OPEC, Iraq, Inventories & Political Upsets Rattle Wall Street & Commodities
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Crude - both Brent and WTI - continued to drop today on speculations of another inventory build on tommorows EIA report. According to a Bloomberg survey, tommorows report may show increases of 1.8mbl up to 2.5mbbl. The prior weeks report (the tenth increase in a row) indicated US Crude inventories climbed to 385 million barrels, the highest on hand since November, with PADD 3 numbers (Gulf Coast) hit over 200 million barrels, the highest since 1990.
For the last several days NYMEX values have been on the losing end of good Ol' fashion Donny Brook coming at the hands of the ongoing European debt crisis. With new Leadership installed in several countries, investors are not taking any chances and removing cash as quickly as possible. The latest round today had the European Central Bank preparing for Greece's exit from the Euro sending the currency to a four month low versus the US dollar. Commodities again were the collateral damage as money continues to exit the pits. Japans signs of economic recovery from their recent natural disasters, reports showed a 1% increase in their economy, along with an anemic Jobless claim report ( statically flat) could not stop the bleeding in the pits today. When prompt Heat was at 3.30,we noted the major support level to be at 2.75 with a few stop along the way and a key being 2.95. As those levels have been broken, it will be interesting to see where we stop. Interesting to note the seaway pipeline that runs Crude north to Cushing, OK has just finished a flow reversal that will allow product to move south from Cushing to the Gulf region for refining. Product is expected to flow this weekend, alleviating the glut of WTI in the US, should also play a role in reducing the Brent - WTI spread. At the close Crude lost .25 to $92.56, HEAT fell .0486 to $2.8490 and RBOB lost .0427 to settle at $2.8782.