Argus Media

Metal Movers: Copper’s Volatile New Landscape | Argus Media

In this episode, Argus explores why copper — long viewed as a stable macro barometer — has entered one of its most turbulent periods in years. From tariff‑driven arbitrage to supply disruptions in Africa and China’s increasingly strained smelter margins, our experts break down the forces shaping the market’s sharp swings and the risks looming over the remainder of 2026. 

Covered in this episode:

• How tariff fears, financial inflows and mine outages pushed copper briefly above $14,000/t
• Why the Iran conflict introduces both macro headwinds and sulphur‑related supply risks
• How sulphur disruption affects SX‑EW production in the DRC and Zambia
• Why China’s smelters continue to operate despite record‑negative TCRCs
• The outlook for Chinese copper demand in 2026 amid weaker new‑energy sectors

The Power Dispatch: (Re)integrating Europe's power market

Description: 

 

Resurgent fuel volatility has reignited the case for the UK to reintegrate with the EU’s internal market for electricity and reverse a decoupling sparked by Brexit.

 

In this episode, Daniel Craig, Senior Reporter of Argus European Electricity, speaks with UK market specialist Tim Santonastaso, alongside power market reporters Bea Leverett and Jessamy Guest, to examine the lessons and pitfalls of market integration efforts elsewhere across Europe.

 

Listen to discover key insights on:

• Where market integration stands today
• The key barriers to further integration across Europe
• The factors shaping the divide between market ambitions and political delivery

 

This podcast was created using data and insights from the Argus European Electricity service.

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Strait Talk: Pause or Peace?

In this podcast special, Tom Reed (VP – China, Crude and Oil Products) sits down with Dubai‑based experts Nader Itayim (Middle East Editor) and Bachar Halabi (Senior Correspondent) to unpack the crisis disrupting global energy markets and its wider implications.

• Two week ceasefire and what is agreed
• Crude production and export capacity across ME
• Iran’s demand and their implications

Metal Movers: Strait of Hormuz - How Sulphur is Impacting the Copperbelt

With Southern Africa sourcing over 90pc of its sulphur from the region, the Copperbelt’s copper and cobalt producers are facing halted shipments, refinery shutdowns, and rapidly rising costs.

In this episode, noble alloys reporter Roxana Lazar is joined by sulphur and sulphuric acid reporter Fenella Rhodes; senior copper reporter Raghav Jain; and battery materials reporter Chris Welch.

The panel explore how these supply-chain shocks are shaping production in the DRC and Zambia, and how far the consequences could spread across global metals markets.

Topics covered:

• The collapse in Middle East sulphur deliveries and its impact on leaching
• Tightened global sulphur supply including the stalled gulf cargoes
• The impact on cobalt exports, slowed by quota delays and shipping disruption
• Whether the conflict is a temporary bottleneck or a structural vulnerability for the Copperbelt

Global LPG Conversations

lobal LPG Conversations, Peter Wilton, Jack Greenwood and David Appleton answer listener questions form our recent Webinar, Iran-US War one month on, and offer some initial thoughts on how the market has reacted to the ceasefire and what next should it hold.

Hablando de Mercado: Petróleo de esquisto en Argentina

 

Argentina ha dejado atrás un modelo basado en el crudo convencional para convertirse en un productor claramente dominado por el petróleo de esquisto de Vaca Muerta. Acompaña a Camila Fontana, jefa adjunta de la oficina de Argus en São Paulo, y a Nazareno Ferrero, gerente de desarrollo de negocios de Argus en Buenos Aires, mientras conversan sobre la evolución reciente y las perspectivas de la industria energética en el país sudamericano.

Temas tratados:

• Evolución estructural de la industria de refinación y del petróleo en Argentina

• Enfoque doméstico de los refinadores y su impacto en la dinámica de exportación

• Cambio en la matriz exportadora de Escalante a Medanito

• Nuevo precio del Medanito para Puerto Rosales

Market Talks: Shale oil surge in Argentina

 

Argentina has moved away from a model based on conventional crude to become a producer clearly dominated by Vaca Muerta shale oil. Join Camila Fontana, deputy bureau chief of the Argus office in São Paulo, and Nazareno Ferrero, business development manager at Argus in Buenos Aires, as they talk about the recent evolution and outlook for the energy industry in the South American country. 

Topics discussed:

•  Structural evolution of the refining and oil industry in Argentina

• Refiners’ domestic focus and impact on export dynamics

• Shift in the export matrix from Escalante to Medanito 

• New Medanito price for Puerto Rosales

Falando de Mercado: Petróleo de xisto na Argentina

A Argentina deixou para trás um modelo fundamentado no petróleo convencional e se tornou um produtor claramente dominado pelo petróleo de xisto de Vaca Muerta. Acompanhe a conversa entre Camila Fontana, chefe-adjunta da redação da Argus em São Paulo, e Nazareno Ferrero, gerente de desenvolvimento de negócios da Argus em Buenos Aires, sobre a evolução recente e as perspectivas da indústria de energia no país sul-americano.

Tópicos discutidos:

• Evolução estrutural da indústria de refino e petróleo na Argentina

• Foco doméstico dos refinadores e impacto na dinâmica de exportação

• Mudança na matriz de exportação de Escalante para Medanito

• Novo preço do Medanito para Puerto Rosales

The Biofuels Report: RFS Reset - US Biofuel Mandates Evolve

Listen to a detailed breakdown of the new US biofuel blend mandates and what they mean for farm and fuel markets. Our Renewable Fuel Standard experts – Cole Martin, associate editor and Matthew Cope, senior reporter – dig into how the record-high quotas are already influencing demand for crops, production margins at biofuel plants and ultimately the price drivers pay at the pump.

 

Chemical Conversations: BTX Market Pressures Amid Middle East Conflict

 

Santosh Navada speaks with Ashish Kulkarni, Argus’ lead aromatics consultant, to examine how rising conflict in the Middle East is reshaping global BTX flows.

 

They discuss:

 

• How the conflict has reshaped cost dynamics across the BTX value chain

• The impact of tightening naphtha supplies, driven by crude volatility and disrupted shipping lanes, on Asian economies

• Perspectives on mounting feedstock disruptions

• Coping strategies adopted by producers across different regions

• The effect of Middle East conflict on downstream industry dynamics

 

Further details and additional insight are available from Argus aromatics experts and Argus publications, including:

 

Argus Toluene, Xylenes and Derivatives | Argus Toluene and Xylenes Outlook | Argus Toluene and Xylenes Analytics | Argus Consulting