mt as LR competition from the Arabian Gulf widens the gap for US propane. Read →
What's moving · TTF rises 1% to €83/MWh on EU storage at 72% full and net withdrawals accelerating as winter demand builds.
Market
Last
1D
YTD
1Y
5Y
Dutch TTF €/MWh
82.23
-0.3% -0.27
+192%
+164%
+17.2%
Dutch TTF $/MMBtu
27.05
-0.3% -0.09
+192%
+164%
+17.2%
JKM $/MMBtu
31.35
-0.5% -0.14
+226%
+182%
+0.7%
EU gas storage · gas day Sun, Nov 8
EU gas storage is 72.4% full, 820 TWh in store, 17.0 points below the five-year average for this date and 10.2 points below a year ago. Germany, the bloc's largest store, is 59.0%, 29.6 points below its five-year average and 15.9 points below a year ago. LNG terminals are 45.1% full and sent out 4,028 GWh, 1% more than the day before.
S&P Global and Kpler data show 31 laden LNG tankers exited the Strait of Hormuz in October, up from 23 in September and the highest since the US-Iran conflict began. Qatar loadings reached 35 cargoes, the most since the war started. The rise signals partial recovery in Middle East flows but remains well below pre-war levels, easing some supply pressure on European and Asian benchmarks. Read →
Anna Shiryaevskaya · Bloomberg · Mon, Nov 9, 7:47 AM ET
Forecasts indicate EU inventories could reach multi-year lows by spring 2027 after starting the heating season at 72% full, well below the five-year average. Persistent low stocks and ongoing Middle East LNG disruptions will keep restocking needs elevated next summer, supporting structurally higher TTF prices into 2027. Read →
Mind Energy warns of heightened Nordic power price spikes this winter from an 11 TWh hydro deficit and tight European gas supplies amid low storage and Middle East LNG curbs. Southern Norway, Sweden and Denmark zones are already seeing day-ahead prices above €200/MWh when wind is low, with German gas plants setting marginal prices. Read →
PJM is delaying its planned reliability backstop procurement auction for data centers after FERC partly approved the plan but rejected key cost-allocation elements. The auction targets 6.8 GW of new capacity to address a shortfall in the 2028/29 delivery year driven by data-center load growth. The delay leaves the capacity shortfall unresolved ahead of the next base auction and sustains upward pressure on PJM capacity prices. Read →
Chinese thermal coal buyers are rejecting proposed clauses in 2027 supply contracts that would let Indonesian miners avoid delivery obligations if Jakarta cuts production quotas or delays export permits. The pushback stems from prior disruptions tied to Indonesian policy changes this year and threatens to delay deals that support miner output planning. The standoff highlights ongoing supply uncertainty for Asia's largest importer amid winter restocking needs. Read →
European API2 futures fell toward $134/t and Australian High-CV thermal coal dropped below $149/t as oil and gas prices declined amid fading Middle East risk premiums and rising wind generation in Europe. Chinese Qinhuangdao spot prices eased to $150/t with expectations of higher Shanxi output in November. Seaborne thermal exports from Indonesia face further pressure from permit constraints and domestic obligations, with 2026 totals projected around 445 million tonnes. Read →
India's thermal coal imports are estimated at 15.06 million tonnes in October, the highest since May 2025 and up sharply from September, driven by record coal-fired power generation of 86.27 TWh through Oct 22 and stronger post-monsoon industrial demand. Power sector consumption rose 27.6% year-on-year. Coal India holds 67 million tonnes of pithead stocks to support the surge while authorities accelerate mine-to-rail evacuation. Read →
London cocoa futures fell 2.6% to £3,920 per metric ton, hitting a three-month low, pressured by rising exchange stocks at 2.5-year highs and weak chocolate demand growth. New York cocoa dropped 2.4% to $5,138 per ton as arrivals in Ivory Coast lagged sharply year-over-year. Read →
USDA NASS reported US corn harvest at 81% complete as of Nov. 8, 5 points behind the five-year average, with Iowa at just 72%. Soybean harvest reached 92%, slightly ahead of average, while winter wheat planting hit 89% complete amid improving Great Plains conditions. Read →
What's moving · Hormuz disruption and high sulfur/gas costs drive ammonia up $95/t while urea/phosphates soften on buyer resistance.
