Raw materials, what is about to happen in 5 points

The commodity sector is being watched special for at least 5 reasons, which could disrupt the global commodity market in the coming weeks.
The focus is on some particular facts.
The collapse of a Baltimore bridge threatened to disrupt commodity exports — including a significant portion of U.S.
coal shipments — from a major East Coast port.
Meanwhile, the plunge in iron ore prices is destined to reach levels not seen since May, due to weak Chinese demand.
And the frenetic pace of negotiations in the oil and gas sector continues, with a strong start to the year.
Below, here's what to watch in the commodities sector, in 5 points selected by Bloomberg analysts.
1.
Coal Last week's collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, after being struck by a cargo ship, is adding another snag to the supply chain for raw materials – and particularly coal.
The Port of Baltimore is the second-largest U.S.
hub for fossil fuel exports, accounting for 28% of total shipments last year.
While annual exports from the port totaled about 20 million tons per year in three of the past five years, according to the U.S.
Energy Information Administration, they increased to 28 million last year due to growing demand from Asia.
The IEA expects the temporary closure of the Port of Baltimore to affect export volumes this year.
2.
Iron Ore Iron ore's hold on $100 a ton seems precarious.
Steelmaking material has come under sustained pressure since the start of this year, as investors grapple with weak Chinese demand caused by the housing crisis.
While there are pockets of strength in the Chinese steel market – notably, exports and some manufacturing sectors – demand will struggle to support growth this year without more decisive policy moves from Beijing.
Another double-digit drop for iron ore would not be a surprise.
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Reasons for the rally 3.
Corn and soybeans According to a U.S.
Department of Agriculture report based on a grower survey, U.S.
farmers will plant 5% less corn this year as they convert some of their acreage to higher priced soybeans.
The reduction in corn acres comes as wheat prices face downward pressure, amid ample global supplies and sluggish demand for U.S.
exports.
Soybeans, meanwhile, have emerged as a more attractive alternative with a sharp expansion in demand for the crop's oil, a key ingredient for renewable diesel production.
4.
Oil and Gas Deals in the oil and gas sector are off to their strongest start in five years, racking up more than $84 billion in announced mergers and acquisitions, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Major deals include Diamondback Energy Inc.'s deal in February for Permian Endeavor Energy Resources LP and EQT Corp.'s acquisition of Equitrans Midstream Corp.
This comes after U.S.
oil and gas producers signed a flurry of deals late last year, including Exxon Mobil Corp.'s $68 billion deal for Pioneer Natural Resources Co.
in October, as energy companies look to create new places to drill.
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Beware of Hurricanes The expected hurricane season in the Atlantic is bad news for commodities.
AccuWeather Inc.
predicts an explosive season ahead, with as many as 25 storms forming from June through November, well above a typical year.
Much of America's oil and natural gas production and export infrastructure is located in the Gulf of Mexico and Texas, often collapsed by such devastating storms.
Even weak tropical storms have been known to knock out up to 30% of offshore production for days at a time.
Storms can also threaten major agricultural crops in the southern United States, including citrus groves in Florida and cotton fields in Texas, the highest-producing U.S.
state.