background image

Commodity weekly: Strongest performance since April driven by geo-risks and weather factors

Picture of Ole Hansen
Ole Hansen

Head of Commodity Strategy

Key points in this update:

  • Commodities are heading for their best week since April, driven by geopolitical tensions and adverse weather
  • The Russia-Ukraine escalation has raised geopolitical tensions beyond levels seen during the year-long conflict between Israel and Iran-backed militants
  • Gold sees fresh haven demand, injecting momentum back into the market after an early November correction
  • Crude oil also benefited, despite forecasts for ample supply and sluggish demand through 2025

Commodities are heading for their best week since April, driven by geopolitical tensions and adverse weather. The main focus across markets has been heightened tensions after Russia lowered the threshold for using its nuclear arsenal. This followed President Joe Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to use US-supplied missiles to strike Russia. Subsequently, Ukraine struck Russian targets with US and UK-made missiles, prompting Putin to respond by firing a new medium-range ballistic missile at Ukraine.

This escalation has raised geopolitical tensions beyond levels seen during the year-long conflict between Israel and Iran-backed militants. The dollar responded with its eighth weekly gain, while gold saw fresh haven demand, injecting momentum back into the market after an early November correction. Crude oil also benefited, despite forecasts for ample supply and sluggish demand through 2025.

Elsewhere, colder US weather increased power demand, driving US natural gas prices to a one-year high. Similar to cocoa's rally earlier this year due to weather-related production concerns in West Africa, coffee prices surged on fears over Brazil's 2025 crop, pushing Arabica coffee to a 13-year high. Rising wheat prices offset losses in corn and soybeans as the escalation stoked concerns about Black Sea region supply disruptions.

The Bloomberg Commodity Index, tracking 24 major futures markets, trades up 3% on the week, marking its best performance since April. Gains were led by energy and precious metals, including index heavyweights WTI and Brent crude, natural gas, and gold with cocoa and coffee also delivering solid performances.

22olh_wcu1

European gas price surge sends a winter warning

Mounting supply risks and strong demand in Europe have pushed regional gas prices to approximately EUR 50/MWh or USD 15.4/MMBtu. Despite rising US prices, European consumers and industries are still paying 4.5 times more for gas than their US counterparts. The looming expiry of the Ukraine–Russia gas transit agreement on 31 December, which will not be renewed, has further driven prices upward as Europe secures LNG supplies over Asia.

European gas prices had already surged due to a period of unusually cold, windless weather, which cut renewable power generation and led to an early, rapid drawdown of storage across the region. With forecasts predicting a colder winter than in recent years, prices for summer 2025 gas have risen sharply, reflecting the need for higher prices to compete for LNG supplies and ensure robust inventory buildup ahead of the 2025/26 winter.

22olh_wcu2

Gold gains fresh momentum, leaving silver behind

Precious metals, gold and silver, experienced a strong rally ahead of the US elections but reversed sharply as a surge in the USD and yields drove prices through key technical support levels. This pressured a market where hedge funds had maintained elevated long positions for months, particularly in gold. Weekly positioning data from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) revealed that while hedge funds reduced long positions, there was little appetite for outright short selling. This supports the view that the weakness stemmed from reactive selling rather than a shift in the fundamental outlook for gold.

This week, a sudden escalation between Russia and Ukraine reignited momentum for gold. At the time of writing, the metal trades above USD 2,700, recovering USD 170 from the recent USD 250 correction. This marks its biggest weekly jump in 13 months, even as the dollar heads for an eighth consecutive weekly gain. The correction has also encouraged fresh physical demand as buyers gain confidence in gold’s ability to maintain the strong gains achieved earlier this year.

Despite the stronger dollar acting as a headwind, our bullish outlook on gold—and eventually silver—remains intact. An unsettled global landscape continues to drive investors toward gold, often regarded as a ‘dead’ asset offering no income but price appreciation. The US debt situation is expected to worsen under the Trump administration's unfunded spending on tax cuts, infrastructure, and defence. Additionally, central banks seeking to de-dollarize reserves and inflation concerns from tariffs are likely to offset any slowing pace of US rate cuts.

22olh_wcu3
Spot gold – Source: Saxo

Cold weather snap and OPEC+ restraint give crude a temporary boost

Crude oil traded higher this week, supported by rising refinery margins for distillate products amid an incoming cold snap driving US natural gas prices to a one-year high, heightened Russia–Ukraine tensions, and doubts about OPEC+ unwinding voluntary production cuts in 2025 due to market oversupply. However, the 2025 outlook remains non-supportive for crude prices, with lacklustre growth not only in China but also in Europe, where economic data continues to weaken. In addition, robust production from non-OPEC+ producers may lead to a crude surplus exceeding 1 million barrels per day, according to a recent report from the International Energy Agency.

