LONDON: Oil prices slumped again on Monday on concerns over scarce storage capacity, especially in the United States, and global economic doldrums from the coronavirus pandemic.
US oil futures led losses, falling by more than $3 a barrel on fears that storage at Cushing, Oklahoma, could reach full capacity soon.
US West Texas Intermediate June futures fell $3.61, or 21.3%, to $13.33 a barrel by 1215 GMT.
Brent crude was down $1.17, or 5.5%, at $20.27 a barrel. The June Brent contract expires on Thursday.
Oil futures marked their third straight week of losses last week, with Brent ending 24% down and WTI off about 7%. Prices have now fallen for eight of the past nine weeks.
The June WTI contract’s price fall may have been triggered partly by investors moving to later months after the May contract lapsed into negative territory for the first time before its expiry last week.
The front-month contract was trading at lower than usual volumes.
“The market is very concerned about a repeat of negative pricing as the Cushing storage and delivery hub saturates,” Harry Tchilinguirian, global oil strategist at BNP Paribas in London, told the Reuters Global Oil Forum. “The shift of open interest away from June will have negative consequences for the liquidity of the contract, potentially leading to greater volatility in its price.” he added.
US crude inventories rose to 518.6 million barrels in the week to April 17, near the record 535 million barrels set in 2017.
Cushing, the delivery point for WTI, was 70% full in mid-April, though traders said all available space was already leased.
Global economic output is expected to contract by 2% this year — worse than the financial crisis — while demand has collapsed by 30% because of the pandemic.
In the United States, a record 26.5 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since mid-March and the Congressional Budget Office predicted that the economy would contract by nearly 40% annually in the second quarter.
“The current oil balance is simply awful, and no improvement is anticipated until after June due to (the) massive fall in global oil demand,” said oil broker PVM’s Tamas Varga.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, a group known as OPEC+, this month pledged to cut output by an unprecedented 9.7 million barrels per day in May and June.
Kuwait and Azerbaijan are coordinating oil output cuts, while Russia is set to reduce its western seaborne exports by half in May.
Oil prices resume slide on oversupply and storage concerns
https://arab.news/6nuvg
Oil prices resume slide on oversupply and storage concerns
- Crude in US storage near record high
- Brent ended last week down 24%; WTI off around 7%
Future Minerals Forum launches global index to track critical mineral supply chains
RIYADH: The Future Minerals Forum on Jan. 12 launched the “Future Minerals Index Report,” a first-of-its-kind global tool designed to measure and track progress in developing critical mineral value chains across producing, exporting, and consuming countries.
The initiative aims to support the creation of more resilient and responsible supply chains and promote sustainable development worldwide.
Khalid Al-Mudaifer, vice minister of industry and mineral resources for mining affairs, stated: “The Future Minerals Index Report is an unprecedented and essential document; it is an intellectual tool that highlights key trends in the mining and minerals sector, particularly in terms of insights and directions from sector stakeholders, including government leaders, global mining executives, experts, and interested parties.”
He pointed out that the report is distinguished by its tracking of developments in mineral supplies and its provision of actionable recommendations to ensure the sustainable development of critical mineral value chains.
Al-Mudaifer described the report as a new international benchmark that establishes a comprehensive baseline to measure the progress of governments, companies, and investors in enhancing more resilient and responsible mineral supply chains.
He said it provides a clear picture of how global critical mineral markets are shaped by capital, risk, and trust dynamics. “It shows where investment is growing or shrinking and identifies the widening gap between resource availability and capital allocation. Based on this baseline, the report will monitor changes in risk perceptions, investment flows, and progress toward more resilient mineral value chains.”
Ali Al-Mutairi, general supervisor of the Future Minerals Forum, emphasized the report’s importance and the attention it received at the forum due to its role in highlighting global trends in the mining sector.
He explained that the report was prepared in partnership with McKinsey & Co. and in collaboration with other sector experts, including S&P Global Market Intelligence, Global AI, and GlobeScan.
“It integrates stakeholder trends, data, market insights, and intelligence into a single reference that supports global mining and mineral sector decision-making,” he said.
Jeffrey Lorsch, partner at McKinsey & Co., commented: “The Future Minerals Index Report, by integrating market data, stakeholder perspectives, and value chain standards, provides a strategic roadmap to help companies navigate volatility and unlock long-term growth opportunities.”
The report is based on the “Future Minerals Framework,” developed with contributions from 47 experts across multilateral organizations, non-profits, and private companies. It was first introduced at the 2025 International Ministerial Meeting.
The framework outlines key enablers for end-to-end value chains, including supportive policies and regulations, innovative financing solutions to secure and manage investments, multimodal infrastructure such as roads, railways, and ports to reduce costs and increase viability, and sustainability through strong environmental and social governance frameworks.
It also includes talent development through education, training, R&D, technological modernization via updated geological data systems and global expertise partnerships, and geology through reliable, accessible geological data in producing, exporting, and consuming countries as a critical factor in attracting investment.
The report highlighted the world’s urgent need to sustain mineral supplies, featuring contributions from leading industry figures.
Robert Friedland, founder of Ivanhoe Mines, Ivanhoe Electric, and I-Pulse, stated that the electrification of energy systems, digitalization of the economy, and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence are converging toward a future that increasingly depends on minerals.
He stressed: “You can’t reduce emissions, build computing systems, or transport energy without mining.”
Bob Wilt, CEO of Ma’aden, said in the report: “We are not fully prepared to deliver the minerals the world needs. Our biggest challenges are not equipment, capital, or technology — but people.”
Duncan Wanblad, CEO of Anglo American, noted that global copper demand is expected to grow by 75 percent to reach 56 million tonnes annually by 2050. To meet this demand and offset declines from aging mines, the sector will need to open approximately 60 new mines the size of Quellaveco within the next decade alone.
Gustavo Pimenta, CEO of Vale, said in his contribution: “I can’t imagine a future without mining — at least not a sustainable one that balances economic development with environmental protection and social responsibility. Mining has become essential to everything.”
The release of the Future Minerals Index Report coincides with the upcoming fifth edition of the Future Minerals Forum, being held from Jan. 13 to 15, 2026, in Riyadh under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The event is held under the theme “Minerals: Facing the Challenges of a New Era of Development.”
The forum will host a wide range of ministers and CEOs from leading global mining companies, reflecting its stature as a global platform in the mining sector and a key event showcasing Saudi Arabia’s leadership in shaping the future of minerals regionally and internationally.
