Chinese coking coal rose to the highest since 2024 as the aftermath of a deadly mining accident and ongoing safety inspections kept prices elevated. Coking coal futures in Dalian climbed as much as 1.9% to 1,486.5 yuan ($219) a ton, the highest since October 2024, before paring most of the gains. Prices are up around 14% so far this month. A fatal blast at the privately owned Liushenyu mine in Sha...
Chinese coking coal rose to the highest since 2024 as the aftermath of a deadly mining accident and ongoing safety inspections kept prices elevated. Coking coal futures in Dalian climbed as much as 1.9% to 1,486.5 yuan ($219) a ton, the highest since October 2024, before paring most of the gains. Prices are up around 14% so far this month. A fatal blast at the privately owned Liushenyu mine in Shanxi, China’s main coal-producing region, killed at least 82 people last month and prompted intensified scrutiny of mine safety. Some coking coal mines in the province remain shut, constraining supply. “The recovery in coal production in Shanxi has fallen short of expectations,” said Bu Tong, a senior analyst at Horizon Insights . “Safety supervision remains intensive, sustaining tightness in the spot market,” and seaborne coal prices are also catching up quickly, he said. About 60 million tons of annual production capacity remains halted as of Friday, according to Horizon. Mines that have resumed operations are producing about 20% to 30% less than before the accident, it said. Dalian coking coal futures added 0.1% to 1,460 yuan a ton as of 10:36 a.m. local time, while iron ore futures on the exchange declined 0.7% to 760.5 yuan a ton. Iron ore fell 0.7% to $101 a ton in Singapore. Dry bulk freight rates on the Baltic Dry Index dropped 1.8% to 2,981 points at Friday’s close in London, the sixth straight daily loss.
matejmo/iStock via Getty Images Metals markets are navigating a complex landscape where easing geopolitical tensions are intersecting with persistent supply chain vulnerabilities and robust structural demand. Following record highs earlier in May, industrial metals prices have pulled back as markets react to a fragile ceasefire in the Persian Gulf and renewed hopes for a US-Iran diplomatic agreeme...
matejmo/iStock via Getty Images Metals markets are navigating a complex landscape where easing geopolitical tensions are intersecting with persistent supply chain vulnerabilities and robust structural demand. Following record highs earlier in May, industrial metals prices have pulled back as markets react to a fragile ceasefire in the Persian Gulf and renewed hopes for a US-Iran diplomatic agreement. This recalibration removes some of the "war-hedge" premium that had recently elevated prices for commodities like copper and silver. A new Metals Edge report by S&P Global Energy, now available on Capital IQ Pro - "US-Iran deal hopes reset market expectations (again)," explores how conflicts, resource nationalism, and strategic government investments are fundamentally altering the landscape for traders and industrial consumers. From copper's electrification-driven demand to acute supply risks in rare earths, the market is navigating a new era of uncertainty. Here are 5 key takeaways from the report: 1. Geopolitical De-risking Resets Market Premiums The prospect of a diplomatic resolution between the US and Iran, coupled with a tentative ceasefire in the Persian Gulf, has prompted a significant shift in market sentiment. The "war-hedge" premium, which had inflated the prices of industrial metals, is dissipating as traders reassess risk. Copper, which hit a record high of $13,390/mt in May, has since pulled back toward $12,040/mt. Similarly, silver surged to $88/oz on a "fear trade" before retreating to the mid-$70s/oz. This normalization suggests that while immediate geopolitical risk may be easing, prices remain historically elevated, supported by other fundamental factors. 2. Silver and Gold Set on Divergent Paths The changing risk environment is creating a potential divergence between silver and gold. Gold prices have softened since mid-April, as the appeal of the safe-haven asset has diminished relative to rising sovereign bond yields and strong equity markets. In co...
Platner Has Fundraising Surge After NYT Exposé, Which Is Bad News For Nervous Democrats Graham Platner raised $200,000 in a single day on Friday, pulling in donations from more than 5,000 supporters, averaging $40 each. For a party trying to win back the Senate, it should be cause for celebration, but for Democrats trying to quietly push him toward the exit, it is a disaster. The money came pourin...
