The Coronavirus Impact February 2020: The outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic in China is having a significant impact on commodity markets, as trading patterns are disrupted and economic growth forecasts are revised lower Argus assesses the immediate fallout from the virus on multiple commodities and the potential impact for the rest of this year.
Argus White Paper: Semi-soft metallurgical coal prices move closer to market settlement January 2020: Quarterly negotiations for semi-soft coking coal prices are increasingly fractious. Between the breakdown in relativity with the premium coal indexes, the pull of lower thermal prices, and increased convergence between the quarterly negotiated “benchmark” and published semi-soft indexes, has the time come to embrace indexation?
Argus White Paper: 2020: iron ore evolution or revolution? January 2020: As the modern seaborne iron ore industry approaches its tenth birthday, is it celebration or reflection time? Old grumbles are resurfacing in the western media, while in China, futures are being promoted on mainstream television as an alternative pricing mechanism. Will it get another decade?
Argus White paper: Metals, technology and change – Charging up for 2020 Technology continues to advance in ways that challenge the supply chains for most metals. Argus’ global team of analysts have assessed five key themes that are charging the market for 2020.
TPC’s fire at Port Neches, Texas December 2019 A serious fire broke out at TPC’s Port Neches, Texas, 425,000 t/yr butadiene (BD) facility on 27 November, prompting shifts in the entire supply chain.
Argus White Paper: Key NPK trends in 2019 December 2019: Several key trends emerged in the global NPK market in 2019. Governments played a key role in the market, as changes to import and export legislation in major producing and consuming countries disrupted long-established trade flows
Argus White Paper: India’s sulphuric acid consumption on the up An essential analysis of the Indian sulphuric acid market and the factors driving increased consumption in the coming year.
Argus White Paper: Dutch gas winter outlook The Netherlands’ high-calorie demand will rise this winter regardless of the weather, as stronger quality conversion allows for further cuts to production from the Groningen field, especially in January-March. And a further decline in offtake from the country’s small fields will increase the need for high-calorie supply from sources other than domestic production.
Argus White Paper: European power winter outlook Higher nuclear and renewable power generation could limit the call on thermal plants this winter, particularly in northwest Europe where forecasts indicate a milder, wetter winter than normal. Coal-fired generation remains less profitable than gas in many countries, but will still be required to meet demand during periods of cold weather and low renewable power output.
Argus White Paper: European thermal coal winter outlook Growth in European thermal coal demand this winter is contingent on colder-than-average weather driving power generation higher along with weaker output from nuclear and renewables, with a downturn in overall demand likely in normal conditions.
Argus White Paper: German industrial emissions outlook Europe’s heavy industry is under pressure to cut its emissions. The greenhouse gas output of EU industry has barely fallen since 2013 - a trend that has not gone unnoticed by policymakers.
Argus White Paper: UK gas winter outlook The UK will import less from the continent than a year earlier this winter, assuming temperatures are in line with the seasonal norm and LNG imports stay quick.
