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  • Swedish offshore survey specialist nets contract with 50Hertz

    Swedish offshore survey specialist nets contract with 50Hertz

    Njord Survey has signed a long-term framework agreement with 50Hertz for survey services that will support offshore wind development in the German Baltic Sea.

    Njord Survey

    Under the agreement, the Sweden-based offshore survey…

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  • Veg oils prices commentary: futures edge mostly lower on higher CPO stocks, plummeting crude

    Veg oils prices commentary: futures edge mostly lower on higher CPO stocks, plummeting crude

    Crude palm oil (CPO) futures reversed direction after a three-day rally to close lower on Friday, as traders digested news from the September Malaysia data released by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and amid positioning ahead of the weekend.

    The most-active December CPO futures contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange fell by 0.98% to 4,546 ringgit ($1,077) per tonne after trading between 4,525-4,612 ringgit per tonne and extending losses from earlier in the day, when it closed 10 ringgit per tonne lower at 4,581 ringgit per tonne at the end of morning trading session.

    Losses were extended into the afternoon following data from MPOB which showed a build-up in stocks instead of a previously anticipated decline, though indications of better October exports helped to curb the drop in CPO futures.

    On a weekly basis, the most-active third month contract has rose by 2.34% compared with 4,591 ringgit per tonne on October 3, with support stemming mainly from news of Indonesia’s B50 biodiesel upgrade plans and movement in related oils.

    Chinese vegoil futures closed mixed on Friday after strong increases the previous day, with the most-active January palm olein futures contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange falling by 0.78% to 9,438 yuan ($1,323) per tonne as it tracked a similar movement with Malaysia palm oil futures.

    The January soybean oil futures on DCE was marginally higher by 8 yuan per tonne to 8,302 yuan per tonne, while the January rapeseed oil futures on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange fell by 1.33% to close at 10,061 yuan per tonne.

    On the news front, Malaysia’s palm oil stocks rose for a seventh straight month to 2.36 million tonnes at the end of September, against earlier average market estimates of 2.15 million-2.16 million tonnes, with the resultant increase due to smaller-than-expected declines in production, higher imports and lower local disappearance.

    CPO production was marginally lower by 0.73% to 1.841 million tonnes, while exports rose by 7.69% to 1.43 million tonnes. Imports were recorded at 78,413 tonnes, up by 34% on the month, while local disappearance fell by 33% to 333,432 tonnes.

    Meanwhile, cargo surveyors Intertek Testing Services (ITS) and Amspec Agri Malaysia reported October 1-10 exports for Malaysia at 523,602 tonnes and 495,415 tonnes respectively, 9.86% and 19.4% higher from their respective September estimates. The increase helped limit losses in CPO futures amid optimism for stronger October export demand.

    In the cash market, CPO was traded at $1,162 per tonne CFR Kandla for October shipment and at $1,170 per tonne CFR east coast India for November-December shipment.

    Offers heard toward the close of the day were at $1,165-1,170 per tonne CFR west coast India (WCI) for October cargoes, while offers for November shipment were around $1,175-1,185 per tonne CFR WCI and $1,185 per tonne CFR WCI for December shipment.

    At origin, CPO offers out of Indonesia were limited, while offers for olein were at $1,100 per tonne FOB Indonesia for November shipment, with a trade at $1,095 per tonne FOB Indonesia also heard concluded earlier in the day for November shipment.

    Soyoil futures

    In the Americas, soyoil futures plummeted in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, borrowing weakness from crude markets.

    Soyoil CME futures for December delivery declined by 2.22% day on day to 49.84 cents per lb at 1pm US Eastern time, erasing weekly increases.

    Crude prices weighed on the soyoil market, with Brent and West Texas Intermediate contracts down by 3.7-4.2% day on day amid risk-off positioning backed by progress in peace negotiations for the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

    The US soybean market also faced headwinds from what seems to be a deteriorating atmosphere for trade negotiations between the US and China. China has been strict on the limitations to its rare earths exports and has imposed retaliatory charges on US vessels docking at Chinese ports, while US President Donald Trump threatened to cancel the meeting he is scheduled to have with Chinese President Xi Jinping in three weeks’ time.

    The US dollar reversed directions from the previous trading day, devaluating when measured against a basket of reserve currencies and putting an end to a four-day rally. This helped capping soyoil losses somewhat.

    December CME soymeal futures fell slightly to $276 per short ton at 1pm US Eastern time, with some underlying support from product spreading dynamics.

    In the physical market in South America, the bases negotiations for both soyoil and soymeal were slower with the holiday in Argentina.

    The November basis was assessed at a discount of 0.75 cents per lb in Argentina and at a premium of 0.90 cents per lb in Brazil, both to December futures.

    On the soymeal front, the November basis was assessed at a discount of $7.50 per short ton in Brazil, while in Argentina the corresponding basis was assessed at a discount of $11.50 per short ton to the same futures contract.

    As of 6:15pm Central European time, Euronext November rapeseed futures were trading at €467.25 ($542) per tonne, down by €4.50 per tonne from the previous session.

    FOB Rotterdam rapeseed oil prices fell on Friday.

    For the November–December–January (NDJ) window, offers were made at €1,087-1,093 per tonne, compared with €1,090-1,105 per tonne on Thursday October 9, while bids were made at €1,061-1,065 per tonne, compared with €1,070 per tonne on Thursday.

    For the February-March-April (FMA) window, offers were made at €1,058-1,070 per tonne and bids were made at €1,048-1,050 per tonne, compared with offers of €1,065-1,082 per tonne and bids at €1,055-1,060 per tonne on Thursday.

