The US has a metals problem

Changes sweeping the electricity sectors in Japan and China suggest a hugely uncertain future for coal-fired power and a rapidly increasing risk of stranded assets.

Down 27% in a month – 14 reasons the iron ore price has a lot further to fall.

Australia's Taurus raised $683m to invest in mining company debt last year, while two funds currently in the market are targeting investor capital of $800m.

It is the latest in a series of deadly accidents in recent months to hit Hpakant, where as much as 90% of the world's jade is mined, mostly illegally.

China plans to invest CNY4.7 trillion ($720 billion) on 303 transport infrastructure projects over three years but that may not be enough to give a strong boost to commodity prices in an oversupplied market.

If all central banks were to hold at least 5% of forex reserves in gold (versus 60%+ in rich economies) it would require the purchase of almost 8,000 tonnes

A new survey of the rare earth industry outside China shows many producers and processors are responding to weak prices by exiting the market.

China's spending on infrastructure is being front-loaded and should translate into significantly higher copper demand later in the year.

The ramp up in Chinese debt accumulation has been a leading concern of investors for years.