Tag: automakers

Best in Energy – 6 March 2023

Automakers want to secure EV supply chain

China focuses on coal’s role in energy security

EIA blames oil blending for adjustment factor

EU firms relaxed about U.S. climate subsidies

U.S. downturn confined to tech sector? ($WSJ)

India’s loss-making Mundra power plant ($BBG)

EUROPE’s gas futures prices continue to slide despite a blast of colder weather across the northwest this week reflecting the high level of inventories. Front-month futures prices closed below €45 per megawatt-hour on March 3 for the first time since August 2021:

U.S. NON-MANUFACTURING firms reported a solid increase in activity in February. The ISM non-manufacturing index stood at 55.1 (40th percentile for all months since 1997) in February, little changed from January, but up from 49.2 (7th percentile) in December. The low December reading is starting to look like an anomaly. Service providers and other non-manufacturing businesses are reporting healthier conditions than their counterparts in manufacturing and freight:

U.S. OIL DRILLING activity continued to decelerate with the number of active rigs down -8 to 592 over the week ending on March 3. The oil-directed rig count has fallen in 10 of the last 13 weeks by a total of 35 rigs (-6%):

Best in Energy – 3 March 2023

China’s abandonment of coronavirus suppression

China predicts rise in gas consumption

Debt relief in return for climate policies

U.S. interstate gas pipeline construction

U.K. auto sector’s future in doubt ($FT)

Bangladesh tenders for more LNG

Interest rate traders probe Fed reactions

NORTH INDIA has experienced above-normal seasonal temperatures since early February, driving an increase in air-conditioning and refrigeration demand and boosting electricity consumption to a record level. Temperatures in New Delhi’s Palam suburb have been above the long-term seasonal average for 18 out of 22 days since February 9:

U.S. GAS INVENTORIES are depleting much more slowly than normal for the time of year. As a result, inventories were +209 billion cubic feet (+11% or +0.55 standard deviations) above the prior ten-year seasonal average on February 24 up from a deficit of -427 billion cubic feet (-13% or -1.52 standard deviations) on September 9, 2022:

Best in Energy – 23 February 2023

Chesapeake to reduce gas drilling and completions

Auto firms split on electrification timeline ($WSJ)

Commodity markets adapt to Russia/Ukraine war

Europe’s gas storage and refill for winter 2023/24

U.K. government to cut costs for big energy users

U.K. steelmaker plans to close coking ovens

U.S./Russia/China armaments supply ($WSJ)

IEA chief warns EU about complacency ($FT)

BRENT’s six-month calendar spread is trading in a backwardation of $1.80 (71st percentile for all days since 1990). The spread has tightened from a contango of $0.65 (34th percentile) since December 9 as expectations for a soft-landing in the global economy have increased. But it is well below levels before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, implying the market is comfortably supplied despite sanctions on Russia and output restraint by OPEC⁺ and U.S. shale firms:

Best in Energy – 15 February 2023

Global central banks inject $1 trillion of liquidity

South Asia’s price-sensitive LNG consumption

U.S. services sector inflation remains high ($BBG)

U.S. automakers have more pricing power ($BBG)

Ocean freight rates slump as volumes fall ($WSJ)

China’s major refiners resume Russia oil buying

U.S. pilot shortage drives up airfares ($FT)

Near-space and sovereignty issues ($WSJ)

U.S. SERVICE SECTOR prices excluding rent (a measure economists have taken to calling “supercore” inflation) rose at an annualised rate of +5.2% over the three months ending in January, more than twice as fast as the central bank’s target of a little over 2% per year. Supercore prices rose at an annualised rate of +7% in January alone and were up by a similar amount over the previous 12 months, implying there is still a lot of momentum behind inflation:

U.S. INTEREST RATE traders expect the central bank will have to adopt a more restrictive policy to squeeze persistent inflation out of the economy. The central bank is expected to raise its fed funds target rate to 5.00-5.25% or even 5.25-5.50% by August 2023 up from 4.50-4.75% at present. Forecasts for interest rates at the end of 2024 have risen by almost +75 basis points since the start of the month:

Best in Energy – 26 January 2023

Europe’s gas-fired generators reduced output

Indonesia coal exports hit record high in 2022

South Africa’s coal exports slumped last year

U.S. oil output growth set to slow in 2023/24

Microsoft warns about revenue outlook

Higher-earners reduce hours worked ($WSJ)

