Another Monday Selloff For Energy Futures

Market TalkMonday, Aug 16 2021
Pivotal Week For Price Action

It’s another Monday selloff for energy futures as traders had plenty of time over the weekend to get worried about how the rapid spread of the Delta variant might impact fuel demand. 4 out of the past 5 Mondays have seen gasoline prices drop at least 6 cents, and today’s early action threatens to do much more than that if we take out last Monday’s low trades near $2.17, which would open up another 10 cents of downside potential near term. ULSD looks like it has less of a technical trap door than RBOB, with near term support at $2.00 and $1.96. 

Tropical storm Fred is about 100 miles off the Florida Panhandle this morning, and is expected to bring heavy rains across the South East after making landfall later today, but should not be a major factor on supply infrastructure. TS Grace was on track to hit Florida based on Friday’s models, then shifted west over the weekend and looked to be a threat to Houston Sunday, but the latest models have shifted West again and have it pointing towards Mexico, and not a refinery threat at all. Tropical Storm Henri is expected to be named later this morning, and is forecast to circle Bermuda, but doesn’t look to be a threat to the US coast at this time.

Money managers were bailing out of crude oil positions last week, but adding to length in refined products. The Net length in WTI dropped to its lowest level since November last week, after reaching a 3 year high in June. We have not yet seen a snowball effect of selling creating selling as speculators have to meet margin calls, when their bets on higher prices go wrong, but if WTI breaks below $65, that could be coming. ULSD length held by money managers pushed to the highest level since November 2018 last week, which probably means some hedge funds are wanting a do-over this morning.

Baker Hughes reported 10 more oil rigs were put to work last week, bringing the US total to a fresh 16 month high. The gains were spread across the country with the Williston basin adding 4 rigs, Eagle Ford 3, and 1 each for a few others including the Permian.  

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Market Update (01C) 8.16.21

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Pivotal Week For Price Action
Market TalkWednesday, Mar 27 2024

Most Energy Contracts Are Ticking Lower For A 2nd Day After A Trickle Of Selling Picked Up Steam Tuesday

Most energy contracts are ticking lower for a 2nd day after a trickle of selling picked up steam Tuesday. ULSD futures are down a dime from Monday’s highs and RBOB futures are down 7 cents.

Diesel prices continue to look like the weak link in the energy chain, with futures coming within 1 point of their March lows overnight, setting up a test of the December lows around $2.48 if that resistance breaks down. Despite yesterday’s slide, RBOB futures still look bullish on the weekly charts, with a run towards the $3 mark still looking like a strong possibility in the next month or so.

The API reported crude stocks increased by more than 9 million barrels last week, while distillates were up 531,000 and gasoline stocks continued their seasonal decline falling by 4.4 million barrels. The DOE’s weekly report is due out at its normal time this morning.

RIN values have recovered to their highest levels in 2 months around $.59/RIN for D4 and D6 RINs, even though the recovery rally in corn and soybean prices that had helped lift prices off of the 4 year lows set in February has stalled out. Expectations for more biofuel production to be shut in due to weak economics with lower subsidy values seems to be encouraging the tick higher in recent weeks, although prices are still about $1/RIN lower than this time last year.

Reminder that Friday is one of only 3 annual holidays in which the Nymex is completely shut, so no prices will be published, but it’s not a federal holiday in the US so banks will be open.

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Pivotal Week For Price Action
Market TalkTuesday, Mar 26 2024

Refined Products Seeing Small Losses Of Around A Penny While Crude Oil Contracts Hover Just Above Break Even

Energy futures are taking a breather to start Tuesday’s trading, with refined products seeing small losses of around a penny while crude oil contracts hover just above break even.

No new news on either the Red Sea shipping or Russian Refining attacks this morning, so Cocoa prices seem to be taking over the commodity headlines while energy markets wait on their next big move.

RBOB gasoline futures set a new 6-month high Monday at $2.7711, which leaves the door open on the weekly charts for the spring rally to continue. A run at the $3 mark is certainly possible in the next few weeks before the typical seasonal price peak is set just before the start of driving season.

A container ship lost power and crashed into the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore this morning, causing a devastating collapse. While cargo shipping into the area will no doubt be impacted by this event, fuel supplies are unlikely to see any notable change since the 9 fuel terminals in Baltimore are primarily supplied by Colonial pipeline. Barges from Philadelphia refineries do supplement Baltimore supplies at times, and those vessel flows will be impacted at least until rescue operations are completed and the bridge sections removed from the waterway. That said, since shipping up from the Gulf Coast via Colonial is generally cheaper than shipping an NY Harbor-priced barrel south, the amount of supply disrupted by this event will be minimal.

While we’re still waiting on the official forecasts for the Atlantic Hurricane season, early reports continue to suggest that we could be in for a very busy year due to warm water temperatures and a forming La Nina pattern.

Dallas meanwhile is preparing for a different sort of disruption, with city officials encouraging companies to let employees work from home during the solar eclipse on April 8th as metroplex traffic is expected to surge. While some isolated fuel outages are certainly possible if people start panic buying gasoline they don’t need, there’s no reason to expect any widespread impact from the demand spike.

Today’s interesting read: Why AI requires a staggering amount of electricity and may create supply competition for EVs that will end up benefitting fossil fuels.

Click here to download a PDF of today's TACenergy Market Talk.