A rig that had been doing exploratory oil and gas drilling in contested South China Sea waters completed its operations about a month early and was moved from the area earlier this week. “Hanoi had said the rig was in its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and on its continental shelf. Beijing had said it was operating completely within its waters around the Paracel islands, which China occupies.” [Reuters via Upstream]

The brewing solar panel antidumping trade war between the US and China appears to be driving up US thin-film panel prices. “Thanks to the growing trade dispute between the US and China over this action, thin-film solar panel prices have risen to an 11-month high — spot prices are up about 8% in just the past month, up to 62.4 cents a kilowatt (as of July 9). Prices were as low as 58.2 cents just last month, on June 4.” [Cleantechnica]

The commodities trading business is changing as big banks exit and trading houses invest in solid assets, but beware of generalizations. “Vitol, for example, recently acquired Royal Dutch Shell’s Australian refinery and petrol station assets for $2.6bn, while Mercuria is set to buy the physical commodities business of JPMorgan Chase. But the reality is more nuanced and complicated as Craig Pirrong, professor of finance at the University of Houston, noted in his recent whitepaper on commodity trading firms.” [Financial Times]