The Week That’s Done: Europe battles the Chinese EV deluge
September 16, 2023Can EU tariffs blunt the threat of China’s EV dominance? Unlikely. Meanwhile, Russia sells pipeline gas to China for cheap, the US and Saudi Arabia mull a minerals partnership, gasoline prices drive US inflation, and China’s urea export curbs threatens more food inflation. Plus: US auto workers strike.
What the Market Hasn’t Realized about Global Soybean Supply
March 20, 2023Argentina is the world’s fourth largest producer of soybeans and largest exporter of soybean products. But historic drought in the country is devastating its production, with serious consequences for global supply. And those consequences are not currently being priced into markets, exacerbating the problem.
The Week That’s Done: February 12
February 12, 2023Fueled by Chinese demand, Brazil is on pace to tie the US as the world's largest corn exporter. Plus: A natural gas trading hub in Turkey could help Russia circumvent sanctions, China's opening threatens new inflationary pressures, and Pakistan wants a bail-out.
Can the Modern Agricultural Industry Increase the Carrying Capacity of the Planet?
February 1, 2023Trends point to real risk of global protein shortage. But the good news: There is potential to increase the carrying capacity of the planet. The potential boons of doing so just have to be made clear. Takeaways from the Archer Daniels Midland's earnings call.
The Week That’s Done: October 9
October 9, 2022OPEC explicitly snubs Washington and the West, showing that productive beats consumptive power. Also not brilliant: US monetary tightening is cooling the economy, but in all the wrong places – and that ups recession risks. Plus: Maize malaise in Europe, the Mississippi’s dry spell, a US industrial policy stumble in lithium, and plunging global FX reserves.
The Week That’s Done: August 7
August 7, 2022Across wheat, gas, steel, the shortage crisis has calmed - but (largely) because of dropping demand, not rising supply. With manufacturing slumping, future food production threatened, buffer eroded, what happens next? Plus: Storm clouds gather in the UK and China throws a temper tantrum.
Factors and Markets Briefing: Week of May 23
May 29, 2022With record gas prices, squeezed agricultural producers, and stubborn labor crisis, the era of shortage is here to stay -- and likely worsen. Cue shifting consumer habits, Sri Lanka's default, and a move toward industrial integration (anti-trust be damned). Happy Memorial Day!
Factors Briefing: Week of May 16
May 21, 2022In a new era of shortage, adjustments are being made: Food nationalism rears its head in India, while in critical minerals automakers look to platinum over palladium; meanwhile, the US fails to incentivize greater oil and gas production while China scoops up Russia's at bargain basement prices
Factors Briefing: Week of May 9
May 14, 2022It's shortage everywhere: In agriculture, wheat is the latest victim, threatening tomorrow's food supply while a baby formula shortage wreaks havoc today; meanwhile, China eyes the aluminum vacuum and a South Korea x Canada collab tries to shore up tungsten dependencies.
Factors Briefing: Week of May 2
May 8, 2022India and China double down on coal as the global energy squeeze intensifies – and while Russian alumina supply dwindles; European automakers seek European rare earths supply, and kind of succeed; Malaysia makes moves to fill the cooking oil vacuum
Factors Briefing: Week of April 25
May 2, 2022With the Ukraine war disrupting global cooking oil supply, Indonesia decides to up the stakes; new challenges to Russia's lithium supply provide a cautionary tale for the West (or should); and Chinese conglomerates prepare to gobble up Shell's stake in a Russian LNG project
Factors Briefing: Week of April 18
April 24, 2022Indonesia works to climb the nickel value chain while Mexico nationalizes its lithium reserves; fertilizer shortage injects new, cross-cutting threats into the global food market; and nuclear energy comes back into favor -- but how to source the uranium?
Factors Briefing: Week of April 11
April 17, 2022Amid soaring inflation, the specter of global food shortage; the titanium crunch throws aerospace companies for a loop; Elon Musk weighs tossing his hat into the mining ring
Global Food Shortage Looms: The US Needs to Step Up
April 17, 2022The US needs to start thinking about food as a strategic resource, investing in and protecting supply accordingly, and doing so in a way updated for the realities of modern agriculture. That is what defending today's global order demands.
Your March 18 Briefing
March 18, 2022Markets sour on China -- but don't really; the world trudges toward global food shortage; Europe's rare earths efforts risk finding themselves back on square one.
