To find our more about Enco Insights visit www.encoinsights.com For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global
In this episode, to celebrate 200 episodes and a name change, our host Paul Chapman reflects on the podcast, its goals and development and the back catalogue. A body of work, still highly relevant, that has traced the trends, participants and individual commodities (some old and some new), through one of the most interesting periods in the sector’s long history. For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://...
Trade finance is the lifeblood of the commodity sector. Liquidity shrank throughout the last decade in the wake of regulatory changes. Now deglobalization and sanctions, environmental pressures and volatility threaten this key resource. How have the banks responded and what of alternative providers? What does this mean for commodity traders and the markets themselves? Kristofer is the founder of Kimura, an asset management business dedicated to the commodities sector, with a central focus on pri...
In this episode, we do a deep dive into the dry freight market and how bulk commodities are shipped around the world and by whom. As the commodities markets themselves become more efficient, freight markets are starting to represent one of the biggest sources of risk and opportunity available to traders and charterers. This, in turn, is driving convergence between the traditional separation between ship owners, charterers and the traders. What is the structure of the market for dry freight? How ...
links to SuisseNegoce commodities review: https://www.suissenegoce.ch/commodities/commodities-2024-en Links to Allasso https://www.allasso.com/home Linkes to Artis Works https://www.artis.works/ For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global...
In this episode, Ariel Perez, Head of Environmental Products at Hartree Partners, returns to update us on the state of the carbon markets over the last two years in a more inflationary and unstable world? Global commodity leaders are calling for a price for carbon – are we any closer? How have compliance markets fared in the energy crisis and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? Have compliance markets expanded globally? How have voluntary markets fared? What were the key outcomes from COP28 and what d...
To attend our HC Insider Podcast Live Event on the Future of Switzerland as a Commodities Trading Hub on April 16th, please RVSP here: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/hcinsider-podcast-geneva For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global
To sign up for our HC Insider Podcast Live Event in Geneva on the evening of the 16th April please RSVP here: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/hcinsider-podcast-geneva We are discussing the Future of Switzerland as a Commodities Trading hub For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global...
The US Dollar has been the world’s global reserve currency since the Second World War, underpinning global trade and US dominance. However, as our guest argues, its use as a global policy tool such as in sanctions, increasing geopolitical competition and political instability at home is threatening its status. Various countries and blocs are attempting to circumvent dollar trades. Yet, perhaps, the dollar’s biggest threat comes from blockchain and especially Bitcoin. What does that mean for comm...
You can request to sign up for Mercury Resources newsletter here: https://www.mercuryresources.com/contact-us For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global
In this episode we address that very special commodity Uranium, crucial to the energy and defense industry alike. Nuclear’s role is the energy transition is increasingly recognized. But where will the needed Uranium come from in a more fragmented world? How is Uranium mined, processed and delivered to the nuclear energy plants. Where is it produced and who controls the supply chain? How is Uranium traded? How has the market fared and what does the future hold. Our guest is John Cash, CEO of Ur E...
In this episode, Ilia Bouchouev joins to discuss his new book, ‘Virtual Barrels: Quantitative Trading in the Oil Markets”. What are virtual barrels? How has oil trading been fundamentally changed due to them? What has that meant for flat price, participants and trading strategies? The book is a comprehensive exploration of quantitative trading in the markets and introduces innovative approaches to pricing oil options and advances the theory of storage. Ilia is Managing Partner at Pentathlon Inve...
At the core of commodity trading is forecasting. The last decade of low prices and low volatility has transformed into a market of high volatility and higher prices. How has that changed the nature of forecasting? What does it mean for tools, models and skillsets. And are markets still forecastable? Our guest is Matteo Mazzoni, Director of Energy Analytics at ICIS, an independent commodity intelligence service that provides data analytics in energy and chemicals. For related content and to find ...
On Tuesday 27th February, HC Group and bp hosted a breakfast and networking event for women in the trading and origination community. The highlight of the morning was a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring industry leaders Carol Howle, EVP Trading & Shipping at bp and Alice Acuña, EVP Trading at CEPSA. Moderated by Laura Berger, Portfolio Director, Liquid Fuels & Chemicals at HC Group, the panel delved into strategies for fostering greater diversity and inclusion within commodity...
Hydrocarbons have been a key driver of geopolitics and globalization over the past century. Even in the past decade, we have seen how US shale production and China’s energy security policies have dramatically changed the world. Now, peak demand and the energy transition is set to upend decades of global policy and economics – with a huge impact on the commodity markets. Will battery metals become the crucial natural resource? Will the electron revolution reverse globalization? We are delighted t...
Why is it crucial to the energy transition that critical minerals that underpin it develop traded markets? What will it take to get there? And what are the challenges that this future faces - from uncertain policies, to supply chains and geopolitics? On February 22, in London, Benchmark Minerals Intelligence hosted the HC Insider Podcast in front of a live audience to discuss these questions. Our panellists were Guy Winter, Partner at Fasken, Jessica Fung, Head Strategist at Pala Investments, Ma...
