Tadawul Group’s Move Ignites Competition in Commodity Trading via DME Investment

The global commodity markets are undergoing a significant restructuring, driven by factors such as the energy transition, evolving geopolitical alliances, financial constraints, and heightened concerns about supply chains. Arab financial markets are now stepping into the forefront after years of gradual growth by leading national oil companies (NOCs) in commodity trading, exemplified by Aramco Trading and ADNOC Global Trading/Trading. Arab financial institutions are increasingly exploring the potential role of the region in the energy-transition-related…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Tadawul-Groups-Move-Ignites-Competition-in-Commodity-Trading-via-DME-Investment.html

Green Steelmaking Transition Triggers Job Cuts at Tata Steel

Tata Steel has confirmed its intention to cut up to 2,800 job at the Port Talbot steelworks in South Wales, with nearly 90 per cent of redundancies falling in the next 18 months. The slashes, first reported late yesterday, come as part of a transition to make the steel-making site greener by decommissioning its blast furnaces and replacing them with electric arc furnaces The Indian steel giant plans to “maximise” voluntary redundancy before seeking any compulsory reductions in workforce and plans to support those laid off with a £130m…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Green-Steelmaking-Transition-Triggers-Job-Cuts-at-Tata-Steel.html

North Dakota Oil Output To Be Lower For Another Month: State Regulator

It might be another month before crude oil production in North Dakota returns to normal, the state regulator said on Friday. Extreme weather has eaten into crude oil production in North Dakota to the tune of hundreds of thousands of barrels so far—with the cold weather creating power outages and shutting down oil refineries. It has essentially cut crude oil production in North Dakota by half, cutting out 650,000 bpd from its typical 1.24 million bpd of oil production. The North Dakota Pipeline Authority said on Friday that production was…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/North-Dakota-Oil-Output-To-Be-Lower-For-Another-Month-State-Regulator.html

Brent Backwardation Increases as Red Sea Hostilities Continue

The crude oil markets—including some physical markets—are showing signs of tightening as concerns about crude oil transit times due to bypassing the volatile Red Sea continue to drag on, traders, analysts, and LSEG data now show. Historically, turmoil in the Middle East have caused crude oil prices to spike—sometimes in a big way, even if only temporarily. This time around, oil prices have become more resilient and haven’t moved much over the past month, despite the significant conflict in the Red Sea that has caused many…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Brent-Backwardation-Increases-as-Red-Sea-Hostilities-Continue.html

US Oil, Gas Drillers Add 1 Rig Despite Freezing Temps

The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States rose this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday. The total rig count rose by 1 to 620 this week, compared to 771 rigs this same time last year. The number of oil rigs fell by 2 this week, settling at 497–down by 116 compared to this time last year. The number of gas rigs rose by 3 this week to 120, a loss of 36 active gas rigs from this time last year. Miscellaneous rigs stayed at 3. Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil production rose to an average…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/US-Oil-Gas-Drillers-Add-1-Rig-Despite-Freezing-Temps.html

EU Authority Drafts Guidelines for Banks to Manage ESG Risks

European banks should integrate environmental, social, and governance risks in their regular risk management framework, the European Banking Authority (EBA) said this week in draft guidelines on the management of ESG risks. The European authority published a consultation paper on its draft proposals for banks as it launched a public consultation that will run until April 18, 2024.    According to the EBA, climate change, environmental degradation, social issues, and other ESG factors pose “considerable challenges for the…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/EU-Authority-Drafts-Guidelines-for-Banks-to-Manage-ESG-Risks.html

California Solar Industry Faces Cash Crunch Amid Policy Change

The solar industry in California is facing significant headwinds following the implementation of a new policy in April, which reduced incentives that had encouraged homeowners to install solar systems.  Bloomberg reports the California Solar & Storage Association has found about 63% of its 400 solar installer members have reported cash flow issues because the new policy crushed consumer demand.  Since last April, sales of rooftop solar systems across the state have crashed 85% in the most recent months of 2023 compared to similar…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Solar-Energy/California-Solar-Industry-Faces-Cash-Crunch-Amid-Policy-Change.html

