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Commodities

Commodities
Commodity market action from around the world with a focus on the commodities that matter most to investors in Hong Kong and China.
Chinese state media says geological authorities used 3D monitoring and other prospecting technologies to uncover potentially large deposits of gold. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Science

2,000 tonnes of gold: China says new technology helped find largest deposits

Discovery of two large gold deposits could help China maintain its pace of gold production and prevent a decline in output.

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Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Ancient China’s cooking oil revolution and how it brought us stir-fry

Pacific nations

Another tiny Pacific nation courts China for deep-sea mining riches

China trade

‘Just drink it’: Malaysia banks on healthier palm oil to revive Chinese market

China’s imports of Malaysian palm oil have declined for years, with shipments of 1.39 million tonnes last year, 21 per cent less than in 2022.

A worker collects palm oil fruit at a palm oil factory in Sepang, Malaysia. Photo: Reuters
Australia

Trump dashed its hopes for tariff relief, but Australia says it won’t hit back

Australian PM Anthony Albanese called US tariffs ‘entirely unjustified’, but said imposing duties on US imports would only hurt consumers.

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Donald Trump

Trump halts doubled tariffs on Canada metals, Ontario pauses electricity hike

The originally planned 25 per cent duties on steel and aluminium products on all US trading partners will still go ahead.

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Two Sessions 2025

Why China’s energy supply is ‘secure’ amid Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’ push

China has taken necessary steps to ensure ‘we are not dependent on any single nation or route’ for energy needs, top legislature deputy says.

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In response to fresh tariffs introduced by the US, China imposed retaliatory tariffs of 10 to 15 per cent last month on products such as coal, crude oil and light natural gas from the US. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

‘Those days are gone’: age of cheap palm oil ends amid Indonesia’s biofuel push

Jakarta’s push to use more palm oil for biodiesel production coincides with a slowdown in plantation growth in both Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indonesia

Indonesia’s electric dream? A race to EV supremacy

Government incentives are driving a surge in sales, but will they be enough to shift consumer habits in Southeast Asia’s largest auto market?

Indonesia

Emas or gelap? Prabowo’s golden dream and Indonesia’s ‘dark’ realities collide

With a shrinking middle class, falling commodity prices and youth unemployment on the rise, experts warn of an economic paradox in the making.

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Illustration: Huy Truong
China trade

Will pending US deals with Canada, Mexico signal broad trade push against China?

Safeguarding their volatile trade relationships with the US and avoiding tariffs could take precedence for US neighbours over deals with China, according to analysts.

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Analysts say countries that align with US President Donald Trump’s trade agenda could avoid tariffs, while China could be adversely affected. Photo: AFP
Canada

Canada to extend mineral exploration tax credit for 2 more years

Extension aims to support mining sector’s efforts to raise capital as Canada seeks alternative capital sources to reduce reliance on China.

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Ukraine war

With the critical minerals deal off, is the US now poised to abandon Zelensky?

Oval Office outburst with Trump does not bode well for the Ukrainian leader, Chinese analysts say.

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Investing

Asian investors cash in on record gold prices, selling holdings amid uncertainty

Geopolitical tensions and Donald Trump’s tariff threats have fuelled a gold price surge, leading many Asian investors to sell off.

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An employee displays gold bracelets at a jewellery shop in Seoul, South Korea, on February 21. Photo: EPA-EFE
China trade

Could China catch a break as Australia tariff plea tests Trump’s trade resolve?

Analysts consider whether China and other countries could follow Canberra’s lead in seeking exemptions from tariffs that underpin Trump’s trade strategy.

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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking here as President Donald Trump signed executive orders in the White House on February 3, says tariffs are “an essential component” in Trump’s trade strategy. Photo: AP
Business of climate change

China must slash steel capacity in next 5 years to meet green goals

China coal-based blast furnace (BF) capacity must fall by at least 200 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) by 2025, said the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

United States

Opinion | Trump’s tariffs won’t make America great again, quite the opposite

Trump has vowed to defeat inflation and bring manufacturing back but his tariffs are actually hastening the decline he aims to reverse.

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US-China trade war

China digs deep on mineral security as battle for resources with US intensifies

Rare earths and critical minerals with economic and tech value are prioritised in Beijing’s plans to maintain dominance over global supplies.

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China is taking steps to ensure it has enough critical minerals. Photo: Xinhua
Gold in Hong Kong

Hongkongers rush to sell, buy gold as precious metal’s price hits record high

Gold bought in October 2023 is worth 63 per cent more now, and some analysts expect the price to continue rising.

US-China trade war

In the US-China battle for critical minerals, where will Australia stand?

Canberra is stuck in the middle of Beijing and Washington’s tussle over resources, which has intensified in recent days.

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Malaysia

Floods wash out Malaysia’s palm oil harvest as output sinks most in 9 years

The states of Sarawak and Sabah, top oil palm growing areas, were among the worst-affected areas by recent heavy rains and floods.

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Oil palms are seen submerged by flood water in Malaysia. Photo: Bernama/dpa
Australia

Australia makes its case against US tariffs on steel, aluminium

‘Thousands of good-paying American jobs’ have been created by Australia’s steel and aluminium exports, its trade minister said on Monday.

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Freshly cut slabs of steel are seen at the BlueScope steelworks in Port Kembla, Australia, last year. Photo: Reuters
US-China trade war

The US is scrambling to replace China’s rare earths. Is Ukraine the answer?

China’s tightening export controls are pushing America to look far and wide for alternative sources of critical minerals, but it has few options.

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The Philippines

Philippines declares food security emergency to slash rice prices

The annual rate of increase in rice prices hit a 15-year high in 2024. The Philippines is among the world’s largest rice importers.

Banking & finance

Gold hits record high as Trump’s tariffs spur safe-haven buying

Gold hit US$2,830.49 per ounce on Monday due to the safe-haven demand driven by uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariffs.

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Bullion banks have been transporting gold from Asian trading hubs to the US to profit from unusually high US gold futures. Photo: Reuters
Gold in Hong Kong

‘Gold corridor’: Hong Kong bullion exchange’s head envisions hub role

HKGX chairman forecasts rising gold prices and trading volume in the Year of the Snake.

Gold bricks are displayed at the Year of the Snake opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Gold Exchange in Sheung Wan on February 3, 2025. Photo: Edmond So
Malaysia

Malaysians call for fines for Singaporean motorists freeloading on cheap fuel

The issue was reignited by a viral video showing a woman refuelling a Singapore-registered car at a subsidised petrol pump in Johor.

United States

Opinion | The hidden danger of Trump’s tough trade tactics

Trump’s tariff threats to bully countries into helping achieve his political goals may create a backlash like the one that propelled him to power.

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