Currencies and commodities: HIG’s Economic Trade Snapshot No.07
HIG reviews currency and commodity movements for the week ended 23 October 2026 and their implications for CEMAC trade flows.
Which currency and commodity movements shaped the week ended 23 October 2026? Issue 07 of Horus Investment Group’s Economic Trade Snapshot reviews market developments and their implications for trade flows in the CEMAC region.
Exchange rates: higher costs for the currencies tracked
According to this edition, USD/XAF and AED/XAF each rose 0.16% over the week. CNY/XAF increased 0.40%, while GBP/XAF gained 0.50%. The US dollar closed at XAF 585.5.
The newsletter reports that the yuan appreciated 8.8% against the CFA franc over twelve months, highlighting the relative increase in the cost of Chinese-sourced imports for CEMAC businesses.
Oil: different effects for exporters and importers
Brent rose 6.16% to USD 116.7 per barrel, based on the figures presented in the publication. HIG highlights the support this provides to export receipts for CEMAC oil producers, alongside the pressure on fuel and freight costs for importers.
Contrasting commodity trends
The newsletter also highlights the following weekly changes:
- US Henry Hub natural gas: −15.34%, to USD 2.64 per MMBtu.
- Wheat: −5.39%, to 625 US cents per bushel, its sixth consecutive weekly decline.
- Gold: −4.13%, to USD 3,994 per ounce.
- Palm oil: +3.03%, to MYR 4,818 per tonne.
- Rice: +1.15%, to USD 17.52 per US hundredweight (cwt).
The edition also tracks aluminium, arabica coffee, cocoa, cotton, natural rubber and timber. These developments help place trade financing needs in their wider market context.
Explore the charts and methodology
The six-page publication presents weekly closing prices and their changes. Charts cover the period from 24 October 2025 to 23 October 2026. HIG cites Trading Economics and Investing.com as its data sources.
The figures above are those reported in newsletter No.07, rather than live market quotations. The publication provides general information and does not constitute personalised investment advice.