SLB Lifts Dividend as Strong International Drilling Boosts Earnings

Oilfield services giant SLB (NYSE: SLB) raised its quarterly cash dividend after reporting on Friday higher-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter, driven by what it described as “substantial international growth” in drilling activity.    SLB said its fourth-quarter earnings per share (EPS), excluding charges and credits, stood at $0.86, up by 10% sequentially and 21% year-on-year. This beat the analyst consensus of $0.84 compiled by The Wall Street Journal. SLB reported fourth-quarter revenue of…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/SLB-Lifts-Dividend-as-Strong-International-Drilling-Boosts-Earnings.html

Precious Metal Prices Trade Sideways After Short-Lived Rally

Via Metal Miner The Global Precious Metals MMI (Monthly Metals Index) ended 2023 by breaking out of its sideways trend and rising 3.64%. However, most precious metals still lack strong bullish action. All precious metals retracted in January after experiencing rallies throughout December. Currently, precious metals prices, for the most part, lack the strength needed to break out their long-term sideways or downward trends. Precious Metals Prices: Palladium While palladium prices jumped in late Q4, the overall long-term downtrend quickly rejected…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Metals/Gold/Precious-Metal-Prices-Trade-Sideways-After-Short-Lived-Rally.html

Qatar to Offer Cheaper LNG to India in New Long-Term Supply Deal

QatarEnergy and India are expected to sign soon a new long-term LNG supply deal under which Qatar is set to offer cheaper and more flexible supply to the Asian customer, Reuters reported on Friday, citing trade sources.    Qatar, one of the world’s top LNG exporters, prefers to sign long-term agreements with its buyers and has given its Indian customers until the end of 2023 to negotiate possible extension and/or renewal of the current agreements beyond 2028.    India, for its part, plans to significantly increase its…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Qatar-to-Offer-Cheaper-LNG-to-India-in-New-Long-Term-Supply-Deal.html

Red Tape Is Undermining European Clean Energy Projects

Clean energy projects across the EU are failing to reach completion due to red tape, Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade, the chief executive of Portugal’s biggest utility, Energias de Portugal (EDP), told Reuters at the Davos economic forum. While the European Commission has laid the project execution and subsidy criteria at the EU level with “great vision”, “The crux is the national governments transposing them,” d’Andrade told Reuters on the sidelines of the forum in Davos.  Red tape regarding clean energy projects,…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Red-Tape-Is-Undermining-European-Clean-Energy-Projects.html

Geopolitical Risk Keeps Oil Markets on Edge

March West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures have been oscillating within a narrow $8.00 range, displaying resilience in the face of various market forces. Despite this confinement, the market has managed to register a small gain for the week. In the short term, traders will keep a close watch on the array of elements shaping the oil market, such as evolving tensions in the Middle East, fluctuations in U.S. production, and shifts in global demand. These factors are crucial for understanding both the present situation and future trends…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Geopolitical-Risk-Keeps-Oil-Markets-on-Edge.html

U.S. Oil Production Flatlines

1. US Oil Production Flatlines as Shale Drilling Falters- US unconventional crude supply is expected to remain flat in February for the third straight month, declining by a mere 2,000 b/d to 9.68 million b/d as the country’s rig count is still yet to see a rebound. – The EIA expected bigger month-on-month declines in 2024, but productivity gains in the Permian, Appalachia, and Haynesville have surprised to the upside. – The Permian Basin remains the only major play to see its production increase, improving marginally to 5.974 million b/d…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/US-Oil-Production-Flatlines.html

Media Reports Exaggerate the Risk of a Major War

Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict In northern Iraq, an Iranian missile this week targeted what Tehran claimed to be an Israeli spy center in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. More than half a dozen explosions resulted in the death of at least four people in residential areas. The nature of the attack sparked condemnation from Baghdad, which recalled its ambassador to Tehran. We won’t spend too much time on the German tabloid report on the imminent war between NATO and Russia. Bild, the German tabloid, has (as intended) started a viral…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Media-Reports-Exaggerate-the-Risk-of-a-Major-War.html

