Five Key Charts to Watch in Global Commodities This Week

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Simar Khanna, Will Wade, Stephen Stapczynski and Grant Smith

Mon, Mar 17, 2025, 7:43 AM 2 min read

(Bloomberg) -- Top US lipid executives are readying a sit-down with their country’s president to sermon vigor policy, of which ember is present seen arsenic a cardinal part. Cobalt, a cardinal artillery metal, is surging aft a astonishment export prohibition from the apical producer. And countries astir the satellite are keeping a choky grip connected steel.

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Here are 5 notable charts to see successful planetary commodity markets arsenic the week gets underway.

Oil

Top US lipid executives person a sojourn to the White House connected their calendars this week to sermon vigor accumulation with President Donald Trump. The gathering comes amid a backdrop of falling crude prices, increasing accumulation and tariff uncertainty. In its latest report, the International Energy Agency reduced projections for maturation successful satellite lipid depletion this twelvemonth portion anticipating a proviso surplus. Oil futures edged higher Monday aft the caller slump connected optimistic economical signals from the 2 biggest consumers of crude.

Coal

Coal is cheaper successful Asia than its been since 2021 arsenic a planetary oversupply kept prices low. But that’s owed to change. Coal’s popularity is rising, adjacent successful the US wherever the soiled substance had been shunned and plants closed. Now, the Trump medication is moving to stem those closures arsenic the federation seeks to conscionable surging request for power. The determination follows the International Energy Agency’s December forecast that said usage of ember would ascent done astatine slightest 2027. Along with that, expect prices to besides rise.

Cobalt

The terms of cobalt is soaring arsenic the ramifications of a astonishment export prohibition from the world’s largest shaper unfold. Cobalt hydroxide — the main merchandise exported from the Democratic Republic of Congo — spiked aft the state imposed a four-month suspension successful February to rein successful a glut. Last week, cobalt deed its highest level since July 2023, according to Fastmarkets. Congo accounts for astir three-quarters of the world’s accumulation of the artillery metal.

Steel

Countries astir the satellite rushing to stem imports of steel, seen arsenic an historical awesome of manufacturing strength. Just arsenic the US imposes tariffs connected metals, South Korea, Vietnam, Brazil and the European Union besides are seeking to support home alloy accumulation and trim supplies from China, the ascendant shaper whose exports surged adjacent to a grounds past year.