Thomson Reuters has expanded the commodities supply chain insight on its financial markets desktop Thomson Reuters Eikon to include the physical movement of agricultural commodities and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The new enhancements to Commodity Trade Flows offer innovative analysis of the global movement of cargoes, giving commodity analysts greater transparency into the supply and demand dynamics of key commodities and, therefore, a better understanding of potential price movements.
Commodities supply chain data is available from a number of sources, requiring financial professionals to compile many data points to obtain a complete picture of the flow of commodities along the physical supply chain. Launched in March 2014 to streamline this process, Commodity Trade Flows in Eikon initially focused on regional flows for crude oil and now offers flows data at a global level for crude oil as well as agricultural commodities and LNG, with plans to include further commodities such as liquid petroleum gas, iron ore and coal in the near future.
The service incorporates data points from vessel tracking, fixtures, tenders, port inspection and customs, combining them with proprietary algorithmic models that track real-time vessel positions and analysis by Thomson Reuters research and forecasts team to present both historical and future movement of assets. Customers can view the aggregated assessment provided by Thomson Reuters analysts or build their own trade flow models. Models can be exported to Microsoft Excel or viewed in real-time using advanced map imagery available in Interactive Map in Eikon, enabling customers to view the data in the way that best suits their needs.
“Commodity Trade Flows in Eikon combines raw data with Thomson Reuters algorithms and specialist insight to help our customers quickly see the dynamics of the global commodities supply chain and gauge the likely impact on supply and demand and prices in the market,” said Shaun Sibley, managing director, commodities at Thomson Reuters. “We are committed to continually expanding the scope of this analysis and providing commodities markets professionals with the real-time actionable insight they need to make more efficient and better-informed trading decisions.”