Commodities (Crude Oil & Copper) & Macro Outlook

According to reports, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its decisions on 34 small refinery exemption applications for the 2025 compliance year. The EPA granted full exemptions (100%) to 18 applications, partial exemptions (50%) to 11 applications, and rejected 3 applications.

According to China Energy Information Service, as of September 1 (the second working day of the pricing cycle), China's benchmark crude oil average price stood at $87.74 per barrel with a change rate of 0.04%. Based on this, domestic gasoline and diesel retail prices are expected to rise by 5 yuan p

South Korea's August 2026 exports surged 68.7% year-over-year to $98.25 billion, marking the country's third-highest export record, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on September 1. The surge was driven by semiconductor exports, which skyrocketed 209% to $46.65 billio

In early trading on September 1, Chinese commodity futures showed mixed movements. SC crude oil, ethylene glycol (EG), asphalt, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), methanol, and styrene (EB) surged over 3%, with plastic averaging a near 3% monthly gain. On the downside, Shanghai silver declined over 2%,

According to EDaily, South Korea's benchmark KOSPI index fell 0.52% to 6,784.29 and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ dropped 1.21% to 824.21 on September 1, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street driven by renewed US-Iran military tensions and surging crude oil prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average

According to Futures Quick News PRO, multiple Chinese government departments announced housing support policies on September 1, lifting terminal demand expectations and triggering a rebound in glass futures prices. Separately, escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and reported disruptions in the Strait of

According to Jin10 Futures, on September 1, Chinese fuel oil prices rose amid easing oil market conditions and low refinery inventory levels. Downstream restocking combined with tight supply and steady demand is expected to support the market's upward momentum. Trading activity is anticipated to

According to energy intelligence firm Rystad Energy, Venezuela's oil production will require decades to recover to its peak level of over 3 million barrels per day, despite recent production growth following U.S. negotiations. Rystad projects new crude output initially from existing wells will grow

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, a major copper-gold ore deposit has been discovered in the Chating area of Xuancheng, Anhui Province, marking a significant breakthrough in China's new round of mineral prospecting initiative. The main ore body measures approximately 1.2 kilometers

According to Melick, global commodities strategist at TD Securities, traders reduced their net crude oil positions this week amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the next phase of the Iran conflict. The strategist noted that no signs indicate normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz will resume i

According to Yonhapinfomax, the USD/KRW exchange rate fell to 1,368.00 won on Sept 1, down 0.60 won from the previous Seoul market close and 11.90 won lower than August 29, marking the lowest level in 13 months. The decline was driven by month-end selling pressure and a pullback in U.S. dollar

Trump is scheduled to meet with oil and gas retailers and refinery representatives on Tuesday at 1:30 PM ET.

According to Yonhap News, U.S. stocks declined on August 31 (local time) as U.S.-Iran military tensions escalated, with geopolitical concerns driving oil prices up nearly 3% and pushing Treasury yields higher. The Dow Jones fell 0.70% to 53,185.90, the S&P 500 dropped 0.33% to 7,686.14, and the

According to Chile's National Statistics Bureau, on Monday, the country's copper production in July fell to 403,424 tons from 445,322 tons a year earlier, a 9.4% year-over-year decline. The drop was attributed to severe storms affecting mining

According to U.S. officials reported by foreign media, American oil company North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP) will take over oilfields previously controlled by a Russian firm and five other international companies on September 1, as part of a broader petroleum production agreement

South Korean government bond futures showed mixed results in night trading on September 1st, with 3-year futures unchanged while 10-year futures declined. The performance came amid a surge in international oil prices driven by renewed US-Iran military conflict. US Treasury yields mostly rose

According to Kpler data tracked by Bloomberg, Venezuela's crude oil exports rebounded in August, averaging 1.114 million barrels per day, up 28% from July, according to shipping reports and vessel tracking data. Crude shipments to India more than doubled during the same

According to Shanghai Securities News, leading lithium materials companies posted explosive earnings growth in the first half of 2026. Tianqi Lithium saw earnings surge 49 times, Hunan Yupower grew 8.5 times, and Tianshi Materials jumped 9.7 times, with operating cash flows improving in parallel

According to Yonhapinfomax, U.S. President Donald Trump ruled out the possibility of using nuclear weapons against Iran on August 31 during a press conference at the White House. Responding to a question about whether he had excluded this option, Trump stated: "The answer is yes, I excluded it,"