HOME         WEBSITE         SUBSCRIBE           E-GREETINGS   
                               

Friday, January 09, 2015

Crude shakes off earlier weakness and ends higher

Prices have slumped 8.4% so far this month 


Crude oil prices ended higher on Thursday, 08 January 2015 shaking off earlier weakness, while Brent prices hit fresh multi-year lows but held above $50 a barrel. But natural gas prices jumped on larger-than-expected decline in inventories. 

Light, sweet crude futures for delivery in February rose 14 cents, or 0.3%, to settle at $48.79 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices, which have slumped 8.4% so far this month, found some footing thanks in part to Wednesday's weekly U.S. inventory report that showed a surprise decline in crude supplies as well as expectations of a strong monthly U.S. jobs report on Friday. 

World stock markets have rebounded from this week's sharp sell offs. The U.S. dollar index continues on its strong bull market run, hitting another 10-year high today. The Euro currency slumped to another nine-year low versus the greenback on Wednesday. The surging greenback remains a major, bearish underlying factor working against the raw commodity markets. 

A day before on Wednesday hit a 5.5-year low of $46.83 a barrel, basis nearby Nymex futures. Traders are awaiting arguably the most important U.S. economic data point of the month—the U.S. employment situation report due out Friday morning. The key non-farm payrolls number is expected to have risen by 240,000 workers in December. 

U.S. economic data out Thursday includes the weekly jobless claims report, the Challenger job cuts report, and ICSC chain store sales trends. Initial jobless claims dropped to 294,000 last week from an unrevised 298,000 in the prior week, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Market had expected claims to total 290,000. Weaker-than-expected economic data often boosts haven demand for gold. 

Among other energy products, February gasoline turned higher, ending Thursday up less than a penny, or 0.3%, to settle at $1.3409 a gallon on Nymex. February heating oil also turned higher, up 1 cent, or 0.7%, to $1.7110 a gallon on Nymex. 

Elsewhere in energy trading, natural gas for February delivery rose nearly 6 cents, or 2%, to end at $2.9270 per million British thermal units, as stockpiles fell. Natural-gas inventories declined 131 billion cubic feet in the week ended 02 January. Market had expected a decline between 117 bcf and 121 bcf. 

Blog Archive

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer - All investments in Mutual Funds and securities are subject to market risks and uncertainty of dividend distributions and the NAV of schemes may go up or down depending upon factors and forces affecting securities markets generally. The past performance of the schemes is not necessarily indicative of the future performance and may not necessarily provide a basis for comparison with other investments. Investors are advised to go through the respective offer documents before making any investment decisions. Prospective client(s) are advised to go through all comparable products in offer before taking any investment decisions. Mutual Funds and securities investments are subject to market risks and there is no assurance or guarantee that the objectives of the fund will be achieved. Information gathered & material used in this document is believed to be from reliable sources. Decisions based on the information provided on this newsletter/document are for your own account and risk.


In the preparation of the material contained in this document, Varun Vaid has used information that is publicly available, including information developed in-house. Some of the material used in the document may have been obtained from members/persons other than the Varun Vaid and which may have been made available to Varun Vaid. Information gathered & material used in this document is believed to be from reliable sources. Varun Vaid however does not warrant the accuracy, reasonableness and/or completeness of any information. For data reference to any third party in this material no such party will assume any liability for the same. Varun Vaid does not in any way through this material solicit any offer for purchase, sale or any financial transaction/commodities/products of any financial instrument dealt in this material. All recipients of this material should before dealing and or transacting in any of the products referred to in this material make their own investigation, seek appropriate professional advice.


Varun Vaid, shall not liable for any loss, damage of any nature, including but not limited to direct, indirect, punitive, special, exemplary, consequential, as also any loss of profit in any way arising from the use of this material in any manner. The recipient alone shall be fully responsible/are liable for any decision taken on the basis of this material. All recipients of this material should before dealing and/or transacting in any of the products referred to in this material make their own investigation, seek appropriate professional advice. The investments discussed in this material may not be suitable for all investors. Any person subscribing to or investigating in any product/financial instruments should do soon the basis of and after verifying the terms attached to such product/financial instrument. Financial products and instruments are subject to market risks and yields may fluctuate depending on various factors affecting capital/debt markets. Please note that past performance of the financial products and instruments does not necessarily indicate the future prospects and performance there of. Such past performance may or may not be sustained in future. Varun Vaid, including persons involved in the preparation or issuance of this material may; (a) from time to time, have long or short positions in, and buy or sell the securities mentioned herein or (b) be engaged in any other transaction involving such securities and earn brokerage or other compensation in the financial instruments/products/commodities discussed here in or act as advisor or lender / borrower in respect of such securities/financial instruments/products/commodities or have other potential conflict of interest with respect to any recommendation and related information and opinions. The said person may have acted upon and/or in a manner contradictory with the information contained here. No part of this material may be duplicated in whole or in part in any form and or redistributed without the prior written consent of Varun Vaid. This material is strictly confidential to the recipient and should not be reproduced or disseminated to anyone else.


Varun Vaid also does not take any responsibility for the contents of the advertisements published. Readers are advised to verify the contents on their own before acting there upon.


Published Credits goes to following sources & all the mentioned sources as footer below the published material- Bloomberg, Valueresearch Online, Capital Market, Navindia, Franklin Templeton, Kitco, SBI AMC, LIC AMC, JM Financial AMC, HDFC AMC, The Hindu, Business Line, Personal FN, Economic Times, Reuters, Outlook Money, Business Standard, Times of India etc.