Market
Last
1D
YTD
1Y
5Y
Urea
China (ZCE) CNY/t
1,745
+1.2% +20
-0.2%
+5.1%
-25.4%
Brazil CFR $/t
469.00
+0.0% +0.00
+15.1%
+15.0%
-45.5%
US Gulf FOB $/st
425.50
+0.1% +0.25
+10.0%
+9.4%
-45.6%
DAP
NOLA FOB $/st
795.00
+0.0% +0.00
+27.2%
+8.5%
+9.3%
The 5Y column starts from the October 2021 peak, when the European gas crisis shut ammonia plants and China halted urea exports. Daily settles; these contracts barely trade, so flat days are common.
Ongoing Strait of Hormuz standstill has halted Qatar urea output and curtailed sulfur/ammonia flows, with at least 2 million tonnes of urea production lost and nearly 1 million tonnes of loaded cargo stuck in the Gulf. Farmers face a steeper supply crunch than in 2022 amid low grain prices, prompting planting cuts in Australia and reduced applications elsewhere; analysts warn of lower 2027 harvests if the squeeze persists. Read →
LME three-month copper rose 0.9% to $13,890/t after a 2.7% weekly drop, its steepest since March. The Yangshan import premium hit a record $230/t while SHFE copper stocks fell over 24% last week to 33,848 t, the lowest in nearly three years. Spot premiums in Shanghai tripled in two weeks to 2,615 yuan/t as smelters face concentrate and scrap shortages. Read →
US funds cut net long positions sharply while SHFE stocks hit a three-year low of 33,848 t. The Yangshan premium reached a record $230/t as US tariff expectations pulled metal into American warehouses, leaving global availability tight. LME cash copper trades at a $195/t premium over three-month metal. Read →
LME three-month copper rose 0.7% to $13,869/t after last week’s steep losses. The Yangshan premium hit a record $230/t and SHFE stocks fell more than 24% to 33,848 t. Citi cut its three-month copper price forecast to $13,300/t from $14,500/t citing weakening AI sentiment. Read →
The most active DCE January 2027 iron ore contract fell 0.07% to 684 yuan per tonne in daytime trading. Prices slipped on mounting concerns over Chinese steel demand after steelmakers in key hubs like Tangshan and Handan imposed output curbs due to heavy air pollution forecasts. This added pressure to an already seasonally weak period for steel consumption. Read →
As of November 10, the operating rate of 50 EAF mills producing construction steel reached 37.06%, up 2.06 percentage points period-on-period, with capacity utilization at 35.77%. Daily average output of construction steel increased 2,900 tonnes to 79,600 tonnes. Rebar export quotes at Tianjin Port held steady at USD 470 to 475/tonne amid decent Middle East inquiries. Read →
The most-traded DCE iron ore contract fell 0.73% to 684.5 yuan per tonne after hitting a four-week high of 694.5 yuan on November 6. Northern China steel hubs announced emergency production curbs from Monday due to heavy air pollution forecasts, weighing on hot metal output already at a four-week low of 2.31 million tonnes daily. SGX benchmark December iron ore eased 0.58% to USD 92.5 per tonne. Read →
Rebar export quotations at Tianjin Port remained stable at USD 470 to 475 per tonne with steady Middle East demand. EAF operating rate for construction steel mills rose 2.06 points to 37.06% as of November 10. Vietnam's Hoa Phat secured around 500,000 tonnes of domestic HRC orders at USD 559 to 560 per tonne CIF. Read →
Spot gold fell 0.4% to $4,124.42/oz Tuesday as traders locked in gains after a >1% Monday rally. Investors await the US CPI report for clues on December Fed rate odds, now at 84% for a hike. Silver slid 0.3% to $53.22/oz while platinum held steady and palladium dropped 0.2%. Read →
Ernest Hoffman · Kitco News · Mon, Nov 9, 10:02 AM ET
Heraeus said central banks added 321 tonnes of gold in Q3, up 42% YoY and lifting YTD purchases to 675t, 6% ahead of last year. Only 120t was disclosed, led by China (63t) and Poland (40t). Gold and silver extended their post-election rebound Monday amid a softer dollar and lower oil. Read →
Barrick reported Q3 adjusted net earnings of $1.35B ($0.82/share), beating estimates, on 816k oz gold output up 3% QoQ. Revenue rose 22% YoY to $5.07B. The miner kept full-year gold guidance at 2.90 to 3.25M oz and AISC of $1,760 to 1,950/oz. Read →
