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Gareth Thomas

Writer

Role: Writer for StoneX Group Inc.'s Non-Retail Division

Experience: Gareth Thomas joined StoneX in April 2022. Prior to this, he worked as a freelance financial services writer. Before his freelance career, he was part of the International Investment Division at Shinhan Bank's headquarters in Seoul. 

Expertise: Financial Services Writing, International Investment

Recent articles

Perspective: Morning Commentary for July 21

July 21 – The tech sector led stock futures higher overnight as investors anticipate major tech company earnings reports in the days ahead, while seemingly feeling immune to two wars half a world away that continue to escalate. It’s day #1,609 of Russia’s war on Ukraine, and day #144 of the war with Iran, with neither showing signs of culminating any time soon. These wars are in some of the world’s most critical locations for commodities essential for the global economy, and yet there remains little panic in the U.S. markets at this point. The VIX is trading below 18, while the dollar index trades near 101.0. Yields on 10-year Treasuries are trading near 4.61% this morning, while yields on 2-year Treasuries trade near 4.23%. WTI crude oil is trading near $85, while Brent trades near $91 per barrel. The grain and oilseed sector traded mostly in negative territory overnight after weekly crop ratings largely came in above trade expectations on Monday afternoon.

Arlan Suderman
Arlan Suderman
  • Grains & Oilseeds
  • Energy
  • Dairy
  • Renewable Fuels
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Cotton
  • Sugar
  • Meats & Livestock
  • Forest Products

Perspective: Morning Commentary for July 20

July 20 – Both commodities and stock futures firmed in trade early this morning as we prepare to start a new week. Fighting continues to escalate in both the Middle East and in the Black Sea Region this morning, elevating risks for food and energy commodities, while the U.S. economy continues to show solid growth. The VIX is trading near 18 this morning, which is modestly elevated from where it has been much of this month, but it by no means reflects panic on Wall Street. The dollar index is trading near 100.9 this morning, as it has been trending slowly lower since late June. Yields on 10-year Treasuries are trading near 4.57%, while yields on 2-year Treasuries are trading near 4.20%. WTI crude oil is trading near $82 per barrel after hitting a five-week high overnight, while Brent trades near $88 per barrel. The grain and oilseed markets are firmer, led by soybeans that continue to have strong domestic demand along with steady Chinese buying on the export front.

Arlan Suderman
Arlan Suderman
  • Grains & Oilseeds
  • Energy
  • Dairy
  • Renewable Fuels
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Cotton
  • Sugar
  • Meats & Livestock
  • Forest Products

Perspective: Mid-Day Commentary for July 17

July 17 – Stocks have recovered from their morning lows but remain in the red at midday, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq still leading the way down as it trades 0.8% lower at the time of writing. The VIX remains up roughly 7% on the day to hang around 17.9 at the time of writing, though it is off notably from the three-week high of 19.50 seen earlier in the session. The dollar is trading almost right at unchanged at midday, currently around the 100.75 level. Treasuries are quietly mixed, with 10-year yields slightly in the red just above 4.54% and 2-year yields slightly in the green trading just above 4.17%. Crude oil remains elevated amid the ongoing escalations between the U.S. and Iran, with risk premium coming in ahead of the weekend’s market closure, as nearby WTI current trades up 2.5% on the day near $81.60 and nearby Brent trades up 4.4% on the day near $88.00. The grains and oilseeds are widely higher, with the return of Chinese purchases to the U.S. and the ongoing escalation between Russia and Ukraine impacting shipment through the Black Sea keeping a bid under the market, though the cattle complex continues its recent ugly selloff.

Mike Castle
Mike Castle
  • Grains & Oilseeds
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