The Commodities Trade Institute

Mining Pacts, Power Plays, and the Global Oil Pivot Description

The Mining Revolution in Ghana Ghana, the top gold producer in Africa and the 6th largest globally, has officially moved to end the era of “stability agreements.” For years, these pacts protected international miners from tax and royalty hikes for up to 15 years. However, the government’s new draft bill proposes doubling royalties—increasing the range […]

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The Venezuelan Oil Gambit and the Shifting Global Resource Map

The global commodities landscape is currently undergoing a radical transformation, driven by aggressive U.S. geopolitical moves and the fracturing of long-standing environmental and trade agreements. From the oil fields of South America to the rainforests of Brazil, the traditional order is being challenged by a mixture of national security concerns and raw economic ambition. Washington’s

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Record Imports, Rising Risks, and Strategic Stockpiles: Commodities at a Crossroads

Global commodity markets entered the new year with a mix of record-breaking trade flows and escalating geopolitical risk. From energy to agriculture and metals, the data points to a world increasingly focused on securing supply rather than simply chasing price. China remained the central force across multiple markets. Crude oil imports reached historic highs in

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Power Plays Across Commodities: Why Markets Are Entering a New Political Era

Global commodity markets are undergoing a structural shift. What once looked like cyclical price movements increasingly reflects political decision-making, strategic control, and long-term security concerns. From oil to metals, agriculture to power, the past week offered a clear snapshot of this transition. The most dramatic example is Venezuela. Following the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro,

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Oil Power Plays and the Quiet Strain on Global Supply

The first weeks of 2026 are already making one thing clear: commodity markets are being reshaped less by pure economics and more by deliberate political and strategic choices. From oil tankers seized at sea to looming copper shortages driven by artificial intelligence, the global resource system is under visible strain. Oil sits at the center

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Oil, Agriculture, and Steel at a Geopolitical Crossroads

Global commodity markets are entering twenty twenty-six with a renewed sense of tension and opportunity. From oil diplomacy in the Americas to agricultural trade shifts and steel sector upheaval, the balance of power is clearly in flux. The most dramatic development is the agreement allowing Venezuelan crude oil to flow into the United States. Up

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Venezuela, Copper, and the Fragile Balancing Act of Global Commodities

The start of the year has delivered a powerful reminder that commodities markets are shaped as much by geopolitics and structural constraints as by simple supply and demand. From Venezuela’s sudden political upheaval to record-breaking copper prices and shifting agricultural trade flows, the global resource system is under visible strain. Copper has emerged as one

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Gluts Everywhere: What Surplus Signals Are Telling Us About Commodities Heading Into 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, global commodity markets are flashing a common signal: supply is running ahead of demand in more places than investors are used to seeing simultaneously. From oil and liquefied natural gas to sugar and soybeans, surplus conditions are shaping prices, trade flows, and political decisions. The oil market offers the

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Sanctions, Supply Chains, and the High Cost of Moving Commodities

The commodities landscape heading into the end of twenty twenty-five is defined less by shortages of raw materials and more by the systems that move, regulate, and adapt them. Across oil, agriculture, power, and metals, the same pattern keeps emerging: resilience now determines value. Oil tanker markets illustrate this shift clearly. VLCC rates near $130,000

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How Seized Tankers, Shifting Trade Flows, and Weather-Hit Crops Are Reshaping Global Commodities

The global commodities landscape is entering a new phase of volatility, driven not only by the usual forces of supply and demand but also by geopolitical strategy, climate variability, and shifting trade alliances. Recent developments offer a vivid snapshot of how interconnected the world’s supply chains have become — and how quickly they can shift.

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