Still, some upside risks remain, including a potential Trump administration adding fresh sanctions on Iran and Venezuela and geopolitical risks intensified by the Russia–Ukraine war and the Israeli conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah. We see limited risk of a resurgence in US drilling activity, as US crude production is unlikely to increase significantly unless oil producers find it profitable. With WTI currently trading below USD 70, the incentive for further production increases remains constrained. As a result, we view natural gas as a more significant opportunity, with strong global demand making inexpensive US natural gas highly attractive worldwide.

22olh_wcu4
Brent Crude oil - Source: Saxo

Industrial metals weighed down by tariffs and growth concerns

The industrial metals sector traded higher this week despite challenges from weak Eurozone growth, geopolitical tensions driving up the dollar, and risks to demand from proposed tariffs on imports, particularly from China—a move that could disrupt global trade and reduce demand for industrial metals like copper and aluminium. Furthermore, copper has been impacted by fears of a slowdown in the energy transition following Trump’s statement that he would "rescind all unspent funds" under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Biden-Harris administration's flagship climate law.

We believe the initial negative price response addresses near-term risks, as infrastructure spending plans and potential deregulation could boost demand for metals in the medium to long term. Additionally, tariffs imposed by Trump on China are likely to trigger further support measures from Beijing, while the supply outlook for the coming years could be constrained by a lack of new mining projects. Notably, copper stocks at warehouses monitored by the three major futures exchanges have continued to decline. Over the past five weeks, particularly steep drops in Shanghai-monitored stocks have reduced total stock levels to 473,000 tons—the lowest since May.


Recent commodity articles:

19 Nov 2024: Gold and silver rise on Russia-US tensions
18 Nov 2024: 
COT: Limited dollar demand despite strength; Acclerated metals selling 
11 Nov 2024: 
COT: Speculators bought energy and grains, sold gold ahead of elections
8 Nov 2024: 
Commodity weekly: Mixed response to Trump 2.0
6 Nov 2024: 
Podcast: US election and the market reactions, including commodities
6 Nov 2024: 
Trump and Republican victories spark commodity decline
4 Nov 2024: 
COT: Speculators flock to dollars, exit commodities ahead of US election
1 Nov 2024: 
Commodity weekly: Some weakness seen ahead of critical week
31 Oct 2024: 
Crude prices seek stability ahead of key support and US elections
30 Oct 2024: 
Will the US election result spark a gold correction?
29 Oct 2024: 
Podcast: Electrification's surge impact on commodities and equities
28 Oct 2024: 
COT: Crude length cut; silver and platinum see strong demand
25 Oct 2024: 
Commodity weekly: Market jitters on the rise ahead of U.S. elections
23 Oct 2024: 
Crude prices stalled by two-sided market risks
22 Oct 2024: 
Gold and silver's remarkable run in four charts
22 Oct 2024: 
Podcast: The Trump trade enters the metal market
21 Oct 2024: 
COT: Dollar shorts squeezed; Shift in commodity exposure from energy to metals
18 Oct 2024: 
Commodity weekly: Gold's record-breaking run continues
17 Oct 2024: 
Copper prices decline amid doubts about China stimulus impact
16 Oct 2024: 
How high can gold and silver rally?
8 Oct 2024: 
Podcast: Navigating market shifts: Fed rate cuts, commodities and rising food prices
8 Oct 2024: 
Video: These commodities might be impacted by the US election
7 Oct 2024: 
Crude oil surge caps strong four-week rally for commodities
7 Oct 2024: 
COT: Broad buying momentum persists, led by Brent, copper and grains
2 Oct 2024: 
Q3 2024 Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright


Quarterly Outlook

01 /

  • Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    The Fed started the US rate cut cycle in Q3 and in this macro outlook we will explore how the rate c...
  • Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Quarterly Outlook

    Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

  • Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    After a period of historically high equity index concentration driven by the 'Magnificent Seven' sto...
  • FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    As we enter the final quarter of 2024, currency markets are set for heightened turbulence due to US ...
  • Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

  • FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore the outlook for USD, AUD, NZD, and EM carry trades as risk-on currencies are set to outperfo...
  • Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore key trends and opportunities in European equities and electrification theme as market dynami...
  • Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore the "two-lane economy," European equities, energy commodities, and the impact of US fiscal p...
  • Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Quarterly Outlook

    Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

    Discover strategies for managing bonds as US and European yields remain rangebound due to uncertain ...
  • Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

    Energy and grains to shine as metals pause. Discover key trends and market drivers for commodities i...

Disclaimer

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)

Saxo Bank A/S (Headquarters)
Philip Heymans Alle 15
2900
Hellerup
Denmark

Contact Saxo

Select region

International
International

All trading and investing comes with risk, including but not limited to the potential to lose your entire invested amount.

Information on our international website (as selected from the globe drop-down) can be accessed worldwide and relates to Saxo Bank A/S as the parent company of the Saxo Bank Group. Any mention of the Saxo Bank Group refers to the overall organisation, including subsidiaries and branches under Saxo Bank A/S. Client agreements are made with the relevant Saxo entity based on your country of residence and are governed by the applicable laws of that entity's jurisdiction.

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.