# commodity markets
Latest news and articles about commodity markets
Total: 6 articles found
Oil Surges Past $110 as Middle East Tensions Spike; Gold Retailers Hike Prices and China Tightens Market Rules
Oil prices surged above $110 a barrel on March 9 as renewed Middle East tensions and precautionary production moves rattled markets. Chinese gold retailers raised retail prices, regulators clarified exemptions on insider short‑swing trading to stabilise equities, and a viral open‑source AI agent drew cybersecurity warnings.
Dubai’s ‘Discounted’ Gold Is a Wholesale Story, Not a Retail Bonanza
Viral videos claiming Dubai jewellery was being sold at steep discounts mischaracterised a wholesale phenomenon. Retail 24K gold in Dubai remained priced around 623 AED per gram, while discounts of up to $30/oz were confined to wholesale bullion trading due to logistical disruptions.
Hormuz Shutdown and Leadership Strikes Trigger Supply Shock — Gold Tops $5,400 as Oil Soars
A sharp escalation in the Middle East after strikes on Iran prompted Tehran to ban transits through the Strait of Hormuz, quickly sending gold above $5,400 and causing Brent crude to surge. Analysts warn that a prolonged closure of Hormuz could remove 8–10 million barrels per day from the market, pushing prices much higher and elevating inflation and geopolitical risk worldwide.
As Copper Surges, China’s Self‑Proclaimed ‘Copper King’ Falls Silent — The Mystery of Wang Wenyin and Zhengwei
Copper prices have surged as supply disruptions and booming demand from electrification and AI strain markets. The rally has thrown into relief the fall from grace of Wang Wenyin and Zhengwei, whose sweeping claims to vast copper reserves are now clouded by legal enforcement, opaque asset claims and a prolonged retreat from public life.
Gold’s Decade of Reinvention: From Safe Haven to Strategic Reserve
Over the last decade gold has transformed from a peripheral hedge into a central asset, rising more than 300% from under $1,100 to peaks above $5,000 per ounce by early 2026. The shift is driven by sustained central-bank buying, weakening dollar share of reserves, low real interest rates and heightened geopolitical risk, but the market now displays greater volatility and complex implications for investors and policymakers.
Zijin’s Big Bet: CAD5.5bn Purchase of Four African Mines Pushes Chinese Miner Toward 100‑Tonne Gold Club
Zijin Mining has offered CAD5.5 billion in cash to acquire a Toronto‑ and New York‑listed gold company owning four African mines, a deal that would lift Zijin’s annual mined gold output above 100 tonnes. The purchase capitalises on favourable infrastructure and high gold prices but increases balance‑sheet and integration risks as Zijin accelerates its global expansion.