The latest Market Talks covering Commodities. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires throughout the day.
0242 GMT - Palm oil prices fall in Asian trading, weighed by soybean oil's weakness on the Chicago Board of Trade as well as lower palm olein on the Dalian Commodity Exchange, says David Ng, a trader at Kuala Lumpur-based Iceberg X. However, strength in the crude oil market amid the Middle East conflict could support CPO prices by boosting demand for palm oil as a biofuel, he adds. Ng sees resistance at 4,600 ringgit a ton and support at 4,480 ringgit a ton. The Bursa Malaysia Derivatives contract for August delivery is 14 ringgit lower at 4,520 ringgit a ton. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)
0225 GMT - Iron ore edges lower in early Asian trading. "Market risk appetite has pulled back, exerting downward pressure on broader commodity performance," Nanhua Futures says in a research note. Near-term market sentiment has cooled significantly as China's 1Q GDP outperformed expectations, leaving the central bank limited room to deploy broad easing measures like rate cutes in the near term, they say. The most-traded iron-ore contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange is lower by 0.9% at 798.0 yuan a ton. (tracy.qu@wsj.com)
0220 GMT - Copper edges higher in early Asian trade as prices continue to fluctuate. Chinese companies remain cautious about purchasing due to high prices, Nanhua Futures says in a note. Imported copper continues to arrive in the Shanghai market, increasing the overall inventory level, it adds. The three-month LME copper contract is 0.2% higher at $13,613.50 a ton. (kimberley.kao@wsj.com)
2337 GMT - Gold rises in early Asian trade amid hopes for a U.S.-Iran peace deal that could lead to lower oil prices. This might ease inflationary pressures and soothe investor worries over central banks' rate increases that typically reduce the non-interest-bearing appeal of the precious metal. President Trump said that he would hold off on a planned U.S. attack on Iran at the request of Gulf leaders to make room for talks with Tehran over a prospective deal to end the war.Spot gold is 0.4% higher at $4,586.39 per ounce. (ronnie.harui@wsj.com)
1940 GMT - Livestock futures on the CME finish lower, with live cattle settling down 0.2% to $2.53375 a pound, while lean hogs settle down 0.4% to $1.029 a pound.Livestock was supported this morning by weather issues and hopes that the deal with China to purchase $17 billion worth of U.S. agriculture will include increased sales of beef and pork to China, says ADM Investor Services in a note. However, that enthusiasm was sapped by this afternoon, with higher oil futures seen crimping consumer spending on costly meat choices like beef. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com)
1910 GMT - Crude futures rise amid market concerns that the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz is draining global stocks, while the U.S. and Iran appear no closer to a deal to settle the conflict. Prices rose on "the perception the war in Iran is turning into yet another forever war, with as many as 14 million barrels a day of Middle East oil production shut in," Mizuho's Robert Yawger says in a note.He sees the market "perpetually ticking higher as supply drains out across the globe." WTIfor June delivery settles up3.1% at $108.66 a barrel ahead of tomorrow's expiration. Brent rises 2.6% to $112.10 a barrel.(anthony.harrup@wsj.com)
1852 GMT - U.S. natural gas futures extend gains to four straight sessions as power-sector use rises to meet cooling demand in the southern U.S. and on the East Coast, although some cooler weather is expected later in the week. "The immediate power burn impulse may be difficult to carry straight through Memorial Day," Gelber & Associates says in a note. Still, "if heat reloads quickly, the market can keep defending a higher range because power burn is finally absorbing molecules at a summer-like pace." Nymex natural gas settles up 2.2% at $3.024/mmBtu.(anthony.harrup@wsj.com)
1817 GMT - NextEra Energy's acquisition of Dominion Energy highlights the long-term growth potential of the U.S. electrification infrastructure sector, but is unlikely to trigger a broad wave of utility consolidation given regulatory hurdles and the localized nature of utility oversight, says Tortoise Capital senior portfolio manager Rob Thummel. The greater scale from the deal could provide more financial flexibility and additional opportunities for future growth, he says, noting that Dominion's generation assets are "strategically located in the heart of 'Data Center Alley,' where electricity demand from AI and cloud infrastructure is accelerating." The deal likely faces a "lengthy and complex regulatory approval process," he adds. Dominion rises 7.8% and NextEra falls 7%.(anthony.harrup@wsj.com)
1802 GMT - CBOT grain futures are up strongly, but some traders anticipate a healthy Crop Progress report later today may hit the brakes on the run. "With the corn and soybeans planting running ahead of schedule the rain across the Midwest this week is bearish and should limit gains in the latter part of the week," says Joe Davis of Futures International. The Crop Progress report will show data for the week ended May 17, meaning that the impact of inclement weather seen in the Plains and Corn Belt may not show up until next week. CBOT corn is up 4%, soybeans rise 3.1% and wheat climbs 4.2%. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com)
1657 GMT - Demand for commodities is being seen in energy, agriculture, and industrial metals. Part of this uptick comes from returning focus on the "scarcity premium" -- the potential that the world is short on some materials it needs to keep running. "Investors are positioning for a world where physical assets matter again: power, grids, data centres, defence, reshoring and electrification all need more energy and materials," says analysts with eToro in a note. But behind this is the industrial health of China -- in that any sign of flagging activity in the country's industrial segment could reverse the scarcity sentiment. "If Chinese demand softens, metals may lose their growth signal," says eToro. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com)
1634 GMT - The latest Commitments of Traders report showed a reduction in long positions in corn and soybeans, while more short contracts were added to wheat positions. This eased concerns of a potential price plunge tied to overleveraged traders. Another positive for markets is word that China will buy $17 billion worth of U.S. agricultural goods through 2028. "Markets love details and now some details have emerged," says Brian Grete of Commstock Investments. But Grete cautions that risk factors remain. "Traders must also monitor weather, crop development, geopolitics and other factors," he says. "That's a lot of balls in their air that must be juggled." Corn rises 4%, wheat climbs 4.1% and soybeans are up 3.2%. (kirk.maltais@wsj.com)
1630 GMT - McDonald's shares aren't cheap enough to make it onto a value menu, but they're certainly a bargain right now after falling 8% year-to-date in the wake of slugging near-term sales, UBS analysts say in a research note. The market isn't recognizing that the Golden Arches has room to pick up market share with initiatives including the introduction of Extra Value Meals and its recently beefed-up McValue platform, the analysts say. It can also ride out near-term headwinds with gains in its digital business and loyalty program, as well as its marketing efforts, they say. New products and limited-time-offers should stack up to higher spending and guest counts, the analysts say, maintaining a buy rating on the stock. Shares rise 2 to $281.84. (dean.seal@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 19, 2026 00:15 ET (04:15 GMT)
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