Platner Has Fundraising Surge After NYT Exposé, Which Is Bad News For Nervous Democrats Graham Platner raised $200,000 in a single day on Friday, pulling in donations from more than 5,000 supporters, averaging $40 each. For a party trying to win back the Senate, it should be cause for celebration, but for Democrats trying to quietly push him toward the exit, it is a disaster. The money came pouring in just hours after the New York Times published a damaging account based on interviews with several of Platner's former girlfriends. The timing made everything worse. The Times story days after Platner reportedly assured Democratic allies that nothing further would surface. The report described "unsettling" behavior , including an allegation from Lyndsey Fifield, a GOP operative, who claimed Platner bragged about having a Nazi tattoo and grabbed her by the shoulders. Platner denied any physical abuse and said he was unaware of the Nazi connection to the now-covered tattoo. The only thing he would concede to is being a bad boyfriend during a period when he was using alcohol to cope after returning from combat. In addition to the fundraising, Platner's campaign released an internal poll from Public Policy Polling this week showing him with a 4-point lead over Collins. While that may seem like a positive development, analyst Nate Silver was skeptical , noting the results are "not super reassuring given that internal polls typically exaggerate their candidate's standing by 4 points or so." A campaign releasing its own polling in the middle of a scandal is usually a sign of pressure, not confidence. Despite Platner’s fundraising boon, he has lost some support. “I pulled my endorsement of Graham Platner because the information that has come to light at this point is inexcusable," liberal activist Cheyenne Hunt said on CNN. "From comments on Reddit that excuse rape to now multiple allegations from a number of women that detail behaviors that are just grotesque, from demonstrabl...
Wall Street pointed toward gains early Monday and oil prices are volatile with a potential easing of violence even as Israel and Iran exchange fire. Nasdaq futures climbed 1.2%. Global shares sank early Monday after Wall Street ended last week with its worst day since October as the technology sector took a beating.
Wall Street pointed toward gains early Monday and oil prices are volatile with a potential easing of violence even as Israel and Iran exchange fire. Nasdaq futures climbed 1.2%. Global shares sank early Monday after Wall Street ended last week with its worst day since October as the technology sector took a beating.
akinbostanci/iStock via Getty Images S pacex ( SPCX ) is just a bit too exciting for me right now. I maintain one of my investing accounts in eTrade, and was invited to partake in the SPCX IPO. I was intrigued initially, but decided not to participate. I don’t know if I would automatically receive shares had I put in for them, in all honesty. I am reminded of that old Groucho Marx line, “I would n...
akinbostanci/iStock via Getty Images S pacex ( SPCX ) is just a bit too exciting for me right now. I maintain one of my investing accounts in eTrade, and was invited to partake in the SPCX IPO. I was intrigued initially, but decided not to participate. I don’t know if I would automatically receive shares had I put in for them, in all honesty. I am reminded of that old Groucho Marx line, “I would not want to join a club that would have me as a member.” What I mean is, if SpaceX is reaching out to little me to buy their shares, perhaps they have too many shares to go around, 555,555,555 shares to be exact. Much has been made of the insistence by the current controlling shareholder Elon Musk, in diverting such a large portion of the shares to the little guy. Some of you must be shaking your head about now, thinking the stock will double immediately, and I will look the fool. Perhaps I will look foolish, not taking a shot, perhaps I don’t get the allocation, but what if I do? I have missed out on the greatest opportunity to generate alpha ever… Perhaps that is so. My cynical self, having perhaps seen too many IPOs go off kilter, is giving some weight to the notion that the retail investor will be the most enthusiastic buyer. Just remember how many new millionaires and billionaires will me minted this Friday, and they want their mansions and yachts just like everyone else and will be just as enthusiastic sellers. I guess we’ll have to see. Look elsewhere and pick up great names that will be sold as a source of funds to buy SPCX Instead, I might look at other stocks that will likely be sold off to pay for those SPCX shares. We see Bitcoin getting sold off recently, and that will likely continue to be a source of funds for this IPO. I have been an early investor in space stocks, and perhaps they will get sold off to pay for SPCX. I would love to buy those names at a discount. We have already seen steady selling in the likes of Rocket Lab ( RKLB ) and Firefly ( FLY ) as far...
