Biofuel prices jump, while the Israel-Iran conflict is hunting for oil alternatives


Switch off the editor’s digest free of charge

The prices for palm oil and soybean oil have increased after the conflict between Israel and Iran, and the administration of Trump proposed to increase the amount of biofuels mixed in diesel and petrol.

Soybean oil has increased by 11 percent since Thursday and has reached the highest level at more than £ 55 since October 2023. Palm oil that had fallen this year because a supplyhas increased more than 6 percent this week to almost 4,100 ring git a bin.

These edible oils are asked in the search for cheaper energy sources that have been driven by a price of around 8 percent of the Brent crude oil price since Israel launched air strikes against Tehran’s nuclear program and military facilities at the end of last week.

“The main factor for this jump is due to this conflict on energy prices, the crude oil prices,” said Darren Lim, a Commodities strategist at the brokerage Phillip Nova, based in Singapore, and added that the prices for eating oil are pursuing the grains in crude oil.

“Higher energy prices increase the cost of palm oil and also the potential demand for BiofuelsBecause they act as an alternative energy source. “

The profits were also promoted by the US environmental protection authority’s proposal last week to increase the amount of biofuels that refineries have to bring in diesel and gasoline for a record of 24.02 billion gallons next year.

The plan includes an increase in the target by 67 percent for diesel on biomass-and typically made of soybean oil and used food oil on 5.61 billion gallons. This was higher than the 5.25 billion gallons, which had been proposed by US oil and biofuel groups at the beginning of this year, and was a welcome surprise for raw material dealers with bullish positions.

The EPA also halved the number of compliance credits, which were granted for biofuels from foreign starting materials such as Canadian rapeseed or Chinese food oil. Such credits are generated when biofuels are produced or imported, and companies can buy or sell to meet their annual EPA biofuels.

The step gives us a competitive advantage for US manufacturers and supports domestic soybosis issue. The pressure follows both the oil and the biofuel industry and is also regarded by analysts as a political step to help US farmers caught in the crosshairs From Trump’s turbulent trade policy.

“If you put these two parts together, it was a very bullish announcement for us soybean oil,” said Charles Hart, Senior Commodities Analyst at Rabobank. He also pointed to data from The National Oilsed Processors Association At the end of May, the influx of soybean oil stands fell to £ 1.37 billion, 20 percent a year ago and the lowest May level since 2004.

“You have increased domestic demand from the mandate, support from rising raw prices and a closer supply,” he added.

Line map of the Chicago Soyoil prices (cent per pound), which show the soybean oil prices rocket on the new Trump Biofuellstoffplan and the conflict of the Middle East

Imported raw materials have been responsible for a growing proportion of inputs on biomass-based diesel inputs in US biomass in recent years.

According to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, speculators have discontinued their long positions in soyboken oil the week before the EPA’s announcement. After the announcement of the EPA proved to be more positive for the US industry as expected, the speculators bought back positions, which probably fueled the rally, said Hart.

Palm oil, the cheapest large food oil, tends to track soybean oil prices, especially in important import markets such as India, where consumers often switch between the two depending on the price, Lim. Indian consumers recently increased palm oil purchases after increasing import taxes.

In the past, the continued prices for high fossil fuels have driven investments in cheaper alternative energy sources, including biofuels.

“The development of the biofuel sector – not only in the United States, but worldwide – was bound by energy supply security,” said Hart, referring to both geopolitical risks and efforts to reduce energy port bills. “It also offers a certain insulation against exogenous shocks on the global raw material market.”

The US sojaboia producers have held out years of trade disorders, in particular due to the tariff fights of the Trump government with China, which lowered an important export market. In recent times they had a difficult mix of falling global prices, rising input costs and sluggish export demand.

Trump has long tried to compensate for the interests of both the fossil fuel groups and the biofuel producers, two influential blocks in the US core country. During his first term in office, repeated waiver for small oil refineries corn and soyboic farmers, important voters in Wschlest states such as IOWA.

“This is a measure of the support of the US soybean sector in a time of relative uncertainty for exports in view of the current tensions in the trade relationship in the U.S. China,” said Hart.

Public hearings on the proposal of the EPA are planned for July 8, but a final decision could take months. In the meantime, analysts expect a persistent volatility of the vegetable oil markets.

“It depends on the size and duration of how long this crisis will take in the Middle East,” said Phillip Novas Lim. “If the severity remains the same, but attracts itself, the prices can slow down. However, if it escalates, they will see a quick reaction.”



Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *