Conflict & Commodities: Impact on Freight Rates, Iron Ore Demand, and Oil Prices

Markets in Motion: Dry Freight Gains, Middle East Tensions, and Iron Ore UpdatesHello and welcome back to Freight Up, the number 1 commodities and freight markets podcast from FIS. We're your hosts, Jess, and Davide, and in this episode of Freight Up we'll dissect the latest geopolitical events impacting our sectors, from the Middle Eastern tensions and their muted effect on crude oil, to the unexpected surge in cocoa prices due to West African crop shortfalls.In this episode, Ben Klang decodes the dry freight market's roller coaster ride, while Hao Pei predicts the iron ore market's resistance to a short-term correction. Our people's broker and resident fuel oil expert Archie Smith reports to us remotely from Dubai, shining a light on the rising cracks in fuel oil prices this month.Brace yourselves for another 'deep dive' into the seas of freight and commodities. Remember, follow "Freight Up" in your favourite podcast app, and find us on LinkedIn! And check out our app FIS Live for the latest insights. Thanks in advance for listening to this Freight and Commodity podcast by FIS!Useful links:FIS LiveTimestamps00:00 Middle East tensions ease, commodities fluctuate. Fed adjusts.04:21 TC index down 7% then rebounded. Market sentiment improved.08:16 High market, steel margin drop, iron ore strategy.09:36 Steel demand may gradually increase over months.13:09 OPEC cuts impacting high sulphur crude market.