COMMODITIES

A dynamic model was used to make coffee projections. It covers the major exporting and importing countries of green coffee. Supply, demand and stock functions were estimated for each of the major exporting and importing countries. The model performs dynamic simulation forward in time and generates forecasts on the basis of assumptions for the future behaviour of GDP, consumer price indices and exchange rates.

Better known as a hub for diamond and textile industries, Surat will soon have additional feature to its fame as the city-based entrepreneurs are now exploring business opportunity in more natural and high-end fabric material - Linen.

The massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, leaking from a ruptured well moved closer to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Analysts said the oil spill that threatened to eclipse even the Exxon Valdez disaster spread out of control with a faint sheen washing ashore along the Gulf Coast.

Global oil prices extended gains in Asian trade Friday mainly on encouraging reports of resurgence in global economy. Light sweet crude for June delivery was seen trading at $85.61 a barrel at 11.30 a.m Singapore time while Brent crude was at $87.12 a barrel at the same time in London.

Gold advanced further in Asian trade Friday after the euro gained on hopes of a quick Greek rescue package spurred investors to cover short positions. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $ 1172.98 an ounce at 11.30 a.m Singapore time while gold futures for June delivery was at $1,173.40 an ounce at the COMEX division of the NYMEX.

World's largest gold producer is also set to take India's centuries-old gold crown as the world's top gold consumer. After knocking South Africa out of first place as the world's largest gold producer in 2007, it now appears China will overtake India as the world's leading gold consumer when industry figures are released in mid-February.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has today declared that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is heavily leaking crude oil roughly 5000 feet below the surface. The agency maintained that the oil is leaking at the rate of 5000 barrels per day and not 1000 bpd as had been estimated earlier. Speaking to media, Rear Admiral Mary E Landry of the Coast Guard informed that the new estimate came from observations made in flights over the slick, studying the trajectory of the spill a...

Gold prices remained mixed in Asian trade Thursday after Greek debt worries was countered by hopes of speedy recovery in US economy. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $1165.10 an ounce at 12.00 noon Singapore time after a notional close of $1,164.45 on Wednesday. However US gold futures for June delivery dropped in early trade and was at $1166 an ounce at the same time.

Last month, EIA published its semiannual report on the possible impacts of refinery outages on gasoline and diesel fuel markets for March through June 2010. The report focuses on gasoline because U.S. gasoline consumption typically increases during these months. Historically, large gasoline price increases can occur during the spring and early summer and refinery outages have sometimes played a role in those increases. The same outage during a tight market can have a more significant effect tha...

Global wheat prices are expected to remain unchanged for the time being as the prices already touched at the bottom level, said an Industrial official. Global wheat prices are unlikely to fall further for the next three months as at present prices are close to multi-year lows, Chris Vanhonacker, Commercial Director of Rias Trading was quoted by Dow Jones Newswires.

Remember the impact of Reserve Bank of India's decision to buy 200 tonnes of gold from International Monetary Fund (IMF) in November 2009 had on the price of yellow metal? That time gold prices soared to new heights because the world feared that India is shifting its foreign reserves to gold expecting the dollar to crash.

U.S. oil fell below $85 a barrel on Monday as Greece's festering debt crisis pushed the U.S. dollar up and as the oil market girded for further growth to inventories in the United States, the world's top energy consumer.

Oil prices plunged on Friday after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Goldman Sachs with fraud in its marketing of certain subprime mortgage securities, amid a general sell-off in financial and commodity markets. The allegations against one of the biggest market makers in virtually every markets dampened speculation heading into the weekend. Much like the volcanic eruption in Iceland spewed a cloud of dust over northern Europe that grounded all air travel, the SEC charge cast a ...

Kyrgyzstan's mass anti-government protests last week were essentially the culmination of more than a decade of disillusionment and dissatisfaction that accumulated in the nation's political, economic and social spheres from the period of Akayev to his successor Kurmanbek Bakiyev, with virtually every Kyrgyz concerned about rising prices and falling standards of living, both issues of little concern and dimly understood in Washington.

The recent unrest in Kyrgyzstan has largely been portrayed as an epic clash between U.S. and Russian interests. That said, interest in events in Bishkek extend far beyond Kyrgyzstan throughout the regional and one should expect the following voices to add their concerns as the situation evolves. While largely overlooked by media coverage, their influence could be a significant factor in both interim and long-term solutions that emerge to Kyrgyzstan's recent upheavals.