Beijing formalised a two-month extension of the rare earth export control pause to January 10, formalising the broader trade truce extension. The US Trade Representative and Treasury stressed the need for China to meet commitments on rare earths and critical minerals. The extension provides breathing room but leaves the April licensing requirements for key magnet inputs intact. Read →
European industry welcomed the extension for short-term relief but highlighted persistent barriers including unreliable pricing, wary investors and differing national rules. EIT RawMaterials CEO Bernd Schaefer said the pause underscores the urgency of diversification. Analysts warned the EU is running out of time to build alternative supply chains. Read →
What's moving · BDI jumps 1.8% to 2,854 on Capesize/Panamax rally amid iron ore steadiness; Hormuz LNG and product flows recover.
Route
$/day
Wk
1Y
$/t
$/bbl
VLCC TD3C
MEG to China
$1.41M
+4.5%
+992%
234.9
32.05
Suezmax TD20
WAF to UKC
$418k
-2.7%
+495%
118.3
16.14
Aframax TD25
USG to UKC
$230k
+9.8%
+262%
133.8
18.25
LR2 TC1
MEG to Japan
$304k
-7.7%
+781%
199.9
26.83
LR1 TC5
MEG to Japan
$223k
-8.9%
+758%
211.1
23.72
MR TC18
USG to Brazil
$85k
+36.7%
+178%
114.8
13.51
MR TC7
Singapore to Aus
$76k
-3.5%
+278%
104.8
14.07
Report of Oct 29, 2026. Weekly round-voyage TCE and freight cost per tonne and per barrel; TD routes carry crude, TC routes refined products. 1Y is the $/day change; WetBarrel's history starts in October 2023, so there is no 5Y. Source: WetBarrel.
The Baltic Exchange dry bulk index climbed 49 points or 1.8% to 2,854, its highest since October 9, driven by the Capesize index surging 115 points (2.7%) to 4,459 with daily earnings up $1,044 to $36,936 and the Panamax index adding 34 points (1.7%) to 2,037 with earnings up $300 to $18,330. Supramax eased slightly. Iron ore futures held steady with a second weekly gain on expectations of lower coke prices easing steel mill costs, lifting rates for larger vessels hauling iron ore and coal. Read →
Refined products loaded in the Persian Gulf reached about 3 million barrels per day in October, mostly exiting via the Strait of Hormuz, up from a May low of 1 million b/d though still half pre-conflict levels, per Vortexa ship-tracking data. The increase in distillates, naphtha, and LPG provides relief to the tight global oil market nine months into the Iran war. Read →
The European Commission reported that EU ETS-covered emissions dropped 2% in 2025, generating €43 billion in revenues, but warned the reduction pace has slowed and requires accelerated industrial decarbonisation investment. Slower cuts raise questions about long-term allowance demand tightness in the compliance market. Read →
The European Energy Exchange announced it will start primary auctions and secondary spot trading for EU ETS2 allowances on January 18, 2027, covering buildings, road transport and other sectors. The move provides infrastructure for the new system ahead of its 2028 compliance start and signals growing market depth for transport and heating fuels. Read →
The CFTC updated guidance allowing supervised commodities firms to allocate client capital to tokenized versions of permitted assets if they confer equivalent legal and economic rights, and confirmed blockchain or distributed ledgers can satisfy recordkeeping obligations. This removes a key barrier for regulated entities to hold tokenized commodities like gold or oil-linked instruments on-chain. The move accelerates TradFi integration into RWA markets amid stalled broader legislation. Read →
Binance's gold-backed products recorded over $325 million in seven-day spot trading volume, the highest outside initial launch surges, with a single-day peak of $78 million on November 5 and cumulative volume exceeding $8 billion. Commodity-backed tokenized assets comprise nearly $6 billion of the $50 billion total tokenized assets market cap, gold dominant. The surge occurred as broader crypto markets weakened and spot gold stabilized near $4,000 per ounce after a >30% year-to-date decline. Read →