Sand has transformed modern civilization. It is the ubiquitous commodity; in our infrastructure, in our industry and even in our personal care products. Yet due to its characteristics, the supply chain is fragmented, disastrous for our environment and often corrupt. And by a tragic quirk of geometry, desert sand is unusable meaning we wreck our riverbeds and oceans to acquire it. In this episode, author and journalist Vince Beiser joins us to discuss sand and its role in the modern world. Vince ...
CEO of Edge Petrol, Gideon Carroll joins Enco to discuss the UK's Pumpwatch Scheme proposed by the government. What is in it? And what will the impact be on consumers, fuel retailers and wholesalers? For more on Edge Petrol visit https://www.edgepetrol.com/ For more on Enco Insights visit www.encoinsights.com For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global...
In this episode, we return to critical metals and how their fortunes are affected by the energy transition, technology and geopolitics. To tell that story we are focusing on three in particular: Neodymium, Gallium & Hafnium. Each has a key role in the modern world with demand set to grow but with challenges markets and policy makers are grappling with. Our guest is Ellie Saklatvala, Head of Non-Ferrous Pricing at Argus Media, the leading independent pricing agency. For related content and to...
The energy transition requires the mobilization of vast amounts of capital. It affords huge opportunity but also risks. The technological pathways, policy support and geopolitics are uncertain and volatile. How can these risks be managed? And opportunities be captured? In this episode, we go into the world of private equity and the thinking and strategies needed to participate in the most profound economic restructuring in modern times. Our guest is John Skrinar, partner at Cresta Fund Managemen...
Information has always been the lifeblood of commodities trading. Today, the sources of data that provides the information and insight have grown exponentially - as has its value. So much so that companies are viewing data as a strategic asset, transforming how they value, collect, manage, and protect it. And once that mindset is in place, it can be transformative. To understand more about this key insight and journey, we are joined by Jason Vogt, Managing Director of Cargill Data Asset Solution...
In this episode, Doomberg joins us to discuss their most recent analysis and controversial views of the oil and commodities markets. Why Peak Oil is unlikely to happen and oil will remain cheap and abundant. How US oil production has changed the energy map and the in turn its role in global security – a gap which China is planning to fill. And how China’s grip on critical minerals for the energy transition is tightening at the expense of its environment – “Geopollutical Warfare”. Doomberg runs t...
Singapore has been a leading commodities trading hub for decades. Its strategic location, strong governance and connectivity have spurred the growth of a rich ecosystem of global trading firms in the city-state. How is Singapore navigating the changing world of commodities? Amidst deglobalization, digitalization and the energy transition, how is Singapore staying relevant and keeping ahead of the curve? And how does this impact its long-term strategy and talent development plans? Our guest is Le...
In this final bonus episode of Enco Insights, CEO Bill Read discusses the history of expert networks, the genesis of Enco Insights and its aims and goals. For future episodes of Enco Insights, please follow the podcast on your preferred platform. For more information on Enco please visit www.encoinsights.com For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global...
Our 2023 Annual Review is published and ready for download. The review contains key trend and market moves within the energy & commodities world alongside data driven analysis and editorials. Download here or on our website: https://www.hcgroup.global/hc-insider/market-reviews/access-annual-review-2023 For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global...
What does the future hold for the agri sector and the food our plates? And what does it mean for the sector’s participants and investors? Robert Berendes, Executive Partner of Flagship Pioneering and longtime industry executive and investors sets out his views on the paradigm shifts the sector is going through. How has the last four years changed the sector and impacted investors? And what are the surprising views Robert holds on the availability of food, land and changing nature of commodity tr...
To start the New Year, in this episode we review the oil markets in 2023 and the likely major themes and trends in 2024. Why were forecasts for 2023 mainly wrong – 100$ oil never materializing? What were the major market, policy and geopolitical events that drove prices and what do these herald for 2024? Will the volatility continue? What are the trends in production, refining, shipping and consumption? Our guest is David Wech, Chief Economist for Vortexa, the ship tracking and data analytics fi...
This week battery metals expert and CEO of Benchmark Minerals Intelligence joins Enco Insights to provide a quick view on Graphite, the indispensable anode material in the energy transition. For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global
The UN predicts global population will peak sometime in 2080s around 10 billion people. Companies, countries (think global social security schemes) and the commodities sector predicates forecasts on these assumptions. Yet, there is a growing body of evidence that these assumptions are far too optimistic and that not only will global population peak earlier but will subsequently decline much more rapidly. Already much of the West and Asia is in decline and replacement rates of falling at an accel...
In this episode we review the major themes and events for the Natural Gas markets in 2023 and what that might herald for 2024. The gas markets and LNG are now the crucial global energy balancer. What happened in 2023? What were the key market, regulatory and policy actions and how did countries and participants fare? What are the key factors and milestones to look at for 2024 and beyond? Our guest is Anne-Sophie Corbeau, Global Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia U...