    Rapeseed oil was heard to have traded at €1,054 per tonne for the FMA window on Friday.

    FOB sunflower oil prices across six EU ports eased on Friday in a correction after hitting nearly three-year highs.

    For the November-December window, offers were made at $1,355 per tonne with bids of $1,330 per tonne, compared with offers made at $1,360-1,390 per tonne and bids of $1,340 per tonne on Thursday.

    For the January–February–March (JFM) window, offers were made at $1,325 per tonne and drew bids of $1,310 per tonne, compared with offers of $1,327.50-1,330.00 per tonne and bids of $1,300.00-1,322.50 per tonne on Thursday.

    No sunflower oil trades were heard on Friday.

    Black Sea sunflower oil

    The Black Sea sunflower oil market recorded limited activity on Friday, with October–November offers reported around $1,300 per tonne CIF Mersin/Iskenderun. Buyers, recognizing that earlier levels were no longer workable, have raised ideas into the $1,275–1,285 per tonne range compared with softer levels earlier in the week.

    TMO has issued an international tender for 18,000 tonnes of sunflower oil for November delivery. The tender is scheduled for Thursday October 16. In its previous tender on September 12, TMO awarded 18,000 tonnes of crude sunflower oil for October delivery — 6,000 tonnes to Tekirdag at $1,256 per tonne CFR and 12,000 tonnes to Iskenderun/Mersin at $1,253.80 per tonne CFR.

    In other news, Russia’s Agriculture Ministry has revised down its 2025 sunflower harvest forecast to 17.5 million tonnes, compared with 18.3 million tonnes in 2024. The downgrade reflected weaker yields, particularly in the southern regions, despite expectations of record gross production across several other crops this season.

    Fastmarkets’ comprehensive coverage includes a wide range of veg oils and meals, including palm, coconut, cottonseed, peanut, sunflower and canola. Our dedicated team of price reporters and analysts monitors these markets daily to provide you with the most up-to-date pricing information.

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  • Study offers new models for studying causes of chemo brain

    Study offers new models for studying causes of chemo brain

    Cancer is a challenging enough diagnosis, but many patients are dealt a second blow, even as they heal: “chemo brain.”

    Also called “brain fog,” this mix of cognitive issues – memory problems, struggling to find words, an inability…

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  • Welcome to the Agentic Enterprise: With Agentforce 360, Salesforce Elevates Human Potential in the Age of AI – Salesforce Investor Relations

    1. Welcome to the Agentic Enterprise: With Agentforce 360, Salesforce Elevates Human Potential in the Age of AI  Salesforce Investor Relations
    2. Exclusive: Salesforce announces agents with voice and hybrid reasoning  Axios
    3. Salesforce adds voice calling to Agentforce AI customer service software  CNBC
    4. Salesforce Unveils IT Product, Deepening ServiceNow Rivalry  Bloomberg.com
    5. Salesforce Enhances AI Capabilities with New Data Governance Innovations  Small Business Trends

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  • Two Black Holes Locked in a Death Spiral Imaged in Stunning First : ScienceAlert

    Two Black Holes Locked in a Death Spiral Imaged in Stunning First : ScienceAlert

    The complex dance of two black holes locked in a doomed orbit has been revealed in a first-of-its-kind direct radio image.

    It’s the first time astronomers have directly imaged the distinct jets of both black holes in a known binary –…

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  • Nicholas Sparks Eats Roasted Vegetables at 5 a.m. – The Wall Street Journal

    1. Nicholas Sparks Eats Roasted Vegetables at 5 a.m.  The Wall Street Journal
    2. Inside Nicholas Sparks’ Book Tour and New Film Experience  92.5 XTU
    3. Nicholas Sparks, M. Night Shyamalan talk new book/film collab at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia  

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  • Hidden ‘doomed’ star revealed by James Webb Space Telescope could solve decades-old mystery

    Hidden ‘doomed’ star revealed by James Webb Space Telescope could solve decades-old mystery

    The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revealed a hidden “doomed” star that could help solve a giant astrophysical mystery.

    The star is a massive red supergiant, which JWST snapped just before the star exploded in a fiery supernova. Massive…

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  • Targeting aggressive childhood leukemia with nanobody PROTACs

    Targeting aggressive childhood leukemia with nanobody PROTACs

    Scientists at the University of Duisburg-Essen are researching new therapies for aggressive forms of childhood leukemia. For the first time, their approach tries to distinguish between two subtypes using so-called nanobody PROTACs….

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  • Man undertakes 2,000-mile quest to boost mental health awareness

    Man undertakes 2,000-mile quest to boost mental health awareness

    Drew Jonksman Drew Jonkmans is pictured dressed in a white T-shirt. He is a young man with short blonde hair and he is smiling. He is standing in front of a signpost marked John O' Groats. The sign has fingers pointing to Edinburgh, Land's End, New York, Orkney and Shetland. The sea can be seen in the background.
Drew Jonksman

    Drew Jonkmans described the challenge as “brutal”

    An intrepid islander has endured injury and storms to reach the halfway mark on a 2,000-mile running and cycling challenge from Lands End to John O’ Groats – and back – to boost mental…

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  • Instagram Tests Reels-first Redesign With DMs At The Center

    Instagram Tests Reels-first Redesign With DMs At The Center

    Instagram is testing a new opt-in user interface to prioritize its Reels and Direct Message features. CEO Adam Mosseri announced the experiment, which reorganizes the app’s main navigation to reflect patterns in how the platform is…

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