Rice

Coal-Fired Power Plants

Facing Sinking Coal Demand, China Asks Power Plants to Just Buy More, Sources Say

China is encouraging its coal-fired power plants to increase stockpiles of domestically sourced coal and reduce reliance on imports to support local prices, acc…

Metal

Trump’s Tariff Reprieve Pushes Gold Down for Second Straight Session

Gold prices fell for the second straight session on Tuesday, driven by improved market sentiment after U.S. President Donald Trump decided to delay tariffs on t…

Japan

Japan Aims to Cut Stockpiled Rice Prices to 2,000 Yen per 5KG

Japan’s farm ministry announced on Monday a plan to reduce stockpiled rice prices to approximately 2,000 yen ($14) per 5 kilograms (11 lb) and expedite it…

United States

Nvidia to Launch Cheaper Blackwell AI Chip for China After US Export Curbs, Sources Say

Nvidia plans to introduce a new artificial intelligence chipset for the Chinese market, priced significantly lower than its restricted H20 model, with mass prod…

Electric Vehicles

DEEPAL S09 SUV Hits Market, Powered by Huawei’s Cockpit OS, ADAS

On May 22, 2025, DEEPAL, a new energy vehicle brand under Changan Automobile, launched the DEEPAL S09, a large SUV designed as a smart, family-oriented flagship…

Crude Oil

South Africa Wants $100 a Barrel Oil Before Selling More Crude Stocks

South Africa will hold off on selling more of its strategic crude oil reserves until global oil prices climb to about $100 per barrel, a senior energy official …

Biofuel

Indonesia to Raise Crude Palm Oil Export Levy to Fund Biodiesel, Replanting Initiatives

The Indonesian government has announced an increase in the export levy on crude palm oil (CPO) from 7.5% to 10% of the reference price to fund its national biod…

Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s Corn Production to Hit Record 6 Mln Tons

Bangladesh is expected to achieve a record maize harvest in 2024, driven by a continued shift from traditional crops such as wheat and rice to maize cultivation…

Natural Gas

EIA Expects USA Gasoline Price to Drop In 2025 and 2026

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its latest short-term energy outlook (STEO) on May 6, forecasting a decline in U.S. regular gasoli…

Electricity Trade

Net Electricity Prices for End Customers Fall Below Zero for First Time in Germany

On May 11, 2025, electricity prices for German customers with dynamic tariffs dropped below zero for the first time this year, after accounting for approximatel…

China

COSCO Shipping Bulk Orders New Ammonia and Methanol-Ready Ships

COSCO Shipping Bulk, a subsidiary of COSCO Shipping, has ordered two 209,800 dwt ammonia and methanol-ready bulk carriers from Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding in Qi…

Oil Price

US Oil Prices Drop More Than $1 as Inventory Build Raises Oversupply Fear

U.S. crude futures dropped more than $1 in early trading on Thursday after unexpected data showed an increase in U.S. crude oil inventories, sparking concerns a…

South Africa

MTN South Africa Launches Aggressive 4G Smartphone Push With R99 Handsets

MTN South Africa is taking a significant step to increase 4G adoption across the nation by offering 1.2 million 4G-enabled smartphones to its prepaid subscriber…

Metal

Barrick Mining Reports 61% Increase in Net Earnings in Q1 2025

Barrick Mining reported a 61% year-on-year increase in net earnings, reaching $474 million in the first quarter of 2025, up from $295 million the previous year,…

Brazil

Brazil Pork Prices Dip in April but Remain Higher Year-Over-Year

In Brazil, average prices for live pigs and pork meat decreased from March to April 2025, primarily due to reduced demand from the processing industry, accordin…