Trading volume on the Uzbek Republican Commodity Exchange grew by 29% in the first nine months of 2026
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Trading volume on the Uzbek Republican Commodity Exchange grew by 29% in the first nine months of 2026

From January to September 2026, the transaction volume on the trading platforms of the Uzbek Republican Commodity Exchange (UZEX) increased by 29% compared to the same period last year. Over these nine months, more than 1.7 million deals were concluded, and the number of newly registered clients exceeded 27,600.

Representatives of UZEX presented the results for the reporting period at a press conference held at the exchange's headquarters on October 30. The event also discussed changes in trading mechanisms, the development of digital services, and the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies.

The segments of trade at exhibitions and fairs showed the largest growth, with transaction volumes increasing by 68%. Trading on the exchange grew by 31%, and electronic public procurement by 32%.

The volume of foreign trade operations during this period exceeded 646.6 million US dollars, more than tripling compared to the previous year. Among the main goods involved in the transactions, agricultural products accounted for the largest share (30%), and energy and fuel products made up 29%.

Metals (ferrous and non-ferrous) accounted for 22% of the volume, chemical and petrochemical products for 11%, and construction materials for 8%.

Over the nine months, 312,800 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were sold through electronic exchange trading, which is 22.3% more than in 2025. In October, the average price per ton decreased from 11.5 million to 10.3 million soms, corresponding to a 10% drop.

The total value of precious metal sales through exchange trading reached 9,471.8 kg, including 8,840.9 kg of gold and 630.9 kg of silver. The average exchange price of gold was 1.637 million soms per gram.

In the sector of electronic public procurement using the Xarid system, savings for corporate and budgetary buyers reached 6.8 trillion soms. An important part of the exchange's digital modernization was the launch of the updated Xarid public procurement platform, which now includes improved search functions and new tools for analyzing prices of goods and services.

Artificial intelligence technologies were also implemented, allowing users to receive answers to their questions in real time. The updated platform is available at new-xarid.uzex.uz. Additionally, UZEX launched a centralized procurement mechanism and a specialized electronic platform for the pharmaceutical industry—farma.uzex.uz.

Artificial intelligence is used for automated moderation and evaluation of announcements posted by entrepreneurs in national and electronic online stores, which has accelerated application processing and increased the efficiency of trading platforms.

The Mobilraqam online auction platform for mobile phone numbers expanded its activities, selling about 5,000 numbers during the reporting period. Of these, 96% of purchases were made by private individuals, and 4% by legal entities. The price range varied from 31,500 to 317.2 million soms.

The functionality of Mobilraqam was expanded: registered participants can now choose a mobile operator and submit electronic applications to purchase numbers. Individuals and legal entities can also list their numbers for sale through online auctions or the Tezkor Bitim (Quick Deal) mechanism.

Another area of development was the expansion of Uzbek business access to international futures markets. According to Cabinet of Ministers Decree No. 82 of February 27, 2026, Uzbekistan introduced a regulated mechanism allowing local enterprises to participate in international futures trading.

To implement this initiative, UZEX jointly created the joint venture UZEX GLOBAL with the Singaporean investment group PhillipCapital. It allows local market participants to trade futures contracts on copper, wheat, cotton, oil, gold, and other raw materials on international exchanges managed by CME Group, ICE, LME, JPX, and SGX. These instruments also allow market participants to manage risks associated with commodity price fluctuations, including through hedging.

UZEX plans to continue developing the infrastructure of the national exchange, expanding electronic services, improving trading mechanisms, and implementing digital solutions. Priorities also include increasing trading transparency and strengthening international cooperation.

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World Bank forecasts global commodity prices to rise by 23% in 2026
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World Bank forecasts global commodity prices to rise by 23% in 2026

According to the World Bank's latest commodity markets report, published on October 28, global commodity prices are expected to increase by 23% in 2026 before falling by 7% in 2027.

In the energy sector, prices are projected to increase by 32% in 2026, with the average price of Brent crude oil reaching $91 per barrel, up from $69 in 2025. This forecast reflects supply disruptions related to the Middle East conflict, which have led to reduced oil reserves and are expected to push energy prices to their highest level in four years. The projected rise will cancel out three consecutive years of declining energy prices.

