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Markets Reverse on Strong Demand Signals

markets_pic

Markets reversed in a big way today, with front month WTI Crude surging 3% after yesterdays 7.3% decline. At time of writing, both diesel and gas are up (ULSD +.0447, RBOB +.0307)

According to the experts, today's reversal is largely based on demand level optimism on refined products. The DOE indicated that distillate inventories dropped by 4.2 million barrels, a sharp contrast to the half a million barrel build analysts had predicted. Diesel demand is at levels not seen since early 2003.

Despite today's jump it's important to remember that prices are still very low overall - both Crudes (Brent & WTI) are down over 30% since the end of September. The strong indicators for refined product demand also don't do much to address the larger issue weighing on prices, namely, global supply levels and overall global economic concerns as they relate to demand. 

The OPEC+ deal wont be in effect until the beginning of 2019, and current production levels are high. Saudi Arabia is anticipating lower global supply levels by the end of March, but their statement on the matter hasn't done much to slow the overall trend of plummeting prices. 

 Economically, the US is doing well but there are concerns that the Fed's response to strong economic growth - raising interest rates yet again may put a damper on growth pace going forward. This concern may or not be borne out, however, as recent rate increases have seemingly been absorbed without catastrophe. It may very well have short term impacts on both the NYMEX and financial markets, however.

The Fed is expected to make a rate hike announcement this afternoon, we will have to wait and see what those impacts are, and how much staying power they have.  

Stay tuned. 

 

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Bullish DOE Report Causes Futures Slide

A few days away from the "official" start of the driving season saw gas prices tumble.... Or at least that what the news outlets will be saying.  Futures corrected today as the DOE report showed a strong 3mbl build while the Trade expected 1m gallon draw.  Distillates and Crude were somewhat bearish showing draws of 1.1mbl and 338k respectively.    Losses could have been much steeper, but selling appeared to be tempered by the fact that most believe the FED will continue stimulus measures until a clear sign of economic improvements.  The assumption is that should the FED start to pull back their measures, it could cause a significant sell off as people get rid of long positions.  HEAT still seems content be range bound between 3.10 and 2.75, with a tighter range of 2.85 to 2.95.  At the close, Crude fell $1.90 to $94.28, RBOB lost .0264 to $2.8194 and HEAT took the brunt of the hit dropping .0554 to $2.8736, which is surprising since the builds were seen in Gas.

 

 

RBOB Close
      CLOSE            CHANGE
JUN    2.8194       -.0264
JUL    2.8122       -.0257
AUG    2.7950       -.0252
SEP    2.7705       -.0260
OCT    2.6332       -.0273
NOV    2.6060       -.0283
HEAT Close
      CLOSE            CHANGE
JUN    2.8736       -.0554
JUL    2.8687       -.0506
AUG    2.8753       -.0472
SEP    2.8844       -.0447
OCT    2.8925       -.0426
NOV    2.8976       -.0408
5-22 heat chart
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Futures Rise as Cliff gets Less Steep and DOE's Draw

Overnight trading set the tone for much of todays session as early markets were up well over two cents on both products. News out of European Markets showed that Greece's credit rating had been upgraded along with an unexpected increase in the consumer confidence among Germans had pushed the US dollar lower. Commodities were the unfortunate collateral damage in this scenario. More importantly, it appears that some movement by GOP leaders to increase taxes on those Americans making over $1 million a year (Phew, I'm safe!) has been seen as a major concession in the stalled talks. Again, Bullish on Commodities. Lastly, the DOE's released the weekly numbers that showed draws in distillates and Crude, -1.1mbl and 949k respectively, with a modest build in gasolines, +2.2mbl. The report was viewed as Bullish by most even with Crude missing the expectations of a 1.3mbl draw, evidence of the mentality of the day already given up to higher prices. Look for action to continue higher as a historical light trading week winds down and HO stays well within the 2.90 to 3.10 range we have been in for the last 90 days. At the close, Crude gained $1.58 to $89.51, Heat added .0391 to $3.0356 and RBOB led gaining .0522 to $3.7431.

 

DAILY HEATING OIL CHART

heat map

 

RBOB CLOSE
CLOSE CHANGE
 
JAN 27431 +.0522
FEB 27338 +.0496
MAR 27412 +.0495
APR 28792 +.0582
MAY 28719 +.0499
JUN 28406 +.0486
HEAT CLOSE
CLOSE CHANGE
JAN 30356 +.0391
FEB 30313 +.0374
MAR 30176 +.0353
APR 29965 +.0355
MAY 30258 +.0352
JUN 30077 +.0345
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Futures Spike on Bullish DOE Numbers

After last nights API data release that showed Crude suffering a massive 11.2 mbl draw, most were awaiting todays DOE numbers with one eye closed, hoping it was an aberration. For those watching the screens at precisely 10:30 this morning you saw Rbob spike 4 cents and HO jump 3. While not as horrific as an 11 million barrel draw, Crude still lost 6.5mbl according to the DOE. Gasolines fell 2.2mbl and distillates fell 974k. Still, far more than expectations. Other Bullish influences to the Market early were the Federal Reserve meetings that many had been betting on another round of stimulus. That gamble didn't pay off as a short time ago they announced that while the economic turn around has slowed, it doesn't warrant another round of stimulus... yet. The interesting note to the entire session is that Crude, at its peak today, was only up $1.50. In the last half hour of the trade, HO looked to be going negative as the air was let out of the balloon. RBOB inflated to much to peel off any of the gains and finished up .0599 to $2.8342, HO gained .0108 to 2.8588 and Crude added .85 to $88.91. Thursday sets up to be another exciting day with Jobless figures due out at 8:30.

