Argus Media

Market Talks: Fuel price surge and energy transition

 

Soaring fuel prices due to the war in the Middle East became a key factor in energy transition discussions. With global economies rattled by supply disruptions, authorities gathering in Colombia hope to show that the world has viable alternatives to fossil fuels. To learn more about this topic, listen to this conversation between Argus editor Lucas Parolin and Camila Fontana, deputy bureau chief of the Argus office in Sao Paulo. 

 

 

Here are some of the topics discussed in this episode:

 

• Expansion of efforts from previous climate agreements 

• Priorities in reducing dependencies and subsidies

• Economic vulnerability to price increases and supply disruptions

• Interests of oil-producing countries

• Willingness of countries to cooperate

Falando de Mercado: Alta dos combustíveis e transição energética

 

A disparada dos preços dos combustíveis devido à guerra no Oriente Médio se tornou um fator essencial nas discussões sobre transição energética. Com as economias globais abaladas por interrupções no fornecimento, autoridades reunidas na Colômbia esperam mostrar que o mundo tem alternativas viáveis aos combustíveis fósseis. Para saber mais sobre este tema, ouça esta conversa entre o editor da Argus, Lucas Parolin, e Camila Fontana, chefe adjunta da redação em São Paulo.

 

 

Aqui estão alguns dos tópicos discutidos neste episódio:

 

• Ampliação de esforços dos acordos climáticos anteriores

• Prioridades na redução de dependências e subsídios

• Vulnerabilidade econômica a altas de preços e interrupções de oferta

•  Interesses dos países produtores de petróleo

• Disposição dos países à cooperação

Back from the fields: Romania and Ukraine crop tours Apr 26

Stay ahead with Argus’ latest Black Sea crop insights. Our experts review March virtual crop tour findings for Ukraine and Romania’s wheat and rapeseed outlooks.

• Updated Ukraine wheat forecast: 23.5mn t for 2026-27

• Romania wheat production revised upward to 12.7mn t

• Key risks for rapeseed crops after difficult planting conditions

• Farmers plan to replant with corn, sunflower or soybeans

Global LPG Conversations: Could the UK’s Renewable Heat Obligation secure LPG’s future?

In this episode, Waldemar Jaszczyk speaks to George Webb, Chief Executive of Liquid Gas UK, to unpack the sector’s support for a 10% Renewable Heat Obligation by 2030. Webb lays out why the industry sees the RHO as key to securing LPG’s future in the off‑grid energy mix and scaling up renewable liquid gases — and why the plan only adds up if government delivers targeted policy support.

Chemical Conversations: Methanol Trends, Price Outlook & Middle East Conflict

Welcome to this Methanol Market Puts-and-Takes podcast episode, part of the Chemical Conversations series. 

In this episode, Senior Analyst Cassidy Staggers talks with Dave McCaskill, Argus VP of Methanol and Derivatives discuss:

• Impacts from the war in Iran
• Changing trade flows due to demand destruction
• How will global and regional prices respond

Argus offers methanol prices, news, analysis, forecasts, and consulting. Get more information and request a free trial.

Fertilizer Matters EP47: Middle East Conflict - Impact on Urea & Phosphates Markets

Hear Argus’ essential analysis of the impact the Middle East conflict on urea and phosphates markets, focusing on production, logistical constraints, price surges across both daily and weekly price assessments, trade flow developments, the potential for permanent changes to supply and trade dynamics, key takeaways and what to watch out for next.

Join Mike Nash, Senior Editor – Fertilizers, Harry Minihan, Global Editor - Nitrogen and Tom Hampson, Global Editor – Phosphates as they discuss these topics in the latest episode of Argus' Fertilizer Matters podcast series.

Key questions answered in this podcast:

• Why is the Middle East so important for global urea and phosphates supply?
• Which urea and phosphates production facilities have been affected?
• How has this conflict constrained supply of urea and phosphates?
• How have the markets responded with regard to sentiment, and in particular prices?
• How have the markets reacted to the ceasefire?
• How have Argus daily urea and phosphates price assessments reacted - what are the key price points and how far have they risen?
• How long could it be before the markets start to settle into some sort of normality?
• Could this conflict lead to permanent changes to supply and trade flows?
• What are the key takeaways and what should we watch out for next?

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