FeedPosted Apr 4th 2011 3:00PM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Major Movement, International Markets, Bad News, Middle East, Commodities, Oil, Headline News

The
Wall Street Journal posted oil production numbers for March that disclose the shortfall from the Libyan conflict. When the news hit the tape, Brent Crude exploded to the upside trading at $120.17 per barrel, up $1.47 (12:45 EDT.)
Here are the stats:
- OPEC production fell 411,000 barrels per day to 29,343 million bpd.
- Libya's production fell 343,000 barrels per day, from 1,396,000 bpd.
- Nigeria fell 107,000 barrels per day due to Royal Dutch (RDS) Oil maintenance.
To make up for the shortfall, Saudi Arabia increased production by 500,000 barrels per day to 9.05 million bpd. Kuwait upped production by 37,000 barrels per day. Arab Emirates increased their production by 90,000 barrels per day.
Here's the real kicker. OPEC's seaborne exports are expected to fall by 530,000 barrels per day in the next four weeks.
Continue reading Brent Crude Oil Explodes to $120 Per Barrel
Posted Mar 9th 2011 9:30AM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Middle East, Oil
The Department of Energy has had to up its forecast its forecast for oil prices for 2011 and 2012 from last month. The updated forecast takes into account the loss of one million barrels per day from the Libyan conflict, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Last month, the DOE's Energy Information Administration's (EIA) estimate for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was $91 per barrel for 2011. Now, EIA forecasts WTI crude to average $102 per barrel in 2011 and $104 per barrel in 2012. The EIA qualified its forecast with this statement: "There is significant uncertainty surrounding this forecast."
Continue reading DOE Raises Forecasts for Oil and Gasoline Prices
Posted Mar 7th 2011 11:40AM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Middle East, Market Matters, Oil
The game is changing. It's time to play defense. Two weeks ago the U.S. stock market was in a bullish trend with no end in sight. Now international events are taking center stage. How long the markets can ignore these events is the question of the day.
Brent crude oil is trading at $116 per barrel. This has serious implications for the U.S. economy. If you recall, when oil spiked in 2008, it was a major factor in the recession that followed. People simply could not afford the price of gas and slowed their driving dramatically. We must remember that many people commute 50 to 70 miles a day just to go to work. The money is coming out of the household budget. Some people spend more in gas than they do working, especially if they work part time.
Continue reading Brent Crude Hits $116 per Barrel
Posted Mar 2nd 2011 12:20PM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Middle East, Market Matters, Commodities, Federal Reserve
Gold has been lingering around the $1,335 per ounce for the past several weeks. This prompted many hedge funds to sell their holdings.
Then came the turmoil in the Mideast. First Tunisia and Egypt, now Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and others. That was the catalyst that gold needed. It shot to a new record high of $1,432.10 in the spot market. April gold futures settled at $1,431.20 per ounce, as reported in Reuters.
Continue reading Gold Soars to a Record High on Mideast Turmoil
Posted Feb 22nd 2011 10:00AM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: International Markets, Middle East, Commodities, Oil, Headline News
Oil is the life blood of the world economy. The turmoil in Libya and throughout the Middle East is threatening the stability of the entire world. "Oil prices were in the danger zone and could rise further, if turmoil continued in the Middle East," Fatih Birol of the International Energy Agency said, according to Reuters. "Oil prices are a serious risk for the global economic recovery."
As of 8:30 EDT, Brent crude is trading at $106.66 per barrel, up 92 cents. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped $6.29 per barrel to $96.00. Keep in mind that while U.S. markets were closed Monday, oil traded higher across other world markets.
Continue reading Brent, U.S. Crude at 2.5-Year Highs on Mideast Turmoil
Posted Feb 22nd 2011 8:30AM by Jason Raznick (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Earnings Reports, Wal-Mart (WMT), Home Depot (HD), Middle East, Office Depot (ODP), Oil

U.S. stock futures are lower this morning as unrest continues in the major oil-producing state of Libya. Futures for the
Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 100 points to 12,275.00, while those for the S&P 500 index dropped 16.6 points to 1,325.60. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 declined 36 points to 2,359.00.
U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining 0.59% the Nasdaq 100 index rising 0.08% and S&P 500 index gaining 0.19%. U.S. markets were closed on Monday for the Presidents' Day holiday.
Data on Case-Shiller
home prices for February will be released at 9 a.m. ET. However, the February Conference Board consumer-confidence survey will be released at 10 a.m. ET.
Continue reading U.S. Stock Futures Down on Libya Unrest
Posted Dec 14th 2010 4:00PM by Sheldon Liber (RSS feed)
Filed under: International Markets, Competitive Strategy, Exxon Mobil (XOM), China, Brazil, Middle East, Boeing Co (BA), Chevron Corp (CVX), ConocoPhillips (COP), Lockheed Martin (LMT), PetroChina Co Ltd ADR (PTR), Chasing Value™, Oil, General Dynamics Corp (GD), Northrop Grumman (NOC), Raytheon Company (RTN), Petroleo Brasileiro (PBR), Stock Picks, Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A)

We at BloggingStocks and everywhere else make the full gambit of prognostications, suggestions, predictions, guesses, analogies, and so forth in an attempt to improve potential investment opportunities for all our readers and provoke discussion.
All of this has its limits, but, if you are a fan of Professor Nassim NicholasTaleb and his best seller
The Black Swan then you already have been warned that the events that have the greatest impact on our lives and our investments are most often unpredictable. We cannot predict the future nor can we anticipate the tragedies that will tank our portfolio's.
While I do believe predicting the future is, how should I say, futile, there are general clues as to which way the wind blows.
Continue reading Chasing Value: You Must Own Defense and Oil for Safety
Posted May 26th 2010 6:00PM by Michael Fowlkes (RSS feed)
Filed under: International Markets, Good news, Russia, Middle East, Economic Data, Oil, Housing, Recession, Financial Crisis

Oil prices have rebounded from yesterday's sell off, despite a
larger than expected increase in oil inventories last week.
As we noted yesterday, analysts were expecting to see a 250,000 barrel increase in reserves last week, but the Department of Energy reported today that inventories actually rose by a much greater 2.4 million barrels.
Continue reading Oil Prices Rebound Despite Bearish Inventory Report
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