Energy Futures Tread Water To Start Last Week Of July
Energy futures are treading water to start the last week of July, and US equity markets are seeing small losses after reaching fresh record highs Friday.
Although volatility has dropped in both energy and equity markets since spiking a week ago, things aren’t as calm as they seem based on current prices, as we did have refined products trading over nearly a nickel range overnight. The last week of July will bring a key test for the energy bulls, that have already passed two big tests so far in July. If prices do not break to fresh highs before month end, there will be an argument that the weekly charts are forming a rounding top pattern that could end up meaning sharply lower prices as we get closer to fall.
Ethanol prices appear to be on the verge of a technical breakdown, along with corn futures which traded below their 200 day moving average for the first time in nearly a year on Friday. That selling in grains didn’t prevent a jump of more than 3 cents in RIN values Friday, although some stronger offers did appear in the afternoon, which could create some downward pressure to start the week, especially with futures flashing red.
Hedge funds look like they may have thrown in the towel after last Monday’s brutal sell-off (and likely missing out on the subsequent rally) with managed money net length seeing sharp reductions across the energy board last week. WTI and RBOB net length plunged to the lowest levels since last October as long positions were cut, and new short positions were added. Those new shorts may help explain the strong rallies in WTI and RBOB Wednesday and Thursday if those new speculative shorts were getting squeezed out. Brent and Gasoil contracts also saw large declines in the large speculator books, while ULSD was the only contract to see a single digit percentage drop on the week, which could end up being a sign of hedge funds struggling to figure this market out as there’s a case that the ULSD contract looks the weakest currently on the charts.
The EIA last week took a closer look at the spike in renewable diesel production expected over the next 3 years, which is forecast to bring US capacity from less than 1 billion gallons/year currently, to nearly 5 billion gallons by 2024. The report notes that even with this surge in production, RD will only account for roughly 20% of West Coast diesel refining capacity, and 4% of USGC capacity after these upgrades are made. The report also highlights the challenges the consequences of higher feedstock and RIN prices caused by this race to take advantage of California’s credits go green.
Baker Hughes reported 7 more oil rigs were put to work last week, continuing the steady increase in drilling activity as producers enjoy the highest prices in nearly 7 years. Unlike the past month, the Permian led the increases this week, with 4 more rigs operating in the country’s largest basin.
Click here to download a PDF of today's TACenergy Market Talk.
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Values For Space On Colonial’s Main Gasoline Line Continue To Drop This Week
The petroleum complex continues to search for a price floor with relatively quiet price action this week suggesting some traders are going to wait and see what OPEC and Friends can decide on at their meeting Thursday.
Values for space on Colonial’s main gasoline line continue to drop this week, with trades below 10 cents/gallon after reaching a high north of 18-cents earlier in the month. Softer gasoline prices in New York seems to be driving the slide as the 2 regional refiners who had been down for extended maintenance both return to service. Diesel linespace values continue to hold north of 17-cents/gallon as East Coast stocks are holding at the low end of their seasonal range while Gulf Coast inventories are holding at average levels.
Reversal coming? Yesterday we saw basis values for San Francisco spot diesel plummet to the lowest levels of the year, but then overnight the Chevron refinery in Richmond was forced to shut several units due to a power outage which could cause those differentials to quickly find a bid if the supplier is forced to become a buyer to replace that output.
Money managers continued to reduce the net length held in crude oil contracts, with both Brent and WTI seeing long liquidation and new short positions added last week. Perhaps most notable from the weekly COT report data is that funds are continuing their counter-seasonal bets on higher gasoline prices. The net length held by large speculators for RBOB is now at its highest level since Labor Day, at a time of year when prices tend to drop due to seasonal demand weakness.
Click here to download a PDF of today's TACenergy Market Talk.
After Another Black Friday Selloff Pushed Energy Futures Sharply Lower In Last Week’s Holiday-Shortened Trading
After another Black Friday selloff pushed energy futures sharply lower in last week’s Holiday-shortened trading, we’re seeing a modest bounce this morning. Since spot markets weren’t assessed Thursday or Friday, the net change for prices since Wednesday’s settlement is still down more than 6-cents for gasoline and almost 5-cents for diesel at the moment.
OPEC members are rumored to be nearing a compromise agreement that would allow African producers a higher output quota. Disagreement over that plan was blamed on the cartel delaying its meeting by 4-days last week which contributed to the heavy selling. The bigger problem may come from Russia, who announced plans last week to increase its oil output once its voluntary cut agreement ends now that price cap mechanisms are proving to be ineffective.
While an uneasy truce in Gaza held over the weekend, tensions on the Red Sea continued to escalate with the US Navy intervening to stop another hijacking and being rewarded for its efforts by having missiles fired at one of its ships.
RIN values came under heavy selling pressure Wednesday afternoon following a court overturning the EPA’s ruling to deny small refinery hardship waivers to the RFS. Those exemptions were a big reason we saw RINs drop sharply under the previous administration, and RINs were already on due to the rapid influx of RD supply this year.
More bad news for the food to fuel lobby: the White House is reportedly stalling plans to allow E15 blending year-round after conflicting studies about ethanol’s ability to actually lower carbon emissions, and fuel prices. Spot prices for ethanol in Chicago reached a 2.5 year low just ahead of the holiday.
Baker Hughes reported the US oil rig count held steady at 500 active rigs last week, while natural gas rigs increased by 3.
The first of perhaps several refining casualties caused by the rapid increase in new capacity over the past two years was reported last week. Scotland’s only refinery, which has a capacity of 150mb/day is preparing to shutter in 2025.
The CFTC’s commitment of traders report was delayed due to the holiday and will be released this afternoon.
Click here to download a PDF of today's TACenergy Market Talk.