August 20 2015
NYMEX crude down in Asia as U.S. stocks build, China demand weigh
Category: Commodities
Crude oil prices dropped sharply in Asia on Thursday as oversupply in the U.S. and global markets pushed tprices down below $41 a barrel and investors sounded increasingly worried about weak China demand.On the New York Mercantile Exchange, WTI crude for October delivery traded down 0.88% to $40.91 a barrel.The latest Federal Reserve meeting highlighted concern over the state of the global economy, driving markets to question the likelihood that the Fed will raise rates next month.The minutes showed policymakers continued to express broad concerns about lagging inflation and the weak world economy even as the U.S. job market improved further. Market expectations for a Fed hike in September fell from one in two to roughly one in three after the minutes were published."It looks like based on commodity prices, China, wages not really picking up, that [Fed officials] are not getting any closer to meeting their inflation target and seems like they're probably not going to be willing to go in September" with a rate hike, said Don Ellenberger, head of multi-sector strategies at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh.A delay in the start of the tightening cycle is seen as supportive of equities. However, concern about the strength of the global economy.Overnight, U.S. crude futures plunged to fresh six-and-a-half year lows before paring some losses in the afternoon session, following the strongest build in U.S. crude inventories in four months.On the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Brent crude for October delivery wavered between $46.83 and $49.10 a barrel, before closing at 47.10, down 1.71 or 3.50% on the day. The spread between the international and U.S. benchmarks of crude, meanwhile, stood at 5.87, above Tuesday's level of 5.72 at the close.On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Energy Information (EIA) said in its Weekly Petroleum Status Report that U.S. crude stockpiles increased by 2.6 million for the week ending on August 14, marking its highest weekly build since April. At 456.2 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories remain near levels not seen for this time of year in at least the last 80 years. Total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 2.7 million barrels last week, and are in the middle of the average range, the EIA said in a report. At the Cushing Oil Hub in Oklahoma, the main delivery point for NYMEX crude oil, inventories increased by 300,000 barrels for the week.A week earlier, U.S. crude stockpiles decreased by 1.7 million, in line with analysts' expectations for a 1.6 million draw. The draw was preceded by a 4.4 million decline for the week ending July 31, as crude production across the U.S. continues to level.In spite of last week's inventory build, output continues to decline as U.S. shale production levels off. During the week, U.S. crude production fell by 47,000 barrels to 9.348 million barrels per day, around its lowest level since early-May. U.S. crude output still remains near its highest level in more than 40 years. The most fertile U.S. shale fields, however, project that output will decline in September for a fifth consecutive month.In this week's report the EIA said WTI crude fell to $42.45 per barrel at the end of last week, $54.85 below its price during the same week in 2014. Crude futures are down more than 50% since OPEC triggered a prolonged battle for global market share last November with a strategic decision to keep its production ceiling above 30 million barrels per day.
NYMEX crude down in Asia as U.S. stocks build, China demand weigh
Category: Commodities
Crude oil prices dropped sharply in Asia on Thursday as oversupply in the U.S. and global markets pushed tprices down below $41 a barrel and investors sounded increasingly worried about weak China demand.On the New York Mercantile Exchange, WTI crude for October delivery traded down 0.88% to $40.91 a barrel.The latest Federal Reserve meeting highlighted concern over the state of the global economy, driving markets to question the likelihood that the Fed will raise rates next month.The minutes showed policymakers continued to express broad concerns about lagging inflation and the weak world economy even as the U.S. job market improved further. Market expectations for a Fed hike in September fell from one in two to roughly one in three after the minutes were published."It looks like based on commodity prices, China, wages not really picking up, that [Fed officials] are not getting any closer to meeting their inflation target and seems like they're probably not going to be willing to go in September" with a rate hike, said Don Ellenberger, head of multi-sector strategies at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh.A delay in the start of the tightening cycle is seen as supportive of equities. However, concern about the strength of the global economy.Overnight, U.S. crude futures plunged to fresh six-and-a-half year lows before paring some losses in the afternoon session, following the strongest build in U.S. crude inventories in four months.On the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Brent crude for October delivery wavered between $46.83 and $49.10 a barrel, before closing at 47.10, down 1.71 or 3.50% on the day. The spread between the international and U.S. benchmarks of crude, meanwhile, stood at 5.87, above Tuesday's level of 5.72 at the close.On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Energy Information (EIA) said in its Weekly Petroleum Status Report that U.S. crude stockpiles increased by 2.6 million for the week ending on August 14, marking its highest weekly build since April. At 456.2 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories remain near levels not seen for this time of year in at least the last 80 years. Total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 2.7 million barrels last week, and are in the middle of the average range, the EIA said in a report. At the Cushing Oil Hub in Oklahoma, the main delivery point for NYMEX crude oil, inventories increased by 300,000 barrels for the week.A week earlier, U.S. crude stockpiles decreased by 1.7 million, in line with analysts' expectations for a 1.6 million draw. The draw was preceded by a 4.4 million decline for the week ending July 31, as crude production across the U.S. continues to level.In spite of last week's inventory build, output continues to decline as U.S. shale production levels off. During the week, U.S. crude production fell by 47,000 barrels to 9.348 million barrels per day, around its lowest level since early-May. U.S. crude output still remains near its highest level in more than 40 years. The most fertile U.S. shale fields, however, project that output will decline in September for a fifth consecutive month.In this week's report the EIA said WTI crude fell to $42.45 per barrel at the end of last week, $54.85 below its price during the same week in 2014. Crude futures are down more than 50% since OPEC triggered a prolonged battle for global market share last November with a strategic decision to keep its production ceiling above 30 million barrels per day.
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