Tuesday, February 09, 2021

Price changes for Thursday, February 12th, 2021

 

Hi to all,

 

Here’s what I have for this week’s price changes, all data in:

 

*Heating and stove oil to increase by 3.5 cents a litre.

*Diesel to increase by 3.2 cents a litre, and...

*Gasoline shows an increase of 2.5 cents a litre.

 

Market highlights

 

Hedge funds betting on summer

It’s not just about refiners having troubles moving product that has increased costs, and thus prices for consumers, but word is out that hedge funds are starting to bet on vaccine distribution that will help increase prices for oil and refined products as demand picks up right along with Covid-19 vaccine availability.

     Here in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an announcement that the Pfizer vaccine will amount to 20 million doses by the spring at the time when traditional run-ups in prices really starts to catch for gasoline, bringing with it upwards pressure on prices.

     To quote from the Reuters story,

   By the summer, the vaccine should be widely provided and just in time for summer travel and I think things are going to go gangbusters,” said David D. Tawil, co-founder at New York-based event-driven hedge fund, Maglan Capital, and interim CEO of Centaurus Energy”.

      Oil prices have increased $4 US a barrel over the last week.

 

Oil to increase to $100 US?

It’s a bold prediction, but again precipitated on word of further covid-19 vaccine rollout as markets have turned their attention to the futures markets and speculators play with the scenario of returning demand.

     That means hopes for our offshore as oil will rebound-if the predictions from Amrita Sen of Energy Aspects is right.

     Speaking to Bloomberg, he said that while, right now, the markets have gotten ahead of themselves with demand still weak, vaccine rollout has the promise of increased demand in the second half of this year.

     The only mitigating factor may very well be how many producers get back into the market of production, and how fast the US production figures will be in turning back to full production pre-covid.

     US domestic production was recorded at 10.9 million barrels a day, falling from 13.5 million barrels a day the same time last year.

     Also, Saudi Arabian production is due to pick up again, adding a million barrels a day by the end of March, putting some pressure on growth.

 

US EIA inventories

The latest report from the Energy Information Administration, crude oil supplies dropped by a million barrels last week.

     Gasoline inventories were up by 4.3 million, while distillate inventories remained unchanged from the week previous.

     Refiner capacity was recorded at 82.3 percent and US domestic production reported at 10.9 million barrels a day.

 

That’s it for this week!

 

Regards,

 

George Murphy

Twitter @GeorgeMurphyOil  

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