Arabica coffee futures on ICE rose to the highest level in almost a decade boosted by tightening supplies in many consuming countries following shipping delays while sugar and cocoa prices also climbed. Dealers said the market continued to derive support from delays to shipments from South America and high freight costs which has helped to increase demand for exchange stocks. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/softs-arabica-coffee-climbs-to-near-decade-high-sugar-also-up

Canada is sending the military to help evacuate and support communities hit by “catastrophic” flooding with the death toll expected to rise after record rainfall on the Pacific coast triggered a state of emergency. Downpours in British Columbia this week trapped motorists in mudslides that left at least one dead and four missing, forced thousands or residents to flee their homes, and cut off Vancouver and its port. https://www.digitaljournal.com/world/canada-death-toll-set-to-rise-as-floods-ravage-pacific-coast/article

The Reserve Bank of India's digital currency may see its pilot launch in the first quarter of the next fiscal year. "The central bank is also checking if intermediaries can be bypassed altogether, and most importantly, checking if the technology should be decentralized or should be semi-centralised,". https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-cenbank-may-launch-digital-currency-pilot-next-year-report-2021-11-18/

The International Grains Council (IGC) cut its forecast for 2021/22 global wheat production, partly driven by a diminished outlook for the crop in Iran. In its monthly update, the inter-governmental body reduced its 2021/22 world wheat crop outlook by 4 million tonnes to 777 million tonnes. The largest downward revision was for Iran where the crop was cut to 11.5 million tonnes, down from a previous estimate of 14.0 million. The country suffered its worst drought in 50 years during the 2021 growing season. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/igc-cuts-forecast-for-2021-22-global-wheat-crop

Peru is now the latest nation to reveal it is looking to implement a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP) President, Julio Velarde said that the bank was working on a framework to implement a CBDC. He also revealed that the central bank was working on the project with other central banks. The South American nation is currently in a bad situation facing inflation in goods and services while also experiencing instability in the country's financial system. The government is reviewing economic models that could help mitigate the crisis. https://coinjournal.net/news/latin-america-accelerating-on-cbdc-development-peru-joins-the-race/

Shoppers in Canada's flood-hit province of British Columbia have emptied grocery shelves following catastrophic flooding. Canada's westernmost province declared a state of emergency on Wednesday after a phenomenon known as an "atmospheric river" brought a month's worth of rain in two days. The rainfall washed out roads and railways, cutting off Vancouver and the lower mainland region from the rest of the country, and blocking access to some towns entirely. Some three-quarters of B.C.'s milk production was stranded for several days, amounting to a few million litres that farmers had to dump. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-11-18/panicked-shoppers-clear-out-grocery-stores-in-flood-hit-british-columbia

Mountains of wheat and canola are stranded in Canada after storms blocked access to the Port of Vancouver during peak shipping season. There’s no rail access to Canada’a biggest port after days of torrential rain and landslides. About 20 vessels are waiting for deliveries, while a couple hundred thousand tons of grain are stuck in transit, according to Quorum, a company that monitors Canada’s grain transportation system. It’s so bad that some exporters may even be forced to declare force majeure to avoid penalties as they won’t be able to make deliveries on time. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/storms-canada-biggest-port-leave-201304732.html

Germany's producer prices rose at the fastest pace since 1951. Producer prices increased 18.4 percent year-on-year in October, following a 14.2 percent rise in September. Prices were expected to gain 16.2 percent. This was the highest growth since November 1951, when prices surged 20.6 percent. Data showed that energy prices advanced 48.2 percent annually and intermediate goods prices rose 18.1 percent. https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/interestrates/germany-producer-price-inflation-strongest-since-1951-1030990650

TURKMENISTAN - Authorities in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, have cut subsidized food rations for residents amid acute shortages and rising prices. Turkmenistan boasts the world's fourth-largest proven natural-gas reserves but has been mired in an economic slump. The majority of private houses in the district are homes of three or more generations with residents living along with their elderly parents and the families of their grown-up children and grandchildren. Residents complained that the subsidized food ration for 10 days includes only 1 liter of sunflower or cottonseed oil, 1 kilogram of sugar, two chicken legs, and up to 15 eggs -- barely enough, they say, for some extended families for two days. https://www.rferl.org/a/turkmenistan-food-rations-cut/31568006.html

Somalia's "rapidly worsening" drought has left more than two million people facing severe food and water shortages, the United Nations said, warning of a fourth consecutive season of poor rainfall in the conflict-wracked country. "About 2.3 million people in 57 of 74 districts... are ravaged by serious water, food and pasture shortages as water pans and boreholes have dried up," raising the risk of water-borne diseases. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/somalia-faces-rapidly-worsening-drought-un/ar-AAQTzwV