Heat map

RBOB CLOSE
CLOSE CHANGE
 
SEPT 28342 +.0599
OCT 26281 +.0447
NOV 25322 +.0401
DEC 25398 +.0370
JAN 25282 +.0334
FEB 25322 +.0320
HEAT CLOSE
CLOSE CHANGE
SEPT 28588 +.0108
OCT 28663 +.0105
NOV 28748 +.0101
DEC 28819 +.0108
JAN 28869 +.0113
FEB 28831 +.0104
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Weekly DOE Petroleum Snapshot

As always, the EIA site is an invaluable resource for snapshotting inventory, futures and spot pricing. I've highlighted some relevant snapshots below, but for more information you can also visit http://ir.eia.gov/ this will allow you to reference any of the weekly/daily inventory reports (weeklys are published every Wednesday)

Here are the majors:

Trade estimates 7 18 12DOE Change 7 18 12API Change 7 18 12 

 

The weekly inventory report on US and PADD1 Crude is:

Figure 1. Stocks of crude oil by PAD District, January 2011 to present

 

Heres a snapshot of spot pricing this week:

spot pricing DOE report

 

 

 

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Late session sell off pushes Futues into the Red

Overnight action saw pits slightly higher as the market weighed the continued threat of Nigerian oil workers to join the General Strike that has paralyzed the Nation for the last several days.  Prior to the release of inventories, which many were still digesting the much less bearish EIA numbers from Tuesday night, the housing market got a boost with a report showing applications for homes were up 4.5% this period.  A bullish indicator for the economy in general. This kept the market trading on both sides of 0.00 much of the morning.  With the large builds across the board on the DOE report, the initial sell off fizzled away as the day wore on.  Again, only to late session heroics, as in the last 15 minutes pushed HO down .0368 to 3.0646, RBOB slipped .0095 to 2.7633 and Crude fell 1.37 to $100.87.  Adding to my notes yesterday, many commented on the disbelief of how range bound the Heat pit has been this year.  Below is an eight month snap shot and shows the caterpillar like chart.  A solidly defined range of 2.70 to 3.15.  Currently sitting at 3.06, lets hope that this pattern continues.

DAILY HEATING OIL CHART

daily heating chart

RBOB CLOSE
                 CLOSE       CHANGE 
  
FEB    27633       -.0095
MAR   27703      -.0089
APR    28954      -.0088
MAY   28905      -.0088
JUN   28706       -.0086
JUL    28442      -.0083

HEAT CLOSE
          CLOSE    CHANGE
FEB     30646     -.0368
MAR    30593      -.0346
APR     30409      -.0337
MAY   30195      -.0329
JUN    30090     -.0301
JUL     30090      -.0285
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Futures End Down after Wild Session

NYMEX futures struggled to put together consecutive down days, and similar to the Bruins last night, it was a little tense right up to the end.  Futures opened down over 3 cents in both Pits and fell to as much as over five cents down before clawing all the way back, and actually trading positive briefly with about 40 minutes left in the day.  The days fall can be attributed to yesterdays news of Standard & Poors issuing a negative long term credit rating for the United States.  Highlighting that report was concern over the future of Commodity pricing and its effect on consumers.  Yet many are pointing to signals within the economy that could lead one to believe that we are well into a recovery.  Lets face it, last weeks DOE numbers were an aboration of refinery turns.  And as the pits turned stronger today, it centered around reports that gasoline demand jumped over 3% last week.  But that report is by spendingpulse.  Spendingpulse is a yardstick for usage of credit card customers.  Americans generally charge gasoline as a last resort to cash or debit. Thus the sell off continued.  At the close, front month Crude rose $1.03 on the expiry to $108.15. RBOB fel .0197 to $3.2331 and HEAT fell .0243 to $3.1585.  Keep in mind, we have not seen three consecutive down days since early FEB, and previously in early DEC.

 

heat chart

RBOB CLOSE
                 CLOSE       CHANGE MAY    32331       -.0197
JUN    31993        -.0191
JUL    31722       -.0161
AUG    31477       -.0131
SEP     31204       -.0085
OCT    29689        -.0087
HEAT CLOSE
          CLOSE    CHANGE
MAY    31585       -.0243
JUN    31725       -.0227
JUL    31895        -.0201
AUG    32062        -.0179
SEP    32226       -.0165
OCT    32391        -.0153
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