Special Reports

At a time when the oil market is facing looming structural changes, state-owned companies are transforming themselves - not just to survive, but to thrive. As part of this change, many national oil companies are opening up, diversifying, driving a new wave of downstream development and trading businesses to reach new markets and evolve beyond just national champions.

Construction markets have their own specific challenges and opportunities but all are exposed to global energy and commodity prices. In this special report, S&P Global Platts explores some of the factors driving construction markets and how developments in commodities such as oil, gas and steel play a key role in determining whether projects get built, and how much they may cost to develop.

Blockchain could help make commodity trading simpler, faster and cheaper. Pilot projects and trials are popping up around the world, but real world uses are rare so far. Companies will have to tackle issues such as speed, scale, cost, privacy and liability to make using blockchain viable. This special report from S&P Global Platts explains the technology, examines the projects, and looks at the challenges and opportunities ahead as blockchain enters a critical development phase.

This report discusses China's current policy direction - now reinforced under a more empowered President Xi Jinping - and its wider implications for global commodity markets. 

As crude production in the North Sea continues to evolve, its role in an increasingly globalized market has started to shift, having an impact on Dated Brent and its position as a global oil benchmark. In this report, S&P Global Platts delves into the dynamics affecting the North Sea and Northwest Europe crude markets and the continuing evolution of Dated Brent.