US energy firms last week added oil and natural gas rigs for a third successive week as the federal government seeks more production to help its allies wean themselves off Russian energy, mainly oil and gas.The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose 16 to …
Read More »WTI expected to close in red territory for second successive week
The WTI crude oil is expected to end lower for a second successive week. Meanwhile, traders digest this week’s IEA reserve release announcements.The WTI crude oil currently trades a little bit lower on the day around $96.00 after hitting March lows on Thursday. Technical selling after breaking below a long-term …
Read More »Nikkei records worst weekly performance in a month
Japan’s Nikkei index recorded its worst weekly performance in almost a month on concerns about the impact of the Federal Reserve’s tightening of its monetary policies, the conflict in Ukraine, and the closure measures in China. The Nikkei index lost 2.46 percent this week, its worst performance since the week …
Read More »Market Drivers – US Session – 7 April
The market’s sentiment continued cautious as traders’ focus shifted to central banks’ hawkish rhetoric and tensions between the US allies and Russia. The US widened its actions against Moscow, hitting Russian Sberbank and Alfa Bank. Investment in Russia by American companies is banned. The EU is backing a Russian coal …
Read More »Oil Price Retreats On Russia Oil Sanctions Concerns
Brent crude futures fell 49 cents, or 0.5%, to settle at $100.58 a barrel while WTI crude fell 20 cents, or 0.6%, to settle at $96.03 a barrel. The previous session, both benchmarks plunged more than 5% to their lowest closing levels since March 16. Oil settled lower on Thursday, …
Read More »Washington Pushes Moscow To Default By Impeding Debt Payments
Amid a looming new sanctions package, the US Treasury Department’s new move would prohibit Russia from using funds held in American banks to pay debt obligations. The Treasury Department on Monday prohibited Russia from withdrawing funds held in American banks to pay its debt obligations, a major escalation aimed at …
Read More »Weekly Recap – 28 March – 1 April
The dollar rose on Friday after a report showed strong US job growth in March. In addition, the unemployment rate fell to a two-year low, and wages rebounded, boosting speculation that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates by 50 points at its meeting. Next. The widely watched US Labor …
Read More »EUR/JPY Sharply Reverses As European Stocks, Yields Drop
Risk-off flows in European equities coupled with downside in Eurozone yields weighed heavily on EUR/JPY on Thursday. The pair was last trading down 1.0% in the 154.50 area, a sharp reversal from intra-day highs closer to 157.00.A sharp drop in Eurozone yields coupled with downside in major European equity bourses …
Read More »Biden administration mulls largest-ever withdrawal from an oil reserve
The Biden administration is considering releasing up to 180 million barrels of oil over several months from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), four US sources said on Wednesday, as the White House tries to lower fuel prices. The announcement may come on Thursday, as the White House says Biden plans to …
Read More »Oil rises with supply shortage and possible new sanctions against Russia
Oil prices reversed their heavy losses, rising more than 2 percent on Wednesday as supply tightened and prospects of new Western sanctions against Russia increased, despite signs of progress in peace talks between Moscow and Kiev. Brent crude futures rose $2.48, or 2.3 percent, to $112.71 a barrel by 1003 …
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