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Oil closes above $70 on gasoline concerns and global tensions

We have been expecting to see this for a few days now, and today oil was finally able to close the session above the psychological $70 mark at $70.55, gaining $0.98 on the session. Earlier in the day prices were able to trade as high as $71.06 before settling down a bit to head into the weekend.

Today's close above $70 marks the first time in almost a year that prices have been at this level, with the last time oil was above $70 being back in August '06. The primary reasons behind the move today were more of the same that we have seen lately... concerns over gasoline surprises and political tensions around the globe.

American refineries have been the center of attention over the past couple of months with concerns over how well refineries are going to be able to keep up with the growing demand during the peak summer driving months. This week those concerns were once again brought to the surface after the weekly inventory numbers out of the Energy Department showed n unexpected decline in gasoline supplies. Analysts had been expecting to see a rise of 1.1 million barrels when in fact the numbers showed that gasoline stocks fell by 700,000 barrels.

Continue reading Oil closes above $70 on gasoline concerns and global tensions

$70 oil is here

Over the past couple of weeks I have been saying that we would be seeing $70 oil by the end of the month and today we have seen just that. After breaking through the psychological $70 barrier to hit a high on the day of $70.09, prices since have retreated slightly to $69.97

The main reason behind this push above the $70 mark is yesterday's oil inventory report from the Energy Department that showed a drop in gasoline inventories. Gasoline levels have been the center of attention lately since American refineries have been unable to keep production capacity stable above 90% as we head into the peak summer driving months.

Last week we were treated to a massive increase in gasoline supplies, but this week the numbers turned against us once again. Analysts had been expecting to see supplies increase, but what we saw was a decline of 700,000 barrels (analysts had been hoping to see a 1.1 million barrel increase).

Continue reading $70 oil is here

Oil rises on Nigerian strike

After yesterday's one day sell off in oil, prices have once again moved to the upside in today's trading. The main reason for the upward move today comes from Nigeria, where a strike has created supply fears and pushed oil back up over $69 a barrel.

We discussed on Monday that things in Nigeria have been tense for a while, and that the country's oil unions were planning to start a strike yesterday in reaction to increases in automobile fuel prices by the government. The strike got under way yesterday and has the potential to halt close to 2 million barrels a day from the country.

With all of the other upward pressure on oil these days, a 2 million barrel a day cut from Nigeria is definitely going to force prices higher. As we started out this week it looked as though seeing prices trading above $70 by the weekend was pretty much a no brainer, then yesterday's rise in inventories helped bring prices down and had many analysts out there starting to claim that oil was in danger of topping out. I don't agree with that idea just yet and stated yesterday that I thought it was going to be a quick pullback and then we would get back into the current rally. With today's move, it's looking much more likely that we'll see prices cross through the psychological $70 barrier tomorrow.

Continue reading Oil rises on Nigerian strike

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Last updated: March 13, 2010: 02:32 PM

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