Tesla Is Approaching a Tipping Point

Next week, on Wednesday, January 24th to be exact, Tesla will report their calendar Q4 2023 earnings. For many traders and investors, Tesla’s earnings are big news every quarter but to be honest, I have never really paid them much attention. I have maintained a long position in TSLA for many years, off of which I have traded. I have trimmed it periodically when I thought the stock was overbought and added to it when it looked oversold. That has worked quite well, in part because Tesla is so divisive that it has regularly swung from one of…

Read more at: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Tesla-Is-Approaching-a-Tipping-Point.html

S&P 500 rallies 1% to all-time high, surpassing previous record set in 2022: Live updates

The major averages rose Friday, as the S&P 500 traded around the 4,800 level to break its previous record intraday high.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/18/stock-market-today-live-updates.html

This record-breaking market just keeps going higher and higher. Here’s why

Prospects for a slowing economy, geopolitical unrest and turmoil in Washington aren’t scaring market participants.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/this-record-breaking-market-just-keeps-going-higher-and-higher-heres-why.html

A stealth inflationary cost is hitting corporate profits and consumer wallets

While some companies are now seeing lower input and freight costs, one expense that is not falling is insurance costs.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/insurance-costs-hit-corporate-earnings-at-travelers-and-jb-hunt.html

Stellantis CEO says automaker won’t sell EVs at a loss like other carmakers

Stellantis currently has 25 EVs available globally and expects to launch another 23 by the end of this year.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/stellantis-ceo-says-automaker-wont-sell-evs-at-a-loss.html

The S&P 500 tops a record high that ‘clears the charts’ of resistance ahead of a week of earnings, inflation data

Technical analysts take the milestone as a bullish development for equities even amid lingering concerns of slowing economic growth.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/the-sp-500-tops-a-record-high-that-clears-the-charts-of-resistance.html

JetBlue to cut some routes as it pushes for profitability

JetBlue is focusing on leisure routes and will add service in the Caribbean and to Paris, after a judge rejected its purchase of Spirit Airlines.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/jetblue-to-cut-some-routes-after-judge-bars-spirit-purchase.html

Super Micro shares soar more than 30% to record on uplifting preliminary results

Super Micro shares surged to an all-time high on Friday after the company, which manufactures servers, provided optimistic preliminary results.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/super-micro-smci-jumps-on-q2-preliminary-earnings.html

Air freight volumes soar as Red Sea delays, risks make more big retailers, auto companies nervous

Companies including retailers and carmakers are shifting cargo away from the Red Sea as Houthi attacks persist, leading to a big spike in air freight volumes.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/air-freight-soars-as-red-sea-vessel-risks-make-more-shippers-nervous.html

Alec Baldwin faces renewed manslaughter charges over 2021 ‘Rust’ movie set shooting

New Mexico prosecutors have recharged Alec Baldwin with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal 2021 shooting on the set of “Rust.”

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/alec-baldwin-faces-renewed-manslaughter-charges-over-2021-rust-movie-set-shooting.html

Yoga wars heat up as Levi’s Beyond Yoga taps former Athleta CEO, Gap veteran as next chief executive

Levi Strauss’ Beyond Yoga has tapped former Athleta CEO and Gap veteran Nancy Green to be its next chief executive as the company looks to scale.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/beyond-yoga-names-athleta-gap-veteran-nancy-green-ceo.html

Apple $3,499 Vision Pro headset now available to order ahead of Feb. 2 release

Preorders for Apple’s Vision Pro headset become available Thursday, ahead of its U.S. release on Feb. 2.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/apples-vision-pro-preorders-live-price-specs-release-date.html

For 2024, the quiet luxury trend is out and ‘loud budgeting’ is in — here’s how to make the most of it

TikTok’s loud budgeting trend encourages consumers to take control of their finances and be vocal about making money-conscious decisions.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/quiet-luxury-is-out-loud-budgeting-is-in-how-to-make-the-most-of-it.html

December home sales slump to close out worst year since 1995

December home sales were 6.2% lower than in the same month a year earlier.

