FAQs

Coconut oil is widely used in the cosmetics industry, industrial surfactants, and biodiesel production.

Prices are heavily influenced by weather conditions, production volumes, and trade policies such as export taxes or import duties.

The Philippines leads global production, averaging 1.67 million mt annually, followed by Indonesia at 1.03 million mt.

Yes. Expana provides forecast modules that incorporate macroeconomic, fundamental, and technical analysis to help stakeholders anticipate price movements and plan procurement strategies accordingly.

Soybean oil is part of the vegetable oil complex and is often substituted with palm, sunflower, or rapeseed oils in various applications. Price movements in one oil frequently impact the others due to their substitutability.

Prices are driven by supply volumes, weather in major growing regions, demand from food and biodiesel sectors, global trade flows, and competition within the vegetable oil complex. Policy shifts, such as export taxes or tariffs, also play a key role.

 The U.S., Brazil, and Argentina are the top producers of soybean oil. China is the largest consumer, importing soybeans and processing them domestically to meet edible oil demand.

Expana tracks multiple grades, including crude soybean oil, RBD (refined, bleached, deodorized) soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, high-oleic soybean oil, and organic variants.

Soybean oil is widely used in cooking oils, salad dressings, margarine, baked goods, and snacks. It’s also a key feedstock for biodiesel production and has industrial uses in lubricants, inks, and solvents.

Absolutely. In addition to coal, we provide pricing and analysis for natural gas, crude oil, electricity, and carbon credits, allowing users to monitor broader fuel costs and emission-linked expenses in a single place.

Our pricing updates range from daily to weekly, depending on the coal type, region, and market activity. We ensure that both short-term fluctuations and longer-term patterns are reflected in our reporting.

Yes. Expana provides tailored forecasts for both thermal and coking coal using macro trends, market data, and technical signals. Our forecasts help energy buyers and supply chain teams prepare for pricing swings and optimise contract timing.

Thermal coal is burned to generate electricity and heat, while coking coal undergoes a carbonisation process to produce coke for steelmaking. Their pricing, demand cycles, and market participants are distinct, though occasionally connected by broader energy policy or shipping constraints.

Coal prices are affected by a wide range of variables, including power demand, steel output, weather-related disruptions, labour strikes, rail and port bottlenecks, and emissions regulation. Shifts in one or more of these areas can trigger fast-moving price changes.

Our coal pricing database spans major producers including Australia, Indonesia, and South Africa, and key import markets like India, and the UK and Netherlands the EU. We also monitor trade routes, port activity, and delivery schedules.

Expana covers both thermal coal, which is used in power generation and district heating, and coking coal, which is a crucial feedstock in the steelmaking process. We report on international benchmarks and regional market trends for both.

Natural gas prices are updated on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to reflect the latest market movements and regional trends.

Yes. Our forecasts use macro, fundamental, and technical inputs to help you anticipate market direction, reduce risk, and plan energy procurement strategies effectively.

Natural gas is processed into products like ethane, propane, fertilisers, and hydrogen, and is essential in both plastics and power generation.

Prices are primarily affected by storage levels, weather patterns, seasonal heating or cooling demand, and geopolitical events in supply-critical regions. LNG export capacity and shipping constraints also play a role.

Expana tracks various forms of gas including pipeline gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and compressed natural gas (CNG) to reflect the complexity of regional infrastructure and trade flows.

We cover major producing and exporting countries including the US, Russia, Norway, Iran, and Qatar, as well as demand centres in Europe, China, and South Asia.

Natural gas is a major input in electricity generation, particularly for flexible and peaking power plants. Price changes directly influence power pricing, grid balancing costs, and overall electricity market stability.

Rising gas prices increase energy costs across food processing, refrigeration, and packaging, especially in high-volume manufacturing. This often leads to upward pressure on overall input costs in the food and beverage industry.