Tag Archive: U.S. Crude Oil Inventories

The Energy Information Administration's (EIA) Crude Oil Inventories measures the weekly change in the number of barrels of commercial crude oil held by US firms. The level of inventories influences the price of petroleum products, which can have an impact on inflation. If the increase in crude inventories is more than expected, it implies weaker demand and is bearish for crude prices. The same can be said if a decline in inventories is less than expected. If the increase in crude is less than expected, it implies greater demand and is bullish for crude prices. The same can be said if a decline in inventories is more than expected.

FX Daily, May 10: Markets Adjust to North Korean Threat, Fifth Fall in US Oil Inventories and Trump Drama

2017-05-10

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2017-05-10

Investors absorbed a few developments that might have been disruptive for the markets with little fanfare. North Korea's ambassador to the UK warned that his country would go ahead with its sixth nuclear test, as South Korea elected a new president who wants to reduce tensions on the peninsula.

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FX Daily, May 03: Marking Time

2017-05-03

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2017-05-03

The global capital markets are relatively calm. Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong markets are closed for national holidays. Investors await the FOMC statement, though expectations could not be much lower. The disappointing US auto sales, and poor Apple sales figures reported yesterday have had little impact on the broader investment climate.

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FX Daily, April 26: Dollar Stabilizes Ahead of Trump and ECB

2017-04-26

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2017-04-26

The US dollar was marked down in response to the French election and saw some follow through selling yesterday, but the momentum had slowed, and now it is stalled. The greenback is posting upticks against nearly all the major currencies. There is a good reason to be cautious.

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Oil Supply Remains Resilient, Prices Heavy

2017-03-19

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2017-03-19

Nearly half of OPEC's intended cuts are being offset by an increase in US output. The contango rewards the accumulation of inventories. The drop in oil prices probably weighs more on European reflation story than the US.

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FX Daily, February 08: EUR/CHF down to 1.630, Swiss Boom Starting?

2017-02-08

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2017-02-08

EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, February 08
The reader might have seen the latest Swiss Consumer Sentiment and the UBS consumption indicator. They suggest that the Swiss boom phase should finally come. I anticipated the boom already in my slides for the CFA Society. The Swiss boom was postponed when the SNB decided to remove the euro peg in early 2015.

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FX Daily, 01 February: Markets Stabilize, Investors Await Signals from US data and FOMC, and POTUS

2017-02-01

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2017-02-01

(commentary will be sporadic for the next couple of weeks during a European business trip) The US dollar is consolidating yesterday's losses that were spurred speculation that the US was abandoning the more than 20-year old strong dollar policy. The meaning of that policy was clear to global investors even if it was often parodied.

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Trade is Trump’s Centerpiece

2017-02-01

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2017-02-01

Trans-Pacific Partnership
Investors are anxiously awaiting more details on the new US Administration's economic policies and priorities. Part of the challenge is that the cabinet represents a wide range of views and it is not clear where the informal power lies, or whose call is it. In terms of economic policy, trade is being given priority. It is seen as the key to the jobs and growth objectives.

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Saudis Cut More than Commitment, Lifts Prices

2017-01-13

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2017-01-13

Oil
US refinery demand for oil is near a 30-year high. Demand growth will help catch up to supply. Saudi Arabia (and Kuwait) appear to have cut more output than promised.

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FX Daily, November 02: Standpat FOMC Trumped by US Political Jitters

2016-11-02

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2016-11-02

FX Performance, November 02 2016 Movers and Shakers
The single biggest driver in the capital markets is the continued narrowing of the US election polls. The prospect of a Trump presidency and the dramatic changes that could entail is rattling investors and spurring position squaring.The dollar is broadly lower as are stocks. The surge in global yields has been arrested.

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FX Daily, October 26: Euro and Yen Extend Recovery

2016-10-26

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2016-10-26

FX Performance, October 26, Movers and Shakers
After touching 1.08, which apparently the "new floor", the SNB moved the EUR/CHF upwards yesterday and Monday. Today's EUR recovery against USD, let also the EUR/CHF rise. The US dollar's upside momentum reversed in North America yesterday and has been sold in Asia and Europe. This seems like mostly position adjustments ahead of next week's FOMC, BOE and RBA meetings, in an otherwise subdued news period. The euro has at three-day highs. It has...

