Thursday night, a group of dissident members of the New York Mercantile Exchange put an end to two weeks of wrangling and threats against the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which has offered $8 billion to buy its rival. more>>

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), will start derivatives trading next year in an effort to keep pace with rival bourses competing for a greater share of regional capital, an official said. more>>

Ukraine anticipates one of its biggest crops in 10 years. Domestic prices are decreasing, and the government is trying to boost the price of wheat by purchasing stocks for the state reserve. While July grains export numbers are high, traders slowed purchases based on expectations that prices will continue to decrease. more>>

Fears that slowing economic growth was hurting global demand sent commodity prices across the board tumbling on Friday, with gold plunging below $800/oz, the biggest weekly decline in more than 25 years. more>>

EVENT: Oil is trading today (Aug. 14) at approximately $117 (U.S.) a barrel, $30 below its peak last month.

SIGNIFICANCE: Saudi oil policy is key to what OPEC may or may not do to influence price trends in a world of highly volatile oil prices. Official silence has led to great uncertainty over its current nature.

ANALYSIS: more>>

Gold may fall for a sixth straight week, the longest slide in four years, as a strengthening US dollar erodes the precious metal's appeal as an alternative investment. more>>

Six short-term deals between the Iraqi government and international oil companies are likely to be abandoned after the US embassy said talks had broken down yesterday. more>>

Analysts suggest that rising oil prices will sharply reduce international trade. This article argues to the contrary, noting that transport costs constitute a limited share of trade costs. Moreover, evidence from the first wave of globalisation suggests that higher shipping costs are unlikely to significantly dampen international commerce – only protectionism would seriously threaten trade. more>>

Imagine if the U.S. and Russia had been fighting a proxy war in the state of Georgia two months ago? What would the price of oil have hit? Now no one seems to care…  more>>

Once upon a time in the late twentieth century, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange traded cattle ‘on the floor.’ And that was the problem. The floor was open only part of the day and that day was measured by a clock set to Central Standard Time. more>>

CME Group Inc. and NYMEX Holdings, Inc. today announced that the closing date of their merger is anticipated to be August 22, 2008, assuming stockholder and member approval on Monday, August 18, 2008. In the merger, NYMEX Holdings will merge with and into CMEG NY Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CME Group. more>>

The Federal Trade Commission proposed U.S. government rules on Wednesday to fight manipulation in the oil market, where prices hit a record $147 a barrel last month. more>>

Mutual funds geared to providing a simple, one-stop option for investors are starting to put money to work in derivative products. more>>

After a worrisome start to the growing season that fanned fears of food shortages and huge economic losses, the nation’s most important crop is now on track for a bountiful harvest, the government said Tuesday. more>>

A war breaks out in the Caucasus, pitting Russia against a close ally of the United States. Inflation reaches a new peak in the euro-zone. The CPI reaches the highest in Britain since Bank of England independence. Rampant inflation sweeps the developing world. more>>

Hard evidence is mounting that record oil prices are eating into global energy demand as consumers balk at absorbing the higher costs, two leading energy agencies say. more>>

Oil and gold fall and the dollar strengthens as war breaks out in the Caucasus and inflationary expectations are dampened based on continuing weakness in the global economy. Mining shares are faring even worse. RI talks to two experts to gain some valuable insight, perspective and an eye on opportunities. more>>

By the end of last week, gold had dropped 6% to $856.60/oz, its lowest level since May. Bloomberg reports it recovered some impetus yesterday on a higher oil price and a gain in the euro against the dollar. more>>

Showing no signs that it has found a near-term bottom, gold continued to lose ground in overnight trading and erased its year-to-date gains, plunging to $801.90 per ounce and turning into bear territory. more>>

Commodity hedge-fund traders Brian Hunter, Paul Touradji and Renee Haugerud made money in July as energy, metals and agricultural prices fell the most since 1980. more>>