SMM Comment: Oil Falls as Remarks by Russian Minister Contradicts Bullish Signal from Saudi Arabia, SHFE and LME Base Metals Outperform Ferrous Metals, Market Bets on US Rate Cut in September

Published: May 26, 2023 16:21 (GMT+8)
Source: SMM
SHANGHAI, May 26 (SMM) - Crude oil:  As of CST 11:35 today, WTI oil fell 0.13%, and Brent oil fell 0.33%.

SHANGHAI, May 26 (SMM) - Crude oil: As of CST 11:35 today, WTI oil fell 0.13%, and Brent oil fell 0.33%. There is still no agreement on the U.S. debt ceiling, the U.S. Treasury's cash balance has fallen to its lowest level since 2021, concerns about debt defaults have intensified. In addition, the Russian Deputy Prime Minister said he does not expect any new decision to cut production at the group meeting scheduled for June 4, contradicting the previous signal from Saudi Arabia.  

US dollar: The U.S. dollar fell in intraday trading today. As of CST 11:35, the U.S. dollar index was at 104.11, down 0.1%. On May 25 local time, Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives McCarthy said that there are still unresolved issues in the negotiations between the two parties in the United States to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, and the outcome will not satisfy everyone. The latest data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce shows that the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter was revised at an annual rate of 1.3%, slightly exceeding market expectations and the previous value of 1.1%, but still significantly lower than the 2.6% growth in the fourth quarter. In addition, the core PCE price index in Q1 points to stubbornly high inflation.

In terms of interest rates, according to the CME FedWatch tool, the market currently expects a 51.7% chance of a 25 basis point rate hike by the Fed in June, and expects a rate cut as early as September.

Metals market:

As of the mid-day close, SHFE base metals rose across the board: aluminum rose 1.76%; copper rose 1.19%, tin and nickel rose 1.1% and 1.04%, respectively; lead and zinc rose 0.13% and 0.5% respectively.

Ferrous metals prices mostly went up, with rebar up 0.52%, iron ore up 0.59%, HRC up 0.71%, stainless steel up 0.89%. However, coking coal fell 2.91%, and coke fell 3.1%.

LME base metals also mostly closed with gains, with zinc up 1.54%, copper up 0.8%. Only tin and lead fell 0.08% and 0.19% respectively.

In terms of precious metals, as of CST 11:35, COMEX gold rose 0.16%, and COMEX silver rose 0.24%.


Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
Post-holiday silver prices fell to consolidate at lows, with nonfarm payrolls shock and hawkish minutes in a tug of war [SMM Silver Weekly Review]
3 hours ago
Post-holiday silver prices fell to consolidate at lows, with nonfarm payrolls shock and hawkish minutes in a tug of war [SMM Silver Weekly Review]
Read More
Post-holiday silver prices fell to consolidate at lows, with nonfarm payrolls shock and hawkish minutes in a tug of war [SMM Silver Weekly Review]
Post-holiday silver prices fell to consolidate at lows, with nonfarm payrolls shock and hawkish minutes in a tug of war [SMM Silver Weekly Review]
[SMM Silver Weekly Review: Silver Prices Consolidate at Lows After Post-Holiday Catch-Up Decline as Weak Nonfarm Payrolls Clash with Hawkish Fed Minutes] On the first trading day after the holiday, silver prices played catch-up to the downside. The most-traded SHFE silver contract fell 2.16% to 14,605 yuan/kg, while COMEX silver broke below $60. The US Fed's September minutes leaned hawkish, the dollar broke above 102, and US Treasury yields hit multi-year highs, continuing to pressure prices. However, the surprisingly weak nonfarm payrolls data marginally cooled rate hike expectations, while central bank gold purchases and ETF inflows provided mid-term support. Spot inquiry activity improved, with transactions leaning toward parity. In the short term, prices are likely to consolidate at lows as the market repairs, with attention on CPI data and US Fed speeches for guidance.
3 hours ago
Platinum and palladium saw sharp catch-up declines after the holiday; buying on dips was active, and spot supply remained tight [SMM Platinum and Palladium Weekly Review]
3 hours ago
Platinum and palladium saw sharp catch-up declines after the holiday; buying on dips was active, and spot supply remained tight [SMM Platinum and Palladium Weekly Review]
Read More
Platinum and palladium saw sharp catch-up declines after the holiday; buying on dips was active, and spot supply remained tight [SMM Platinum and Palladium Weekly Review]
Platinum and palladium saw sharp catch-up declines after the holiday; buying on dips was active, and spot supply remained tight [SMM Platinum and Palladium Weekly Review]
On the first trading day after the National Day holiday, platinum and palladium posted sharp catch-up declines. The most-traded platinum contract fell 3.37% to 406.05 yuan/g, while palladium dropped 6.95% to 271.9 yuan/g, hitting a record low since listing. The overseas market remained under pressure during the holiday, dragged notably by US Treasury yields breaking above 5% and a stronger US dollar. In the spot market, buying interest on dips strengthened, trading was active, supply was tight, and suppliers held prices firm, with spot prices falling less than futures. Further sharp downside appears limited in the near term, and prices may consolidate at lows. Watch for signals from CPI and the FOMC.
3 hours ago
Brief Analysis of Spot Market for Platinum Group Compounds During the National Day Holiday
4 hours ago
Brief Analysis of Spot Market for Platinum Group Compounds During the National Day Holiday
Read More
Brief Analysis of Spot Market for Platinum Group Compounds During the National Day Holiday
Brief Analysis of Spot Market for Platinum Group Compounds During the National Day Holiday
4 hours ago