Commodity Market Summary Report for the Week of August 10, 2026 - August 16, 2026

The commodity market for the week of August 10, 2026, to August 16, 2026, recorded a slight and stable growth trend across most sectors, amidst rising geopolitical risks and positive signals from major export markets. The global commodity price index was supported by escalating tensions in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, combined with favorable macroeconomic news for Vietnamese exports from China and Japan.

SECTOR: Agricultural Products

The agricultural market this week witnessed a simultaneous recovery, particularly in essential commodities such as sugar and rice. Global sugar prices closed the week at 16.60 UScents/lb, up 1.31% from the previous week, while rice prices rose 1.51% to 13.98 USD/CWT. Other commodities such as rubber (221.30 JPY/kg), Arabica coffee (314.30 UScents/lb), and soybeans (1,177.80 UScents/bu) also maintained steady growth momentum of under 1%.

• Drivers of volatility: News that China and Japan simultaneously reported "good news" for Vietnamese agricultural and forestry products on August 17 created an optimistic sentiment for regional investors. Furthermore, the simultaneous bombardment of Russia and Ukraine raised concerns about global grain supply chain disruptions, pushing corn and soybean prices up slightly.
• Vietnam market: The timber and forestry industry received positive signals from export orders to East Asia, strengthening the position of Vietnamese goods on the international map.
• Outlook for next week: The slight upward trend may continue if trade barriers continue to be eased in key markets.

SECTOR: Metals

Precious and industrial metal prices remained in the green throughout the trading week due to safe-haven demand and major infrastructure projects. Gold held its position at 4,375.50 USD/toz (equivalent to approximately 137.9 million VND/tael), up 0.13%. Notably, platinum recorded the strongest growth in the sector at 1.43%, reaching 1,756.90 USD/toz. Industrial metals such as copper (659.95 UScents/lb) and zinc (3,758.30 USD/mt) also grew steadily.

• Drivers of volatility: Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East (Iran accused Qatar of detaining a pilot) and the depletion of US THAAD missile reserves fueled capital flows into gold and silver. In Vietnam, the approval of bidding documents for an urban area project worth over 20,000 billion VND and infrastructure projects such as the Tran Hung Dao Bridge and Phu Quoc T2 Terminal are creating high expectations for the demand for construction metals like steel, aluminum, and copper.
• Outlook for next week: The precious metals group will remain sensitive to military developments in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

SECTOR: Energy

Energy prices fluctuated within a narrow range with a slight upward trend, reflecting concerns about regional supply. Brent crude oil closed the week at 88.52 USD/bbl (+0.21%), while US natural gas rose sharply by 1.85% to 2.73 USD/mmbtu. Coal also maintained stability at 129.25 USD/mt.

• Drivers of volatility: A devastating earthquake in Indonesia that killed 51 people raised concerns about energy extraction and transportation in this leading coal-exporting nation. Simultaneously, the withdrawal of US aircraft carriers from East Asia created a "security vacuum," causing risk premiums on oil and gas shipping routes to rise.
• Outlook for next week: Brent oil prices could test the 90 USD/bbl threshold if attacks on energy infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate.

SECTOR: Food

The food market remained sideways with negligible volatility. Pork rose slightly by 0.46% to 81.75 USD/lbs. Beef and chicken remained almost unchanged at 346.75 BRL/kg and 7.20 BRL/kg, respectively.

• Market context: Although global prices are stable, the domestic market is paying attention to the arrival of new electric vehicle lines such as the BYD Sealion 5, which indirectly indicates a shift in consumption and logistics habits that could affect food distribution costs in the long term.
• Outlook for next week: Food prices are expected to remain stable unless there is a major fluctuation in animal feed costs (soybeans, corn).

Notable commodities of the week

• Natural gas (+1.85%): The strongest performing commodity due to supply concerns and attacks on energy infrastructure in Europe.
• Rice (+1.51%): Responded positively to new export agreements from Vietnam to Japanese and Chinese partners.
• Platinum (+1.43%): Benefited from the recovery of the industrial manufacturing sector and investment demand as an alternative to gold.

Forecast and recommendations for next week (August 17, 2026 - August 23, 2026)

Trend forecast: The commodity market next week is expected to continue being strongly influenced by geopolitical factors. The Energy and Precious Metals groups will remain the focus of investment as conflicts show no signs of cooling down. The Agricultural sector in Vietnam will have good growth momentum thanks to supportive export news.

Risk factors to monitor:

• Warfare: Direct attacks on the capitals of Russia and Ukraine could shock energy and grain prices at any time.
• Finance: Bank interest rates in Vietnam (MB, Agribank, Vietcombank...) are showing signs of adjustment, directly affecting the capital flow of commodity trading businesses.
• Weather: Natural disasters such as the earthquake in Indonesia or the rainy and flood season affecting infrastructure construction in Hanoi could slow down the consumption of industrial metals.

Recommendation: Agricultural exporters should take advantage of the "good news" from China and Japan to lock in contracts. Precious metal investors should be cautious of technical corrections as gold prices are already at record highs.