Category: Oil Pricing

Even though crude stocks fell much less than expected, market participants are apparently taking a more cautious view of energy demand growth prospects, as more length was shed yesterday. Successive pieces of macroeconomic data suggest a slowing global economy. Particularly troubling is contraction in China and developing countries which were supposed to be isolated bright spots.… Read more

November NYMEX WTI slid from the narrow-range, low-volume that persisted throughout yesterday’s session in the last hour of trading. Concerns about supply disruption consequent to the Iran nuclear dispute and a pressured dollar apparently took a back seat as participants considered burgeoning stockpile consensus as an indication of a faltering global economy and its effect on aggregate energy demand growth.… Read more

Price action for November NYMEX WTI was marginally firmer yesterday, contained within a relatively narrow trading range and lower than normal volume. The price of crude oil continue to be weighed down by slowing economic growth from Asia, Europe and the US.… Read more

November NYMEX WTI came under pressure in the overnight session after China’s manufacturing contracted for the second month in a row. The global slowdown is denting oil demand in China, suggesting the country may face its lowest growth pace in 22 years.… Read more

November NYMEX WTI extended a rally off the recent break of 89.00 to as far as 92.71 in price action, so far today. The market has fallen back to 92.00, but should probably head into the week and quarter end with a firm tone.… Read more

Price action took November NYMEX WTI prices to their lowest level since August 3rd, before regaining about $1.00 of lost ground before settlement. Initial downward momentum can only be attributed to growing concerns regarding the European debt crisis, which sparked a safe-haven rally in the US dollar.… Read more

Thank you Mr. Plosser, President of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank. Your comment that conveying the idea that QE3 will have “a substantive impact on labor markets and the speed of the recovery risks the Fed’s credibility”, has driven a very important nail in the coffin of the absurd counter-intuitive thinking that drove WTI prices to over $100.00 recently.… Read more

November NYMEX WTI found relief near recent lows, from the pressure consequent to a rising dollar. Investors sought a measure of safety in the greenback as European policymakers stumble towards resolution of their ongoing financial and economic woes. Expectation that weekly measurements of crude oil stockpiles will show more expansion also kept buyers restrained, as well.… Read more

Fundamental calculus as opposed to monetary policy remained the focus as the week waned. After a dramatic break on Monday, prices seemed to regain footing by Wednesday, but overnight price action today, so far, has brought renewed selling pressure. The market has largely digested the implications of the new stimulus programs, and continuing weak macroeconomic data suggest

October expiration yesterday produced a rather lackluster session of retracement on the heels of the dramatic fall, earlier in the week. Head-scratching continues over Monday’s abrupt price break. A rally based on an expectation that stimulative monetary policy was going to promote aggregate demand growth and employment, where it previously has not, was doomed from the outset.… Read more