Commodities

Demand sluggish in Asia as volatile prices weigh on sentiment

Demand for physical gold remained sluggish this week across major Asian markets as price volatility weighed on sentiment, with premiums in China holding firm and discounts in India narrowing. ...

Gold ETFs drew largest inflow in five years during first half of 2025, WGC says

LONDON -Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their largest semi-annual inflow since the first half of 2020 from January to June, data from the World Gold Council showed on Tuesday. ...

Ghana launches task force to curb gold smuggling losses

ACCRA -Ghana President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday launched a task force backed by security forces to address illegal gold trading, as Africa's top producer seeks to recover billions of dollars...

Safe-haven gold slips over 1% on trade optimism

Gold prices slipped more than 1% on Tuesday, as optimism over trade deals between U.S. and its trading partners weighed on safe-haven flows, with a firmer U.S. dollar and rising Treasury yields adding...

Gold pares losses after Trump levies 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea

Gold prices pared earlier losses on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on goods from Japan and South Korea starting August 1, prompting some safe-haven interest, though a...

What is Japan's trade policy on rice?

TOKYO -U.S. President Donald Trump has complained that Japan was not buying American rice, putting pressure on Tokyo as it struggles to seal a trade deal before so-called reciprocal tariffs are set...

Gold poised for weekly gain on dollar weakness, safe-haven demand

Gold prices rebounded on Friday and were heading for a weekly gain, helped by a retreat in the U.S. dollar and safe-haven inflows, as U.S. President Donald Trump's deadline for trade deals loomed. ...

Japan PM Ishiba says President Trump may be misinformed on some tariff issues

TOKYO -Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump's views on some tariff-related issues may be based on misunderstanding or misinformation, as a pause on a...

Canada's trade deficit narrows in May, US exports drop to lowest since pandemic

OTTAWA -Canada's trade deficit in May narrowed after a record-breaking deficit in April as total exports rose and imports fell even as the impact of U.S. tariffs dented shipments south of the border,...

Dairy supply management could sour Canada-US trade talks

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -Canada canceled a digital service tax on U.S. technology companies this week in order to preserve trade talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, but another irritant, in...

Gold falls 1% as strong US payrolls data douses rate cut hopes

Gold fell 1% on Thursday as stronger-than-expected U.S. payroll data cemented expectations that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to cut interest rates as early as previously anticipated, denting the...

Gold rises as weak ADP employment data strengthens rate cut bets

Gold prices firmed on Wednesday as weaker-than-expected jobs data fueled hopes of the U.S. Federal Reserve cutting rates sooner than anticipated, while investors also awaited the upcoming non-farm...

China's Iran oil imports surge in June on rising shipments, teapot demand

SINGAPORE/LONDON -China's oil imports from Iran surged in June as shipments accelerated before the recent conflict between Israel and Iran and demand from independent refineries improved, analysts...

Safe-haven gold falls 2% on easing US-China trade tensions

Gold fell 2% on Thursday, hitting a near one-month low, after a U.S.-China trade agreement boosted risk appetite and diminished bullion's appeal as a safe-haven asset. Spot gold eased...

Oil market reflects slim chance of supply disruption, Goldman analysts say

Options markets suggest the probability of a disruption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz is just 4% following the Iran-Israel ceasefire, Goldman Sachs analysts said in a note on Thursday. ...

Gold falls 2% as Iran-Israel ceasefire weighs on safe-haven appeal

Gold fell 2% to hit an over two-week low on Tuesday as the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel dented safe-haven demand for bullion. Spot gold fell 1.6% to $3,313.63 an...

Japan's retail rice prices fall below 4,000 yen, hitting prime minister's target

TOKYO -Japan's average retail rice prices fell below 4,000 yen for the first time in four months, data showed on Monday, after the government released an emergency stockpile of rice to tackle food...

The Strait of Hormuz: a central crossroads for black gold

As tensions rise between Washington and Tehran following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy supplies, is once again becoming a hot spot. If...

Commodities: Energy security central to tensions in the Middle East

Every week, our commodities overview reviews the latest news from the commodity markets to better understand fluctuations in the prices of energy, metals, and agricultural commodities.