Tesla discounts vehicles to drive sales ($WSJ)

U.S./Iran nuclear talks near breakdown ($FT)

CHINA’s Lower Yangtze mega-region is being hit by a wave of intense of cold which will drive a significant increase in heating demand, though most factories are closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. Temperatures in Nanjing were more than -6°C below the long-term seasonal average on January 25. So far this winter heating demand (731 HDDs) has been lower than average (789 HDDs). But the recent run of cold weather has trimmed the cumulative deficit in heating demand to -7% down from -11% on January 13:  

U.S. PETROLEUM INVENTORIES including the strategic reserve rose +4 million barrels to 1,606 million barrels in the seven days to January 20. But stocks were -170 million barrels below the level a year ago and -304 million barrels below the level before the pandemic in 2019. Commercial crude stocks have increased by +33 million barrels compared with the same point last year. But only because the strategic petroleum reserve has been depleted by -220 million barrels:

Best in Energy – 20 September 2022

Germany’s auto sector emissions remain high

China boosts imports of coal from Russia

EU/Africa tensions over gas investment ($FT)

La Niña to boost winter heating in Japan ($BBG)

U.S. shale producers hit drilling limits ($WSJ)

U.S. central bank refocuses on inflation ($WSJ)

Stranded asset story and the energy crisis ($FT)

Renewables and domestic energy security ($FT)

California relies on nuclear for 10% of electricity

United States is shifting policy on Taiwan ($BBG)

Coal boom leads to expansion of marginal mines

U.S. TREASURY securities with ten year maturity are yielding 3.53%, the highest since 2010, as traders anticipate the central bank will have to keep interest rates higher for longer to bring down inflation. Yields are rising at the fastest year-over-year rate since 1999. The increase is testing the downward trend in place since the mid-1980s. If the increase is sustained it will force a widespread re-pricing of most other assets:

HEDGE FUNDS and other money managers made few changes to their positions in the six most important petroleum futures and options contracts in the week to September 13. There were total net purchases of +4 million barrels with buying in NYMEX and ICE WTI (+10 million) and Brent (+3 million) but sales of U.S. gasoline (-5 million), U.S. diesel (-3 million) and European gas oil (-1 million):

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Best in Energy – 4 August 2022

OPEC+ raises output  by de minimis amount¹

Electricity transmission links undervalued

Freeport LNG to restart partially in October

Autos/semiconductors relationship

Automakers see weakening demand

¹ Higher oil production by Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf monarchies was briefed as one of the benefits from U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to the region and “reset” of the relationship with Saudi Arabia last month. The tiny output increase of +100,000 b/d was the smallest that could be announced without appearing to snub the president completely. But it raises the question of what diplomatic benefits the president achieved from the trip – if not higher oil output did he secure some other objectives? Who advised the president to make this trip, within the administration and outside? Does the president ultimately see it as a success or a disappointment?

BRENT spot prices and calendar spreads have weakened consistently in recent weeks, a sign the recent upward price cycle has begun to break down. Prices and spreads are softening in response to the increased probability of a recession dampening oil consumption:

BRENT’s calendar spread from December 2022 to December 2023 has softened to a backwardation of $7.20 per barrel, down from $16.50 in early June, and close to its lowest levels since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Traders are anticipating an imminent business cycle slowdown will relieve under-production in the oil market and stabilise inventory levels:

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Best in Energy – 28 April 2022

India cuts electricity to industrial users

EU importers to pay for gas in roubles ($FT)

China’s major problem with vaccines ($BBG)

Poland/Bulgaria alternatives to Russian gas

Automakers revert to vertical integration

China’s passenger rail traffic down (trans.)

U.S. gas production areas

INDIA’s electricity consumption climbed to a record of more than 201,000 megawatts at the peak on April 26. But grid stability is deteriorating with average frequency trending lower and prolonged under-frequency excursions pointing to insufficient generation. Frequency is now so low for so much of the day controllers no longer appear to be trying to maintain it close to 50.0 Hz and have instead accepted a lower frequency as normal. States have begun to restrict supplies to industrial users during peak hours to maintain stability and reduce the risk of a cascading failure:

U.S. PETROLEUM inventories fell by -2 million bbl to 1,697 million bbl last week and are now down by -421 million bbl since the start of July 2020:

U.S. DISTILLATE inventories fell -1 million bbl to just 107 million bbl last week, the lowest seasonal level since 2008:

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