Category Archives: Commodities

China’s Raging Bond Bubble Exposed

Yet another China risk warning.

How Much Longer Can The Oil Age Last?

Even with the cost efficiency of renewables being much higher than many realize, major energy buyers don’t act as if the oil age is ending soon.

Glencore, Commodities Traders, and Systemic Risk

Mega commodities trader Glencore and its big peers are looking wobbly. How worried should you be?

Wolf Richter: Corporate Revenue Recession Spreads past Dollar, Energy

Now that 495 of the S&P 500 companies have reported second quarter earnings, something has become abundantly clear: 2015 is going to be a nasty year for corporate revenues.

Why Did Oil Prices Just Jump By 27 Percent in 3 Days?

Oil prices have posted their strongest rally in years, jumping an astounding 27 percent in the last three trading days of August.

While much of the recent price movement defies reason and is enormously magnified by speculative movements by traders to take and cover their bets on oil, still, there were a series of rumors, events, and fresh data that helped contribute to the spike.

Don Quijones: Why Are the Four Richest Men in Mexico Getting Crushed?

By Don Quijones, of Spain and Mexico. Originally published at Wolf Street Tough times for Mexico’s very richest. A couple of weeks ago, I reportedthat Carlos Slim, once the world’s richest man and the undisputed Big Boss of Slimlandia, as Mexico has come to be called, lost $7 billion in the first seven months of 2015. But […]

Conflict Over Water In Central Asia

Expect water wars to become more common and deadly.

Wolf Richter: It Starts – Broad Retaliation Against China in Currency War

Struggling economies that compete with China are going to protect their exports against Chinese encroachment via currency depreciation.

Michael Pettis: Do Markets Determine the Value of the RMB?

A thorough discussion of the background and implications of the so-far modest devaluation of the RMB.

Does a Strong Dollar Hurt Emerging Markets?

Conventional wisdom has it that strengthening dollar hurts emerging markets via a sudden exodus of host money. A new study argues that real economy forces are a bigger driver, specifically lower commodity prices.

Saudi Oil Strategy: Brilliant Or Suicide?

Does it make sense to look at the Saudi strategy within the oil industry alone, or do analysts need to start factoring in deflationary economic policies around the world?

Frack Now, Pay Later: A New Era In U.S. Oil?

Oilfield services providers like Halliburton and Schlumberger are so desperate to keep the fracking party going that they are extending credit to already-levered frackers.

Wolf Richter: China’s Hard Landing Suddenly Gets a Lot Rougher

Despite the 7% GDP growth published and hotly defended by the Chinese government, it is increasingly clear that the country is beset with a host of immense problems, after a debt-fueled binge of overbuilding and over-stimulating.