In the high‑stakes world of global energy markets, a handful of trading houses quietly move more crude oil, refined products, LNG and related commodities than most national producers. These companies don’t just buy and sell fuels — they shape price signals, influence logistics flows and underwrite the physical movements that power global transport and industry

Critical minerals are essential to the energy transition, powering electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and energy storage technologies. Southern Africa holds nearly 30% of the world’s reserves, including cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium, manganese and platinum-group metals, yet attracts less than 10% of global exploration financing. Unlocking this potential is critical to strengthening global supply resilience and driving inclusive growth across the region.

On Monday, April 28, 2025, at exactly 12:33 pm (CEST), daily life across the Iberian Peninsula came to an abrupt halt. In just a few seconds, mainland Spain and Portugal — nearly 60 million people — lost electricity almost entirely. Trains stopped, traffic lights went dark, mobile networks became unreliable and hospitals switched to emergency generators. For many citizens, it was the first time they had experienced a blackout of such magnitude.

2022–2024 period depicts a fuel system in transition: structurally stable in aggregate yet increasingly differentiated across fuel families; anchored in diesel and conventional hydrocarbons, yet showing clear signals of diversification driven by tourism, mobility recovery, industrial cycles and emerging electrification. The trends observed here will shape the strategic and operational context for Spain’s energy, mobility and retail‑fuel sectors as the country moves deeper int