The global automotive industry could soon start reeling from one of China’s boldest moves in the trade war—restricting exports of several rare earth metals that are critical to the auto manufacturing, energy, and defense industries. Earlier this month, China, which dominates the global rare earth and critical minerals supply chain, announced it would curb its exports of dysprosium, gadolinium, scandium, terbium, samarium, yttrium, and lutetium. These so-called “heavy” and “medium” rare earth elements are mostly…

Plastics manufacturers in China are facing some tough times ahead due to their dependence on imports of U.S. feedstock. These imports are already running at record highs. This year, they were expected to surge by 20%, but then Trump started his tariff offensive. And there are no suppliers of this feedstock that compare in terms of production size with the United States. Ethane is a component of natural gas. Its production in the U.S. took off with the shale gas boom and is still booming thanks to the relentless growth in petrochemical demand on…

On an international scale, researchers have been hard at work making magnesium batteries a feasible replacement for lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, in a development that could upend the electric vehicles industry on a worldwide scale.  Currently, the global EV fleet runs on lithium-ion batteries, but these fundamental building blocks of the decarbonization movement carry some critical drawbacks. As it stands lithium production and refining for use in lithium-ion batteries and other applications is all but monopolized by China.…

The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States fell 4.565 million barrels in the week ending April 18. The API estimated a 2.4 million barrel build in the prior week. So far this year, crude oil inventories are still up more than 19 million barrels, according to Oilprice calculations of API data. Earlier this week, the Department of Energy (DoE) reported that crude oil inventories in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) climbed 500,000 barrels to 397.5 million barrels in the week ending April 18.…

The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States fell 4.565 million barrels in the week ending April 18. The API estimated a 2.4 million barrel build in the prior week. So far this year, crude oil inventories are still up more than 19 million barrels, according to Oilprice calculations of API data. Earlier this week, the Department of Energy (DoE) reported that crude oil inventories in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) climbed 500,000 barrels to 397.5 million barrels in the week ending April 18.…

By Eric Kulisch of FreightWaves U.S. plans next month to cancel tariff-free access for low-value parcel shipments from China and Hong Kong, coupled with a new 145% tariff rate on Chinese imports, could bleed more than $22 billion in revenue from the air cargo sector over three years and put thousands of online sellers with direct-to-consumer fulfillment models out of business, according to an e-commerce and logistics consulting firm.  Derek Lossing, the founder of Cirrus Global Advisors, has previously said the Trump administration’s…

Via Metal Miner   China is once again weaponizing rare earths elements in the tariff war with the United States. According to media reports, China recently suspended the export of certain rare earth minerals, ostensibly while re-drafting the regulations covering such exports. MetalMiner’s weekly newsletter states that if the issue is not resolved soon, both the halt in rare earth exports and the trade war itself are bound to affect the production of a wide range of products across multiple sectors. As most of us know, rare earths are…

Europe’s largest LNG export terminal, Hammerfest LNG—aka Melkoeya, aka The Drama Queen of the Barents Sea—is taking a little summer siesta. Equinor shut the plant down Tuesday for its annual maintenance ritual, which started at 04:00 GMT and is expected to last until July 10. This time, at least, it’s planned. No fires, no gas leaks, no compressor tantrums—just good old-fashioned upkeep. Located on Norway’s Melkoeya Island, Hammerfest LNG is a heavy hitter in the continent’s gas game. It slurps up supply…

Tesla shares sank nearly six per cent on Easter Monday, leaving investors braced for what analysts have called a “code red” moment for Elon Musk’s firm ahead of its first quarter earnings announcement. The electric vehicle (EV) giant is facing mounting concerns over failing sales, geopolitical headwinds and evolving criticism of Musk’s political involvement, which analysts say is damaging brand perception in key global markets. Shares slide on bearish forecasts Tesla stock closed Monday at $227, down 5.75 per cent. The decline…

Oil prices have experienced a slight increase, with Brent crude at $68 per barrel, largely driven by new U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports. While a surging U.S. equity market supports the recovery, lingering concerns about trade tensions and a reduced global economic outlook could hinder future oil demand. Russia has reduced its 2025 Brent forecast, and analysts caution that trade disputes may continue to negatively impact oil prices despite the recent rebound. 1m ago 12:09pm CST IMF Slashes Global Growth Forecasts The IMF slashed global…

