Crude oil futures rallied, in a sizeable way, on Friday. Once again, on Friday and again this morning, production outages are lending support to the bull case. The most recent data series out of China is also contributing to the strength.… Read more
Energy OverView August 9, 2013
Yesterday saw an appreciable swing in prices. The inventory report was initially thought to be ultra-bearish, but quickly became merely bearish. The EIA reported a 96 bcf injection into storage, but 14 bcf of it was a reclassification of gas from base gas to working gas.… Read more
Energy OverView August 8, 2013
Crude oil fell, yesterday, along with most asset classes. The primary driver, late in the day, were comments on the wires from the Cleveland Fed President, who basically asserted that a September start to the tapering of asset purchases by the Fed was likely, due to much stronger employment growth than she had forecasted.… Read more
Energy OverView August 7, 2013
Crude oil prices are likely to get support from the inventory report, later today. Last night, the API reported further drawdowns in US crude oil inventories of 3.7 mb overall and another 2.2 mb at Cushing. So, despite the surge in domestic production, refiners are running hard, producing large amounts of refined fuels for… the outside world!… Read more
Energy OverView August 6, 2013
The details about latest threat from Al Qaeda continue to emerge. According to reports, the head of Al Qaeda in Pakistan urged the leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to “do something big.” The oil market has had a muted reaction to the threat.… Read more
Energy OverView August 5, 2013
Crude oil fell back on Friday, taking a hit from the mediocre jobs report. There was late word, Friday, as well, that Libyan oil production would rebound on progress being made with striking workers. This morning, Libya’s oil minister has confirmed the rebound, saying that output will be back up to 800k within days.… Read more
Energy OverView August 1, 2013
Geopolitical tumult struck at the heart of the recent sell-off, yesterday, on news of increasing strife in Libya that has affected oil shipments again. At one point, the unsteady reporting had all oil shipments cut-off, but this morning we learn that at least two port facilities are operating.… Read more
Energy OverView July 31, 2013
WTI oil prices are rebounding, modestly, as Brent crude oil slips. Yesterday, WTI prices fell, on lingering concerns about demand growth prospects from China and the inherent weight of all the speculative length that has built up in the market to record levels, recently.… Read more
Energy OverView July 30, 2013
Oil prices are lower this morning, as the outlook for US economic growth seems to deteriorate by the day, ahead of tomorrow’s initial statement of Q2 GDP. Consensus is for a growth rate of only 1%, and a miss has obvious implications.… Read more
Energy OverView July 29, 2013
Oil prices are starting the week relatively flat, as the push-pull of demand concerns and geopolitical tensions battle each other. The situation in Egypt has turned more violent and it has gotten the world’s attention. Increasingly, speculation over the country’s stability and the possibility of the Suez canal being compromised are being ruminated about.… Read more