A surge of volatility in China’s once placid commodities futures markets has rattled industrial players who use them for hedging, with some taking losses or cutting exposure, driven out by a flood of speculative money from hedge funds and retail investors. NEW YORK Expectations for chemical company earnings have been boosted by a combination of lower crude oil costs during the commodity’s slump along with strong demand for plastics that are used to make everything from shampoo bottles to grocery bags. LONDON Major oil companies’ first-quarter results have so far not been as bad as feared but volatile trading operations and a likely fall in production mean any respite could be short lived. NEW YORK Oil prices jumped about 3 percent on Wednesday, hitting new highs for 2016 as the dollar weakened after the Federal Reserve announced it would leave U.S. interest rates unchanged. HOUSTON Exxon Mobil Corp […]