COMMODITIES

Soyabean futures rose 16.4 per cent after the US government reported strong exports. This is even as Brazil, the world's second-largest grower, has harvested an expected record crop. Demand could erode US reserves to a 20-year low by the autumn.

Crude Oil prices rose 4.84 per cent after reports of large declines in refined-product inventories. Petrol stockpiles have fallen in the US, and demand from refiners for crude oil is expected to rise as they produce more petrol.

Coffee fell back last week by 11 per cent. The Association of Coffee Producing Countries recommended an extra 500,000 60-kilo bags of arabica coffee should be exported in the first half of the year to alleviate shortages. This should ease pressure on retailers to put up prices. Copyright: IOS & Bloomberg