Market Commentary
Market continues to watch activities in the Middle East
January 5, 2024
The DOE inventory report had crude oil inventories down 5.50 million barrels, gasoline inventories were up 10.9 million barrels and distillates were up 10.09 million barrels. Propane inventories were down 2.037 million barrels putting total propane supplies at 82.647 million barrels. Midwest stocks were down 242,000 barrels putting total Midwest […]
Yemen Houthi Rebels Attack Another Cargo Ship
January 4, 2024
Headlines out of the Middle East appear to be the drivers of yesterday’s jump in energy prices. Houthi rebels attacked another cargo ship in the Red Sea, and there was a reported terrorist attack in Iran that killed 100 people. The increased war activities between Israel and Hamas and Lebanon […]
Analysts Forecast Marginal Brent Crude Oil Price Drop
January 3, 2024
Iran moved a warship into the Red Sea yesterday and this again raises the potential for more uncertainty for this area. Maersk has said they will stop shipping through the Red Sea and Suez canal as one of their ships was the one that came under attack in the last […]
Tensions Escalate in Red Sea
January 2, 2024
As we start the New Year, energy prices are up, and some risk premiums get built in as tension escalates in the Red Sea. Houthi forces that Iran backs attempted an attack on a Maersk container vessel over the weekend. US helicopters defended the Maersk vessel, sinking three Houthi ships […]
EIA Reports Jump in Crude Production
December 21, 2023
The EIA inventory report showed build across the board and helped price ease off their highs in yesterday’s trading. Crude oil inventories were up 2.91 million barrels, gasoline inventories were up 2.71 million barrels and distillate inventories were up 1.49 million barrels. This report was seen overall as bearish for […]
Red Sea Safety Impacts Oil Prices
December 19, 2023
Our office is closed on Friday December 22 so there will be no forward contracts available on Friday December 22, 2023. Energy prices gained support yesterday on the back of several major shipping firms saying they would avoid the Red Sea. Oil Major BP came out later in the day […]
Wall Street Forecasters See Room for Oil Price Recovery Next Year
December 18, 2023
The Baker Hughes Rig Count had oil rigs down 2 to a total of 501 oil rigs. The US has dropped 120 oil rigs thus far in 2023, and despite this oil production has been very good and this US shale production is a concern for OPEC+. Several of shipping […]
Market Support Comes from Raised IEA Demand Forecast
December 15, 2023
The energy markets continued to trade higher again yesterday. Earlier in the week prices fell to six-month lows and that has attracted some buyers looking for value. The market was also supported by the IEA raising their demand forecast, the Fed keeping rates unchanged and signaling the potential for cuts […]
OPEC “Cautiously Optimistic” about 2024 Oil Market
December 14, 2023
The EIA inventory report had crude inventories down 4.258 million barrels, gasoline up 409,000 barrels and distillates up 1.494 million. Propane inventories were down 1.042 million putting total stocks at a still healthy 95.925 million barrels. Midwest stocks were up 1.524 million barrels putting the total of Midwest stocks at […]
EIA Short Term Energy Outlook Dramatically Lowers Crude Pricing
December 13, 2023
The API inventory report estimated crude supplies down 2.3 million barrels, gasoline supplies up 5.8 million and distillates up 280,000 barrels. The average estimates for today’s EIA inventory report from the Bloomberg survey is for crude supplies to be down 2.204 million barrels, gasoline supplies up 1.745 million and distillate […]
Energy Prices Fall on Concerns of Slowing World Demand
December 8, 2023
Crude oil and refined fuels products price fell slightly in yesterday’s trading stretching into a 6th day of declines. Adding to the downward pressure yesterday, China crude oil imports fell by 10% in November to a 4-month low of 10.37 million bpd. However, China total exports grew for the first […]
Moody’s Downgrades China’s Debt Rating
December 6, 2023
The API inventories update called crude oil inventories up 594,000, gasoline up 2.8 million, and distillates up 1.9 million barrels. The average estimates for today’s EIA report from the Bloomberg survey is for crude inventories to be down 568,000 , gasoline up 1.009 million, and distillates up 1.061 million barrels. […]