Commodities (Crude Oil & Copper) & Macro Outlook

Two copper-themed ETFs listed in South Korea recorded divergent 1-month returns as of the date stated in source, with KODEX Copper Futures (H) gaining 3.07% while TIGER Copper Physical declined 0.51%. The performance gap emerged as the US considered tariff measures on refined copper imports,

According to CosCom ETF CHECK, as of August 14, KODEX Copper Futures (KRW hedged) posted a one-month return of 3.07%, while TIGER Copper Physical fell 0.51%. Despite tracking the same commodity, the performance gap stems from their underlying assets: KODEX uses U.S. futures contracts (S&P GSCI

According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, Iran claimed that the Strait of Hormuz could serve as leverage to end regional conflict.

Peter Thiel's investment fund Thiel Macro purchased approximately 1% of Vista Energy, an Argentine oil producer, according to a quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dated Aug. 14. The fund paid roughly $76 million for about 1.2 million American depositary shares,

According to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission quarterly filing dated August 14, 2026, Peter Thiel's Thiel Macro fund has invested approximately $76 million in Vista Energy, an Argentine oil producer, acquiring close to 1% of the company through roughly 1.2 million American depositary

On August 16, China released major ecological and environmental achievements at the 2026 National Ecology Day event held in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia. According to the National Development and Reform Commission and related government departments, since 2012, China has achieved annual energy

According to CCTV, Iran and Tajikistan reached a long-term oil cooperation agreement in recent negotiations, according to Iranian sources. Under the accord, Iran will export oil products to Tajikistan and supply crude oil to Tajikistan's refineries. The two nations finalized the energy partnership t

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban stated on August 15 that chips as an asset class will become the new crypto, drawing a comparison based on scarcity and surging demand for advanced processors. The remark comes weeks before CME Group launches the first regulated futures contracts on computing power, s

According to Mark Cuban, on August 15, the billionaire investor stated that chips as an asset class will become the next crypto. CME Group plans to launch Silicon Data H100 and B200 GPU rental index futures on October 5 on NYMEX, with each contract covering one month of GPU rental costs. Pete

JPMorgan economists predict global food inflation will rise from 2.8% in the first half of 2026 to 5% in the first half of 2027, driven by potential supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and a potential "super El Nino" phenomenon, according to senior global economist Nora Szentivanyi's

According to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of its vessels was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Friday evening (Aug 14). The company said the incident caused no casualties and that the situation has been brought under

Cboe BZX Exchange submitted a proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for approval to list six leveraged commodity exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including 3x Bitcoin and 3x Ether products, with the SEC publishing the notice Aug. 14. The six funds sponsored by Volatility

Japan and the United States are collaborating on a deep-sea rare earth mining project near Minamitorishima Island, targeting deposits at 6000 meters below sea level. Japan's Cabinet Office Strategic Innovation Creation Program (SIP) announced in late July that test samples collected earlier this

According to Guru Club citing state media, China's Willes New Energy in Lianyungang processed over 350,000 tons of waste cooking oil into industrial-grade blended oil in the first half of 2026. Export volumes increased 20% year-over-year, with prices climbing from 7,000 yuan per ton in January to 7,

According to CCTV and the China Coal Industry Association, China's daily industrial coal production reached 1.307 million tons in the first half of 2026, marking the second-highest level for the same period on record. As the country enters peak summer demand season amid higher-than-usual

According to Indian government announcement on August 15, India reduced export taxes on diesel, aviation turbine fuel, and gasoline effective from mid-to-late August. Diesel consumption tax was cut from 25.5 rupees per liter to 24 rupees per liter, while aviation turbine fuel export tax was reduced

According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the probability of a strong El Niño event occurring from October to December this year stands at 81%, potentially ranking among the strongest since 1950. Extreme weather driven by El Niño, including heavy rainfall and drought,

According to ChainCatcher, the SEC is reviewing Cboe BZX's rule change application for six leveraged commodity ETFs tracking 3x daily performance. The products include 3x Bitcoin, 3x Ethereum, 3x gold, 3x silver, 3x crude oil, and 3x natural gas ETFs, to be operated as commodity pools by

This week, major brokerages raised price targets for U.S. stocks as the market rebounded sharply. The S&P 500 has gained approximately 4% in August and broke above 7800 this week, while the Nasdaq-100 index recovered to within 2.5% of its June peak. Citi raised its year-end S&P 500 target to 8100

According to state media, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei stated on August 15 that the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz is a direct result of illegal actions by the United States and Israel. The statement