Proxies for Japanese pension funds bought a record amount of overseas bonds last month, adding to signs of robust demand for foreign debt even as local yields climbed. Bank trust accounts bought a net ¥3.16 trillion ($19.7 billion) in May, preliminary figures from the Ministry of Finance showed on Monday. That was the highest in data going back to 2005. “A large share of the flows likely went into...
Proxies for Japanese pension funds bought a record amount of overseas bonds last month, adding to signs of robust demand for foreign debt even as local yields climbed. Bank trust accounts bought a net ¥3.16 trillion ($19.7 billion) in May, preliminary figures from the Ministry of Finance showed on Monday. That was the highest in data going back to 2005. “A large share of the flows likely went into the US,” said Miki Den , a senior interest-rate strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. “With US 10-year yields having risen at the time, the higher yields may have encouraged Japanese investors to buy foreign bonds.” The benchmark Treasury yield climbed to 4.69% on May 19, the highest since January 2025, as rising oil prices fanned speculation that faster inflation would force the Federal Reserve to tighten policy. The similar-maturity Japanese yield also peaked in mid-May though it was still about 200 basis points below the US levels. Both yields have since remained elevated as hopes for a diplomatic resolution involving the US, Israel and Iran have faded. “Purchases may slow in the near term amid heightened uncertainty,” said Den. “But once investors have more clarity on the Middle East and the direction of Fed policy,” Japanese buying is likely to resume, he said. Bond Yields Near Two-Decade High Open Rift Among Investors Bond Traders Bet on a CPI Surge That Bolsters Case for Fed Pivot
(RTTNews) - Indian shares are seen opening sharply lower on Monday as investors weigh weak global cues and escalating Midde East tension against strong domestic GDP data as well as the Indian government's decision eliminating the 12.5 percent long term capital gains tax on foreig
(RTTNews) - Indian shares are seen opening sharply lower on Monday as investors weigh weak global cues and escalating Midde East tension against strong domestic GDP data as well as the Indian government's decision eliminating the 12.5 percent long term capital gains tax on foreig
Market Snapshot USD/INR ₹94.94 -0.9% Nifty 50 Index 23,366.70 -0.2% India 10-Year Bond Yield 6.97% -0.03 Spot Gold ($/oz) $4,309.91 -0.4% S&P 500 Futures 7,407.75 +0.1% Market data as of 08:09 AM IST, Jun. 8, 2026, or the previous close for Indian markets. Data is subject to provider delays. Good morning... I’m Ashutosh Joshi in Mumbai with a mood check on the markets at the start of the week. Asi...
Market Snapshot USD/INR ₹94.94 -0.9% Nifty 50 Index 23,366.70 -0.2% India 10-Year Bond Yield 6.97% -0.03 Spot Gold ($/oz) $4,309.91 -0.4% S&P 500 Futures 7,407.75 +0.1% Market data as of 08:09 AM IST, Jun. 8, 2026, or the previous close for Indian markets. Data is subject to provider delays. Good morning... I’m Ashutosh Joshi in Mumbai with a mood check on the markets at the start of the week. Asia’s stock benchmark is down more than 2% in early Monday trading as a selloff in tech shares gathered momentum and a robust US jobs report fueled expectations of an interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve. Oil climbed after Iran fired missiles at Israel. That makes for a challenging backdrop for Indian equities. The Nifty 50 benchmark capped a second straight weekly drop on Friday to close at a two-month low. The government raised prices of domestic cooking gas for the second time since the Iran war started, to help state retailers cut losses on discounted fuel sales. That’s after four increases in diesel and gasoline prices last month. On the positive side, the measures (more on them below) announced by the RBI Friday are expected to boost foreign capital flows into Indian bonds, offering some relief to a rupee that has underperformed most major Asian currencies this year. The challenge for policymakers will now be to sustain inflows in the face of economic threats beyond their control. In today’s newsletter, we write about: Curbs on large inflows into gold ETFs Strong order books for capital-goods firms Domestic travel powering hotels But first, let’s see how the tide may be turning for the rupee. Markets Buzz: The Rupee Gets a Boost The rupee posted its biggest gain in two months on Friday after authorities took steps to attract foreign capital . That helped the currency cap a third straight weekly advance, matching a streak last seen in October. Analysts say the measures — including a tax break for global investors in government bonds and wider access to sovereign deb...