Crude oil imports by world's second largest oil consumer, China registered a 29.2 percent growth year on year in March. According to country's General Administration of Customs, China's crude oil imports were 21.06 million tons or 4.98 million barrels per day in March, up 29.2% year on year or 2.7% month on month. In the first three months, the country's crude oil imports surged 39% year on year to 56.68 million tons.

Gold consumption in India, the largest yellow metal consumer in the world, is steadily going up. Despite high prices, gold imports by India is steadily going up in 2010. According to the Bombay Bullion Association (BBA) figures on Wednesday, India's gold imports rose to 27.7 tonnes in March, compared to the paltry 4.8 tonnes of that the country had imported in March 2009. The apex trade body said gold demand in India is going up, despite rising stock and commodity market volumes.

Pakistan will export wheat this year despite an expected slight fall in production as the forecasted output will outpace the country's annual demand, said Minister for Agriculture Nazar Mohammad Gondal. The country is expected to produce 23.87 million metric tons of wheat against the annual demand of 22 million tons. Besides, it maintains a carryover stock of 3.5 million tons of wheat to meet emergencies.

Greek literature boasts three great writers of tragedy: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides in the olden days. But, now Greek tragedy has nothing to do with literature. It is all about money or rather Euro. In the ancient days, the largest festival for Greek tragedy was the Dionysia held for five days in March or April, for which prominent tragedians usually submitted three tragedies and one satyr play each. In 2010, Greek Tragedy is again performed in March-April with three major players like G...

The following article is the first of three examining the recent unrest in Kyrgyzstan and its implications. Part 2 tomorrow will deal with the regional fallout from the Tulip Revolution V2.0 and Part 3 will examine in detail Washington's highest priority in Kyrgyzstan - its ongoing access to the Manas Transit Center airbase. The extraordinary events of last week in Kyrgyzstan, which saw the overthrow of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's administration by a popular uprising and its replacement by a...

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Tuesday upwardly revised global oil demand forecast for this year by 30,000 barrels a day. In its latest oil market report, the Paris-based IEA said world oil demand will probably reach 86.60 million barrels per day this year, an increase from 84.93 million in 2009. Non-OPEC output is predicted to rise 220,000 barrels per day to 52 million barrels per day. Meanwhile, total OPEC production declined in March.

The exciting news from the CFTC gold and silver hearings seem to have coinincided with the predictable gold move.

Heads I win, tails you lose. That seems to be the latest mantra of gold vis-à-vis equity markets. Recently, Indian equity market is on a song and had crossed 18,000 points mark which was last seen over two years ago. At a time when equity market is showing gains normally bullion markets witness a fall. Because, investors shift their money from bullion to equity.

Greek literature boasts three great writers of tragedy: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides in the olden days. But, now Greek tragedy has nothing to do with literature. It is all about money or rather Euro. In the ancient days, the largest festival for Greek tragedy was the Dionysia held for five days in March or April, for which prominent tragedians usually submitted three tragedies and one satyr play each. In 2010, Greek Tragedy is again performed in March-April with three major players like G...

China is on a gold buying spree these days. The Chinese central bank-the People's Bank of China-is taking a series of steps to increase its gold reserves to ensure that the precious yellow metal replaces forex reserves held in the US dollar. Chinese people in cities, small towns and rural areas are buying gold jewellery, gold coins and gold bars for investment like never before. Gold jewellery showrooms are mushrooming across the Chinese hinterland.

China's state-owned Sinopec plans to buy ConocoPhillips' stake in the huge Syncrude project in Canada's oil sands for $4.65 billion, marking one of the country's largest investments ever in North America.

China's state-owned Sinopec plans to buy ConocoPhillips' stake in the huge Syncrude project in Canada's oil sands for $4.65 billion, marking one of the Asian country's largest investments ever in North America.

China is all set to start building its third West East Pipeline project by the end of this year, according to an official statement. The pipeline is designed to transmit 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually. It will also act as a catalyst for delivering imported natural gas from Central Asia, it said.

Gold has the dubious distinction of abetting crimes across the globe. And, this time the yellow metal has done something which the world has never seen or heard till now. It is worse than 9/11 or 26/11 terror strikes on World Trade Center and Mumbai respectively. You must be wondering where did such a big crime occurred. Because, this terrorism is a bloodless one. Here, only gold and dollars are involved - that too in trillions. The new crime is called financial terrorism. And if you dare to ex...