China bets on a yuan-oil bonanza
The country's long-delayed crude oil futures contract promises much, but doubts persist
The Shanghai International Energy Exchange (INE)—a child of the Shanghai Futures Exchange—continues to excite and frustrate domestic and international market participants over the launch of its crude-oil futures contract. Banks, whose market-making role would be crucial to the success of the contract, along with physical and financial crude-oil traders, are keen to trade on the INE. But continuing delays have frustrated some, while others debate just how much of an impact the contract could have on the international oil scene. “We’re ready to go,” says the head of oil trading at a multinational bank, based in Singapore. “But we have been for months. Everything’s in place. We have clients at

Also in this section
2 April 2025
The often-hidden yet powerful hand maintains supply chain linkages and global flows amid disruptions
2 April 2025
At some point it is likely that $70/bl will be quietly accepted as the producer-consumer sweet spot for a US administration having to balance both sides of the ledger
1 April 2025
There is method to the US president’s apparent madness, and those seeking to understand need look no further than their local bookshop
1 April 2025
Strong economic growth targets are encouraging for the country’s energy demand growth, even if meeting those goals might be a tall order