OPEC is playing a dangerous game of bluff, and has to be prepared to follow it through. |
Our feeling is that OPEC will agree to the increase, but that the net impact on global supplies will be negligible, |
Our feeling is that OPEC will agree to the increase, but that the net impact on global supplies will be negligible. |
Our feeling is that with the current surplus of physical crude that prices will continue to erode from here for the next week or two. |
Overall there is a general consensus in the market that prices are likely to head lower and that the break of the current range will be to the downside, ... However, we would note that the conditions for this to happen [increased crude and product inventories and refinery restarts in particular] are not yet in place and risks to the upside remain. |
Overall there is a general consensus in the market that prices are likely to head lower and that the break of the current range will be to the downside. However, we would note that the conditions for this to happen [increased crude and product inventories and refinery restarts in particular] are not yet in place and risks to the upside remain. |
Part of the recovery overnight (in the price of oil) may have been due to anti-Israeli protests in Jordan, where 30,000 protestors had to be driven back from the boarder by security forces, |
Part of the recovery overnight (in the price of oil) may have been due to anti-Israeli protests in Jordan, where 30,000 protestors had to be driven back from the boarder by security forces. |
Recently a former aid, giving evidence against him, said he was running short of funds. Therefore, if he was the instigator of the attacks on the US, another sponsor was likely to be involved. |
Saudi Arabia and even the hawks, like Iraq, are reluctant to see the price stay above $30. They won't leave this meeting without a new agreement on the mechanism for delivery of more oil. |
So we could be looking at at least a month without Iraqi oil. |
The fact that the North Sea output problem is supporting the market really shows how tight the physical crude supply is. |
The market has coped very well with the hurricane situation on the surface, particularly on the refinery side, |
The plan has been slammed by environmentalists and some commentators who regard the proposals as a handout to the oil industry. |
The U.S. will respond to this attack in some fashion and there remains a small fear that it may lose some Middle Eastern support as a result. |