Iran is boosting natural gas production from Phase 11 of the giant South Pars field after bringing online a key new well, Iranian media reported on Tuesday. The eighth well at South Pars 11 – the 11th phase of development at the world’s largest natural gas discovery, which Iran shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf – will raise output from South Pars by 3 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d), Iranian state-run firm PetroPars said on Tuesday. Thus, the total natural gas output at the giant South Pars field has reached 20 mcm/d.…

Iran is boosting natural gas production from Phase 11 of the giant South Pars field after bringing online a key new well, Iranian media reported on Tuesday. The eighth well at South Pars 11 – the 11th phase of development at the world’s largest natural gas discovery, which Iran shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf – will raise output from South Pars by 3 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d), Iranian state-run firm PetroPars said on Tuesday. Thus, the total natural gas output at the giant South Pars field has reached 20 mcm/d.…

Iran is boosting natural gas production from Phase 11 of the giant South Pars field after bringing online a key new well, Iranian media reported on Tuesday. The eighth well at South Pars 11 – the 11th phase of development at the world’s largest natural gas discovery, which Iran shares with Qatar in the Persian Gulf – will raise output from South Pars by 3 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d), Iranian state-run firm PetroPars said on Tuesday. Thus, the total natural gas output at the giant South Pars field has reached 20 mcm/d.…

A while ago, in a article about investment opportunities, we concluded that water was the new oil, the commodity that would provide one of the the best returns in the future. A bit hyperbolic, maybe? But there is another aspect of water relevant to resource industries, namely that its scarcity will inhibit or raise costs of resource development, including that of oil and gas. Take fracking, which made America’s petroleum industry great again. It requires large quantities of water. And after the fracking, the drillers have to do something…

Taiwan is pledging to buy more U.S. oil and gas, which is a focus of the tariff talks with the Trump Administration, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday. “Increasing purchases from the United States, including natural gas, oil, and other essential national energy sources, is not only the next focus of the tariff negotiations between Taiwan and the U.S., but also an important part of Taiwan's efforts to strengthen its energy autonomy and resilience,” Lai’s office said, as carried by Reuters. Currently, Taiwan’s…

Oil markets are bracing for the next big external shock as Trump's trade war with China continues to escalate and talks of a potential nuclear deal with Iran threaten to bring fresh supply to markets. - The start of trade negotiations between the United States and Asia Pacific countries has been marked by evident interest in US LNG projects, whilst the likes of South Korea and Japan kept relatively mum about crude. - Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te announced that Taipei would seek to increase the share of US LNG imports from the current…

Richard Kinder doesn’t lose sleep over trade wars or chatbots. The billionaire co-founder of Kinder Morgan waved off the industry handwringing over U.S.-China LNG tariffs and the supposedly overhyped energy appetite of AI data centers. “Our view is that any loss of the Chinese market will be more than offset by the efforts of governments in the EU and Asia to increase the imports of US LNG,” he said on the company’s recent Q1 earnings call. Translation: let Beijing play tariff tag—Kinder’s pipelines are still…

Richard Kinder doesn’t lose sleep over trade wars or chatbots. The billionaire co-founder of Kinder Morgan waved off the industry handwringing over U.S.-China LNG tariffs and the supposedly overhyped energy appetite of AI data centers. “Our view is that any loss of the Chinese market will be more than offset by the efforts of governments in the EU and Asia to increase the imports of US LNG,” he said on the company’s recent Q1 earnings call. Translation: let Beijing play tariff tag—Kinder’s pipelines are still…

Previously we explained that the US-China trade war has been unique in that the US was hit fast and hard, mostly through capital markets and financial linkages, which travel instantaneously with acute consequences (the recent dump of US treasuries by China and subsequent purchases of the yuan and perhaps gold took effect in milliseconds, and prompted a cottage industry of narratives how the US dollar is losing its reserve currency status). At the same time, the impact to the Chinese economy takes a while to propagate, as supply chains take weeks…

Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports jumped by nearly 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February compared to January, the latest data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) showed on Tuesday. Crude exports from the world’s biggest crude exporter averaged 6.547 million bpd in February, up from 6.073 million bpd in January, according to the JODI database, which compiles self-reported figures from individual countries. Saudi crude oil production averaged 8.947 million bpd in February, essentially flat compared to the 8.917 million…