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FX Daily, October 13: Dollar Edges Higher, though US Rates Soften

2016-10-13

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2016-10-13

FX Performance, October 13 2016 Movers and Shakers
The EUR/CHF remains in the range of 1.0815 to 1.0980. The SNB usually intervenes below 1.0850. I am expecting that speculators are reducing their CHF short positions. More tomorrow.

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FX Daily, September 28: Dollar Mostly Firmer, but Going Nowhere Quickly

2016-09-28

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2016-09-28

FX Performance 2016, September 28 Movers and Shakers
The US dollar is enjoying a firmer bias today, but it remains narrowly mixed on the week. It is within well-worn ranges. Of the several themes that investors are focused on, there have not significant fresh developments. In terms of monetary policy, both Draghi and Yellen speak today. The former is behind closed doors with a Germany parliamentary committee.

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FX Daily, September 21: BOJ Can’t Weaken Yen, Fed keeps Rates Unchanged, CHF Stronger

2016-09-21

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2016-09-21

The EUR/CHF accelerated its decline since yesterday's strong Swiss trade balance data. The second reason was certainly the Fed decided to keep rates unchanged. We know that the Swiss Franc has similar "counter-dollar" status as gold.

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FX Weekly Review, July 18 – July 22: Will the FOMC Halt the Dollar’s Advance?

2016-07-24

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2016-07-24

The US dollar gained against all the major currencies over the past week. It also rose against many emerging market currencies. A notable exception was the Chinese yuan.

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FX Daily, July 07: Sterling Bounces Two Cents, but Does not Appear Sustainable

2016-07-07

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2016-07-07

Amid a better if not strong risk appetite, sterling has rallied two cents from yesterday's lows near $1.28 to poke through the $1.30 level in the European morning. It was helped by an industrial production report that was better than expected. Industrial and manufacturing output fell 0.5% in May. This was around half of the expected decline after a strong April advance (2.1% and 2.4% respectively).

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FX Daily, June 22: Markets Consolidate as Table is Set for Referendum

2016-06-23

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2016-06-23

There is a nervous calm in the capital markets today. The focus is squarely on tomorrow’s UK referendum. Brexit According to a BBC focus group, the leeave camp won the debate 39%-34%. The last polls show a contest that it too close to calls in that the results are within the margin of error.  The … Continue...

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FX Daily, June 15: Key Data and FOMC

2016-06-15

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2016-06-15

The Swiss Franc was today on the back-foot against the euro, while the FOMC helped him to rise against the dollar. Yesterday Swiss producer prices were published. Negative changes in producer prices in 2015 reduce the Swiss franc overvaluation in terms of the Real Effective Exchange strongly. Now, however, changes producer prices are approaching zero again.

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FX Daily, 04/15: Better Chinese Data Fails to Deter Pre-Weekend Profit-Taking

2016-04-15

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2016-04-15

China’s slew of economic data lends credence to ideas that the world’s second-largest economy may be stabilizing.  However, the data failed to have a wider impact on the global capital markets, including supporting Chinese equities.  In fact,  the seven-day advance in the MSCI Asia-Pacific Index was snapped with a fractional loss today. European shares are …

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Expectation for Doha may be Inflated

2016-04-14

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2016-04-14

The weekend meeting between many OPEC and non-OPEC producers has helped spur the recent gains in the price of oil.  We are concerned that market may be getting ahead of itself. First, the freeze in output that had previously been agreed by Russia, Saudi Arabia, and a few other countries was conditional on participation by … Continue reading...

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Listen Carefully, She’s Yellen

2016-02-10

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2016-02-10

After another soggy Asian session, European markets have begun on a firm note, and US shares are trading broadly higher in Europe as well.  Led by the beleaguered financial shares, and healthcare, the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 is up 2%.  Similarly, the peripheral bonds, including Portugal (though not Greece) are seeing a reprieve from the … Continue...

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