In 2027, the growth in energy prices will be more moderate, and the price of Brent oil is forecast to drop to $79 per barrel. Global oil supply is expected to contract by 5.2% in 2026, the sharpest decline in over 40 years outside the exceptional circumstances of 2020. Consumption is predicted to decrease by 2.5%, but production is expected to remain below consumption, leading to further depletion of oil reserves.

Natural gas prices in Europe are forecasted to rise by 58% in 2026, reaching $19 per million British thermal units. Liquefied natural gas prices in Japan are expected to increase by 67% to $20. Regarding food, prices are expected to rise by approximately 10% in 2026 and another 7% in 2027, totaling an 18% increase over two years. The World Bank cited key factors for grain supply disruptions due to the conflict, crop threats from El Niño, and high fuel and fertilizer costs.

Wheat prices are projected to increase by 28% in 2026, reaching $311 per ton, followed by a 13.5% increase in 2027. Cotton prices are expected to rise by 14% to $1.95 per kilogram. Fertilizer prices are set to increase by 14% in 2026 before returning to 2025 levels in 2027; only urea prices are expected to rise by 21% this year.

Forecasts indicate that metal prices will increase by 25% in 2026, reaching a new record high. Aluminum, copper, and tin have already set new records. Copper prices are expected to rise by 33% to $13,200 per ton, aluminum by 24%, and tin by almost 50%. According to the World Bank, this growth is driven by demand from renewable energy, electric vehicle production, and data centers, combined with supply bottlenecks. However, metal prices are forecast to fall by 3% in 2027.

Precious metal prices are expected to rise by 40% in 2026 amid high demand for safe-haven assets. Gold is projected to average $4,600 per ounce, which is 34% higher than the 2025 level. Silver is forecast to rise by 76% to $70 per ounce, and platinum by 53%. In 2027, the price of gold is expected to fall to $4,250 per ounce, but precious metals are expected to remain more than three times higher than their average levels during the 2015–2019 period.

The baseline scenario assumes that conflicts affecting global commodity supplies will not significantly escalate. In a more adverse scenario, including escalation in the Middle East, continued damage to Russian oil production infrastructure, attacks on Black Sea grain supplies, and exceptionally strong El Niño, the average price of Brent crude in 2027 could reach $105 per barrel. In such a scenario, food prices would be 12% higher than the baseline forecast and exceed 2022 levels.

Aikhan Kose, Deputy Chief Economist at the World Bank, stated: 'Commodity markets are being affected by several major shocks simultaneously. Higher energy costs and trade disruptions are driving up prices across a wide range of goods, threatening to fuel inflation, exacerbate food instability, and slow economic growth.'

He emphasized that priorities must be protecting the poorest households and supporting low-income countries with high debt levels. To help countries cope with the consequences, the World Bank Group has allocated between $50 and $60 billion through existing financing mechanisms, including $25 billion in pre-arranged financing. These funds can be used to strengthen social protection for the most vulnerable groups, support government budgets, and provide working capital to businesses and farms.

UZEX profit increased by 34.4% in the first nine months of 2026
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uzdaily.uz

UZEX profit increased by 34.4% in the first nine months of 2026

The Tashkent Commodity Exchange of Uzbekistan (UZEX) announced a net profit of 341.7 billion soms for the first nine months of 2026. This figure demonstrates a growth of 34.4% compared to the same period in 2025.

In the third quarter, the exchange's profit increased by 78.6%, reaching 120.3 billion soms.

Furthermore, UZEX's net income for the period from January to September grew by 24% year-on-year, increasing from 338 billion to 418.8 billion soms. The percentage income also increased, rising from 136.1 billion to 161.3 billion soms.

The exchange's assets showed significant growth, increasing by 134.2% over the year to reach 11.6 trillion soms. Equity capital grew by 23.5% to 655.2 billion soms, and retained earnings reached 361.4 billion soms, which is 42% more than the previous year.

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