The latest Market Talks covering Basic Materials. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.
1055 ET - America's farmers continue to spend on top-tier seeds and pesticides despite low profit margins and rising costs from the war in Iran, executives at agriculture company Corteva say. U.S. farmers are facing higher fertilizer and fuel costs at a time when low commodity prices have already pressured their balance sheets. Farmers are trying to mitigate their losses by growing bigger crops and are willing to pay more for pricier technology, executives at seed and pesticide maker Corteva say. The company's crop seed sales grew 12% in its latest quarter to $3.02 billion. "Regardless of tight margins, farmers continue to plant our latest hybrids and varieties in order to increase yield per acre in their own profitability," says Corteva CEO Chuck Magro on a call with analysts. (patrick.thomas@wsj.com)
0615 ET - Palm oil ended lower in early Asian trading. The vegetable oil fell below 4,600 ringgit a ton on a potential peace deal between U.S. and Iran, according to David Ng, a trader at Kuala Lumpur-based Iceberg X. Crude palm oil's weakness also coincided with a decline in soybean oil prices as well, Ng says. He sees the price of palm oil supported above 4,500 ringgit a ton and faces a resistance at 4,680 ringgit a ton. The Bursa Malaysia Derivatives contract for July delivery fell 133 ringgit to 4,577 ringgit a ton. (tracy.qu@wsj.com)
0431 ET - Rio Tinto's new CEO, Simon Trott, is working at pace to achieve the company's ambition "of becoming the most valued metals and mining business" in a fast-changing external environment, Chair Dominic Barton says in prepared remarks for a shareholder meeting. The current global environment "requires us to move at pace and with conviction," Barton says. Demand for minerals and metals is increasing, while bringing new supply to market remains challenging, he says. Barton highlights gains in Rio's share price over the past year. "To me this reflects not only favorable market conditions and rising demand for what we do, but also a growing belief in the way we are delivering," he says. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)
0413 ET - Sibanye Stillwater's first-quarter results beat expectations, RBC Capital Markets analyst Ben Davis writes in a note. All key operating divisions at the Johannesburg-listed miner were largely in line with the bank's expectations, he adds. It is disappointing to see two fatalities after the quarter's end at the group's Kloof mine, he writes. This will have an impact on output since shaft operations there are halted, he adds. Shares rise 4.4% to 52.18 South African rand.(adam.whittaker@wsj.com)
0333 ET - Gold prices rise after President Trump walked back an effort to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, easing the risk of an immediate escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict. In early European trading, gold futures in New York rise 2.2% to $4,668.80 a troy ounce. Fears of further conflict help maintain gold's safe-haven appeal, ING's Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey say. However, a more durable truce would lower inflation risk and in turn limit the chance of Federal Reserve rate hikes, supporting non-yielding gold, they say. "For gold, the next driver will be the outlook for interest rates, with U.S. Treasury borrowing plans and key economic data likely to shape expectations for Fed policy."(josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com)
2106 ET - Individually, Regis Resources and Vault Minerals screen among the cheapest and highest yielding mid-cap producers in UBS's ASX gold coverage. Combined, the companies--which announced a planned merger--will be well-placed to fund organic growth, pursue M&A and maintain material capital returns, UBS says. It retains buy ratings on both Regis and Vault, which it says were trading at a discount of 18% and 49%, respectively, versus UBS's NPV estimates before the deal. UBS has an A$8.75 target on Regis, which trades down 7.9% at A$6.22. It has a A$7.05 target on Vault, which is down 7.8% at A$4.28.(rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)
1430 ET - Gold and silver futures both settle higher amid the shaky four-week cease-fire with Iran. It's the 3rd session of gains in the past 4 for both metals. Analysts are warning that prices could break out in either direction based on tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. "A more conservative approach to directional risk assumption is urged," says Dave Toth of StoneX in a note. Front-month gold finishes up 0.8% to $4,555.80 a troy ounce, while front-month silver rises 0.1% to $73.108/oz. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 06, 2026 12:20 ET (16:20 GMT)
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