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TOPIC

Commodities

Commodities
Commodity market action from around the world with a focus on the commodities that matter most to investors in Hong Kong and China.
Calbee, a major Japanese snack food maker, says the switch to monochrome packaging for some of its products would not affect quality. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan

Oil crunch drains colour from 1 of Japan’s favourite snacks

Calbee says it is using monochrome designs for some of its products, as the Iran war has caused a shortage of naphtha used in packaging.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | Latin America is reassessing the benefits of warm ties with Beijing

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LME

‘Positive problem’: surging demand strains Hong Kong’s metals storage capacity

South Korea

South Korea draws Gulf oil storage interest as Hormuz stays closed

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE are among major oil producers looking to South Korea’s underground storage facilities, officials say.

Oil storage tanks at the Daesan petrochemical complex in Seosan, South Korea. Most of the country’s “oil reserve base” storage facilities have been built underground. Photo: Reuters
Gold in Hong Kong

Hong Kong prepares for gold futures trading: will the fourth time be the charm?

As HKEX eyes relaunch of gold futures, experts suggest extended hours, tax breaks, and storage facilities to ensure success.

China economy

Outside In | Prepare for ‘China shock 3.0’ to the global food economy

Imagine China applying the same industry policy playbook for electric cars, solar panels and AI to agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

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Banking & finance

Hong Kong pushes gold futures relaunch as mainland China reserves climb

City aims to broaden gold offerings and expand clearing and storage facilities to seize opportunities in the surging market.

Hong Kong’s gold market has seen rising activity amid the Middle East turmoil. Photo: dpa
Asean

Opinion | Asia must unite to avert an Iran war food crisis

The energy and fertiliser shocks come amid crucial planting windows for Asia’s farmers, exposing the region’s dire dependencies.

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United States

Wall Street hesitates, oil prices rise amid uncertainty in Strait of Hormuz

Despite all the uncertainty about how long the war with Iran will last, the US stock market has managed to power to record after record.

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China trade

China’s critical minerals grip faces test as new Asian financing tool launches

Japan, Britain and other nations have pledged millions to the new scheme, as China’s dominance of critical minerals sector faces fresh challenge.

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A skip loader shifts earth at a rare earth metals mine in China’s Jiangxi province. Photo: Reuters
Gold in Hong Kong

Gold rush: Hong Kong bullion imports from Dubai jump amid US-Iran war

Gold traders from the Middle East and Russia have been selling physical gold in Hong Kong at a discount of 15 to 20 per cent since early April.

Tourists admire gold jewellery at the Gold Souq in Dubai. Photo: Shutterstock
United States

Wall Street rises towards more records as oil prices slip

The main uncertainty for the global economy is where oil prices will go because of the Iran war.

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Central banks

Gold loses its shimmer in Asia over rising oil prices, hawkish Fed stance

Demand for the metal is likely to remain weak, with central banks not expected to cut interest rates for some time due to high energy prices.

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United States

US economy grows 2% in January–March; Iran war clouds outlook

The economy also recovered from last autumn’s 43-day federal shutdown.

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A shopper with a shopping trolley in Centennial, Colorado in the US. Photo: AP
US, Israel war on Iran

Global oil price hits 4-year high on concerns Iran war could worsen

Global oil benchmark Brent hits $126.41 a barrel, amid warnings it could reach US$150 as peace talks stall.

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam in Oman on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong economy

Industrial costs up 50% in Hong Kong since start of Mideast war: oil executive

Wah Fu Petroleum Company executive pledges to pass on subsidy to customers, while taxi union leader praises government for quick intervention.

China trade

Beijing touts mineral dominance, boosts autonomy drive, ahead of Trump’s visit

Ministry of Natural Resources boasts world-leading reserves of 14 minerals and vows to keep boosting output and exploration as geopolitical risks weigh on resources.

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Hong Kong stock market

China oil stocks rise as crude rally lifts Sinopec, CNOOC earnings

First-quarter earnings remain resilient as crude prices surge on Middle East tensions, tightening global supply and lifting margins.

China’s oil stocks have been in focus since crude prices spiked following the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Reuters
China exports

How China’s reported sulphuric acid export ban could have global buyers reeling

Foreign firms fear more halts following reports of a ban on the export of the chemical, crucial for fertiliser and battery production.

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Japan

In hot water: Japan’s bathhouses struggle to stay afloat as oil prices spike

“Sentos” have cut operating hours and welcomed fewer customers, with some deciding to fold amid the energy crisis.

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Zimbabwe

Tianqi Lithium favours China’s salt lakes over Africa amid resource nationalism

In response to Zimbabwe’s export ban, two Chinese companies have promised to build a domestic lithium sulphate plant.

Mining trucks load lithium sulphate in Atacama Salt Flat, Chile, on July 29, 2024. Photo: Anadolu via Getty Images
Indonesia

Mixed bag: Indonesia’s 8% growth dream hits a plastic ceiling

Soaring packaging costs amid the Iran war hint at a deeper malaise as the middle class contracts and growth hits a plateau.

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A woman shops for vegetables in Depok, Indonesia, earlier this month near a sign asking customers to bring their own shopping bags. Photo: Reuters
Food and agriculture

Outside In | The Iran war is brewing a food crisis we must avert

The world’s focus has been on energy shortages but famine and widening food insecurity are faces of the same coin.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Is the US in decline? Why Iran war might be the surest sign

In going from international rule-maker to ‘predatory hegemon’, the US is risking it all, Chinese state media and observers warn.

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Semiconductors

Asia’s chipmakers feel the heat as naphtha crunch hits photoresist supply

Japanese suppliers warn of photoresist strain as upstream shocks ripple through Asia’s semiconductor supply chain.

Shortages are expected to hit advanced nodes that rely on extreme ultraviolet lithography the hardest. Photo: EPA
China-Middle East relations

Opinion | China can offer Gulf states more than just a security umbrella

As threat perceptions reset, Gulf states are likely to pursue a dual track of restrained regional policy and diversified partnerships.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Malaysia

Malaysia’s durian growers in ‘survival mode’ as early glut squeezes export trade

An early bumper harvest and rising fuel and freight costs are squeezing premium durian exporters as they race to get their fruit into China.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Video | World’s top condom maker to raise prices over Iran war

Malaysian condom producer Karex plans to raise condom prices by up to 30%.

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