USA- As of Nov. 18, 80.3% of the state of California was in extreme drought. Livestock need expensive supplemental feed; cattle and horses are sold; little pasture remains; fruit trees bud early; producers begin irrigating in the winter. Water is inadequate for agriculture, wildlife, and urban needs; reservoirs are extremely low; hydropower is restricted. https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/california-drought-100-25-of-the-state-remains-in-severe-drought/ar-AAQSjen

USA- Alabama - Riviera Utilities in Foley has announced that they have been hit with a cyberattack targeting their email systems. We have engaged a third-party cyber security firm to help us further investigate the scope of the attack. Riviera Utilities provides a range of electric, water and gas utilities. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/riviera-utilities-hit-with-cyberattack/ar-AAQUXqM

Arabica coffee futures on ICE traded near their highest in almost 10 years on Friday in response to tightening supplies in leading producers and worries about adverse weather. March arabica coffee KCc2 rose 3.7% to $2.3755 per pound. "Coffee prices have (reached) new multi-year highs on the back of poor supply outlooks in Brazil and Colombia. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/softs-arabica-coffee-hits-near-10-year-peak-as-supplies-dwindle

Xiongan New District warned citizens of telecom fraud using the digital yuan. Fraud cases involving China’s central bank digital currency have been making headlines. Just this week, police arrested a woman for defrauding RMB 300,000 ($40,000) using the CBDC. Earlier in November, another 11 people were arrested in Henan province for using the digital yuan to launder money for Cambodian gangs. https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/chinese-local-government-warns-digital-105127552.html

World fertilizer prices continue to soar as tightening supplies send costs up for farmers and consumers across the globe. In India, contract pricing for the nutrient potash skyrocketed 59% to $445 per metric ton, according to Bloomberg’s Green Markets. In Northwest Europe, potash prices rose 1.7%, the most since 2015. And in the U.S., the Green Markets North American Fertilizer Price Index climbed to the highest price ever for a third week in a row. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-19/fertilizer-extends-rally-with-some-prices-soaring-nearly-60

UK -Rising global demand has sent the price of bread wheat up by 26.7 per cent in the past year while other costs continue to increase including fuel for transport and gas used in baking ovens. Some of this will be absorbed by retailers but higher price tags on supermarket shelves are unavoidable. Pasta prices have already started to rise in recent weeks with more increases likely and, globally, food prices are now at a ten year high. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bread-prices-could-soar-20-25513644

Iran's second-largest airline -- Mahan Air -- said it had been hit by a cyberattack, the latest of several targeting the company. "Mahan Air's computer system has suffered a new attack,". "It has already been the target on several occasions due to its important position in the country's aviation industry." All of its flights were on schedule, the statement added, but the company's website was down. https://www.enca.com/business/irans-mahan-air-says-hit-cyberattack

Winter weather in the northern hemisphere is the biggest wild card for natural gas prices in the next few months. A colder than normal winter could propel prices higher as the tight European gas market will become even tighter, impacting prices elsewhere, especially in Asia. If Asia’s winter is also colder than usual, high prices are on the cards, driving up additional U.S. LNG exports because of the lower Henry Hub prices compared to the benchmarks in Europe and Asia. https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Prepare-For-Volatility-In-Natural-Gas-Markets.html

Cash is going to disappear, a senior Bank of England official said as he backed the creation of a state digital currency. A CBDC could perform the same role as cash without requiring consumers and businesses to handle the bulk of paper bills. "On the downside, there will be a hit to banks," Mr Cunliffe said. "If people move their deposits into CBDC there will be a hit to banks, and banks will have to adjust. http://a.msn.com/00/en-gb/AAR0xVh?ocid=st

The Indian government still seeks to ban most cryptocurrencies under a long-awaited cryptocurrencies bill submitted for consideration at Parliament’s so-called Winter Session. The bill, which would create a framework for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), seeks to ban all private cryptocurrencies except for “certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of cryptocurrencies and its uses.” https://www.coindesk.com/business/2021/11/23/indian-govt-submits-bill-that-would-ban-most-cryptocurrencies-dashing-hopes-for-friendlier-measure/

European natural gas futures rose on Tuesday after the U.S. imposed its latest sanctions aimed at Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a move the Kremlin says is “illegal.” Crude’s rise, in response to plans by the U.S. and other oil-consuming nations to tap their strategic reserves, also gave natural gas prices an extra boost. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-23/europe-gas-prices-gain-as-u-s-sanctions-pressure-russia