In a landmark move that could reshape the global rare earth supply chain, USA Rare Earth, Inc. (Nasdaq: USAR) has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Serra Verde Group, the owner of Brazil’s Pela Ema rare earth mine and processing plant, in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $2.8 billion. The deal, announced on April […]
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has quietly opened discussions with the United States for emergency access to U.S. dollars, seeking a financial backstop as the recent Iran conflict strains its economy and disrupts key oil export routes. According to multiple U.S. officials cited in reporting, UAE Central Bank Governor Khaled Mohamed Balama raised the possibility […]
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In a move that continues to underscore Beijing’s strategic shift away from U.S. dollar assets amid geopolitical tensions and diversification efforts, China has steadily reduced its holdings of U.S. Treasuries. The latest official data from the U.S. Treasury’s TIC report confirms China’s holdings stood at $693.3 billion at the end of February 2026, down slightly […]
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As a record armada of crude oil tankers steams toward the U.S. Gulf Coast to load American barrels—171 vessels en route in April 2026, with 28 VLCCs already fixed for May loadings alone—another surge is unfolding downstream. U.S. crude cargoes transiting the Panama Canal are now exceeding 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the first […]
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By RFE/RL staff – Apr 15, 2026, 1:00 PM CDT Cargo shipments through Iran are delayed for weeks, forcing costly overland rerouting and supply chain disruptions Shipping costs and energy prices are surging, putting pressure on households and government budgets across the region Landlocked Central Asian economies face rising inflation and slower growth due to their heavy […]
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The 2026 Iran conflict, which escalated in late February with U.S.-Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation—including the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on energy infrastructure—has triggered the largest supply disruption in global oil market history. Nearly 20% of the world’s oil and significant LNG volumes have been taken offline, sending Brent crude […]
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The Net Zero movement, long heralded as the inevitable path to a fossil-free future, has encountered a profound reality check. The 2026 Iran war—marked by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz—has triggered one of the most severe global energy crises in decades, disrupting roughly 20% of the world’s oil and significant liquefied natural […]
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President Donald Trump’s recent comments on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures have sparked intense debate in energy circles. In the April 12, 2026 interview, Trump acknowledged that U.S. gasoline prices “could be the same or maybe a little bit higher” by the November midterm elections, despite earlier hopes for a quick resolution. This marks a […]
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The backbone of America’s electricity system is under unprecedented strain. As highlighted in a widely discussed analysis by investor Felix Prehn, roughly half of the nation’s power transformers are operating well past their useful life—not merely aging, but “running on borrowed time.” JP Morgan has flagged the U.S. power grid itself as a national security […]
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As the Iran war enters its fifth week and the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, Goldman Sachs has issued a stark warning in its April 2026 report titled “Are We Running Out of Oil?” The bank’s analysts, led by Yulia Zhestkova Grigsby, conclude that the world is indeed facing acute physical shortages of crude […]
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