Argus Media
Global commodity markets information provider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Argus (formerly known as Petroleum Argus Ltd[2]) is an independent publisher which provides news, price information, data, analytics consultancy services and conferences, for the global petroleum, natural gas, electricity, emissions, biofuels, biomass, LPG, metals, chemicals, fertilizers, agriculture and coal industries.
Overview
Argus is a privately held UK-registered company[2] which publishes news, price assessments, Data, analytics and consulting services of international energy and other commodity markets. It also offers conferences.
Argus was the first price-reporting agency to apply the IOSCO Principles for Oil Price Reporting Agencies in 2013, and subsequently roll them out to cover the other energy and commodity markets it covers. Argus retains the services of a leading accounting firm to undertake an annual independent assurance review to verify adherence to the Principles.[3]
Argus was owned by the family of its founder Jan Nasmyth and its senior staff, but in September 2016 a majority-stake was sold to the equity firm General Atlantic valuing the company at $1.4 billion.[4][5] The company’s ownership structure was updated in 2024 when Chairman and Chief Executive, Adrian Binks became majority owner and General Atlantic consolidated its stake[6]
Argus's headquarters are in London, with major offices in Houston, Dubai, Singapore, Paris, Seoul, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Riga, Kyiv, Astana, Calgary, San Francisco, Mexico City, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, New York, São Paulo, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Mumbai, Sydney, Granada, Brussels, Lagos, and Cape Town.[7]
Prices assessed by Argus for energy, fertilizer, metals, chemicals and agriculture markets are widely used as benchmarks to settle futures contracts and as indexes for short or long term physical supply contracts.
History
Argus was established in 1970 by former Daily Telegraph journalist Jan Nasmyth.[4][8][9] In 1985, Argus opened offices in Singapore and Houston, covering European gas and power in 1995, and coal and biofuels in early 2000s.
In 2011, Argus bought FMB Consultants Ltd (FMB) - a price reporting agency for international fertilizer markets.[10][11] FMB was founded in 1982 and focused on nitrogen, phosphate, sulphur, potash and ammonia.[10]
In 2012, Argus also acquired US petrochemical market intelligence, pricing and consulting firm DeWitt & Co,[10][12][13] and European power and gas fundamental data provider Fundalytics.[14] In 2013, Argus bought petrochemical market specialists TABrewer Consulting[15] and Jim Jordan & Associates.[10][16]
Argus launched coverage of the global iron ore market with daily report Argus Steel Feedstocks in February 2013.[17] Argus expanded its metals coverage further in 2015, after acquiring MetalPrices.com[18] - a specialist pricing, news and analysis service focusing on speciality metals, rare earths and ferro-alloys.[19]
In 2018, Argus purchased Integer Research a London-based market intelligence, conference and consulting firm.
In 2019, Argus acquired German oil reporting specialist O.M.R.[20]
In 2020, Argus bought French agricultural intelligence company Agritel.[21]
In 2021, Argus acquired the renewable chemicals specialist Oleochem Analytics.
In 2022, Argus acquired Pipe Logix, a US-based provider of pipe and tube market information.
In 2023, Argus acquired Mercaris, a US-based provider of organic and non-GMO commodity prices.[22]