Two large Hyperliquid accounts shifted roughly $23 million toward bearish crude exposure, with one closing a $10.54 million Brent long and another opening $13.4 million in new WTI and Brent shorts while holding $43.7 million total short positions. The moves coincided with WTI and Brent perpetual contracts declining 1.3 to 1.8% over the prior 24 hours. Hyperliquid's on-chain oil perps continue to see substantial weekend and after-hours volume when traditional exchanges are closed. Read →
Strathcona Resources agreed to acquire Greenfire Resources in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at C$2.7 to 2.9 billion including debt. The deal expands Strathcona's Athabasca oil sands position and creates Canada's fourth-largest SAGD operator with over 3 billion barrels of 2P reserves. Read →
ExxonMobil signed a non-binding MOU with PDVSA to assess upstream oil opportunities, a potential return nearly two decades after expropriation. Any investment requires stable policies and competitive returns; no specific projects disclosed. Read →
Occidental Petroleum posted Q3 adjusted profit of $1.91 per share, beating estimates, as realized prices rose 32.6% to $85.91/bbl. Production fell 2.6% to 1.43 mmboepd amid Gulf of Mexico curtailments and maintenance. Read →
Equinox Gold reported Q3 gold production of 237,019 ounces and record revenue of $1.0 billion with adjusted EBITDA of $533 million. Results include two months from the Orla Mining combination; company remains on track for 2026 guidance. Read →
Hemlo Mining posted Q3 revenue of $135.5 million from 32,424 gold ounces sold at $4,234/oz average price. Attributable production reached 25,652 ounces with operating cash flow of $54.6 million. Read →
Canada's federal budget proposes extending the 15% Mineral Exploration Tax Credit and 30% Critical Mineral Exploration Tax Credit through March 31, 2032, at a cost of C$956 million over five years, and adds antimony to the higher-rate credit. It also allocates C$424.4 million over four years to renew the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy, plus funding for geoscience and supply-chain infrastructure. The measures support exploration and processing of battery and defense-critical minerals amid global competition. Read →
Traders on X under #OOTT are highlighting the drop in US gasoline prices below $4/gallon, the first time since July, offering pump relief though still elevated seasonally. The move follows softer oil prices and is tied to refining capacity constraints limiting faster diesel relief. It signals easing consumer energy costs amid broader energy market weakness. Read →
#OOTT traders are discussing China's October crude imports surging to 9.92 mbpd from 9.06 mbpd in September, though below prior-year levels. The data points to resilient Asian demand despite global oil price weakness and geopolitical shifts. It supports views that demand fundamentals remain supportive for crude even as prices slide. Read →
Oil traders on X flag US distillate inventories hitting a fresh 23-year low for the week ended Nov 6, keeping middle-distillate cracks elevated despite seaborne supply signals of potential easing. Tight stocks underscore strength in diesel and heating oil markets amid refinery issues and seasonal demand. The data highlights ongoing tightness in refined products even as crude softens. Read →
Commodity watchers note Russia doubling its share of India's thermal coal imports to 8.2%, reflecting shifting trade flows amid global energy dynamics. The increase comes as India seeks affordable supply options. It points to evolving coal market geopolitics and competition with other exporters. Read →
#OOTT participants are reacting to ADNOC's December OSP cuts, including $7/bbl for Murban, $4 for Das, and others, signaling efforts to maintain competitiveness in a softening crude market. The adjustments follow recent price weakness and aim to support exports. Traders see it as a key signal for Middle East crude pricing going forward. Read →
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