Read more at: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/19/december-home-sales-slump-to-close-out-worst-year-since-1995.html

S&P 500 Surges To New All-Time High Despite Wrecked Rate-Cut Hopes

Good news’ was initially ‘bad news’ for stocks to start the week, but as ‘hard’ data surged, ‘soft’ data slumped…

Source: Bloomberg

…but the strong ‘hard’ data prompted a biig (hawkish) repricing of rate-cut expectations (initial timing and velocity)…

Source: Bloomberg

…and stocks didn’t care either way – we were getting to record highs on this large OpEx (Gamma unclench) no …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/sp-500-surges-new-all-time-high-despite-wrecked-rate-cut-hopes

$2 Billion In Subsidies, Only 2 EV Stations Opened, The Holdup Is ‘Social Justice’

Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com,

In yet another example of Biden incompetence, the administration is setting up rules making it harder to deliver EV charging stations…

Politicizing EV Charging StationsThe Wall Street Journal comments on The Politicized EV Charger ‘Revolution’

The government rollout of EV chargers has been a slow-motion affair, and as you’d expect the reason is politics. The feds are throwing billions of dollars to build charging stations, but they’ve added social-justice and union mandates that make the build-out more complicated than necessary.

It’s the latest payout from $7.5 billion in funding from the 2021 infrastructure spending blowout. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke of handin …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/2-billion-subsidies-only-2-ev-stations-opened-holdup-social-justice

Congressional Tax Deal Will Boost Deficit By $140 Billion: Here’s What’s In It

A bipartisan group of top Republicans and Democrats from the tax-writing committees in Congress reached agreement this week on a $78 billion package that would expand a tax benefit that provides money to parents and restore three popular expired business tax breaks. That combination offers both parties an opportunity to claim wins as voters begin to head to the polls ahead of the election in November.

Specifically, on Tuesday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Wyden (D-Or.) and House Ways and Means Chairman Smith (R-Mo.) announced an agreement to expand the child tax credit (CTC) and reinstate corporate tax provisions that the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) made less generous. Limits on further claims of the COVID-related employee retention tax credit (ERTC) would provide savings to reduce the budgetary impact of the changes.

According to an analysis by Goldman, the deal, which expands the child tax credit (CTC) and restores business tax incentives, reduces revenues by $78bn ( …

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/congressional-tax-deal-will-boost-deficit-140-billion-heres-whats-it

Trust Us, We’re The Media: Hunter’s Laptop Confirmed Authentic As Past-Deniers Double-Down On Censorship

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

After years of suppressing the story and casting doubts over its authenticity, many in the media in the last year have belatedly and reluctantly acknowledged that the Hunter Biden laptop is real. Some of us reached that conclusion years ago due to the self-authenticating emails confirmed by third parties. However, the denials and doubts have continued, including most recently by Rep. Dan Goldman (D., N.Y.) in hearings.

The Justice Department has now again confirmed the authenticity and added details on why these denials are unsupported.

This week, the Justice Department confirmed that the laptop was authenticated through forensic examination and a search warrant on Hunter’s Apple iCloud.

Read more at: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trust-us-were-media-hunters-laptop-confirmed-authentic-past-deniers-double-down

Fujitsu boss: We let society down over Post Office role

Paul Patterson told the Post Office inquiry Fujitsu wants to “get to the truth wherever it lays”.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68032435?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Port Talbot: Tata’s Steel 2,800 job cuts are ‘devastating’

A union says plans to replace Port Talbot blast furnaces will devastate local communities.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-68034598?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

US home sales see worst year since 1995

The number of homes sold dropped to the lowest in nearly three decades, as prices continued to climb.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68035274?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

RIL Q3 Scorecard: 7 key takeaways for D-St from conglomerate’s December quarter numbers

RIL reported a 9.3% YoY growth in consolidated net profit to Rs 17,265 crore, beating the estimate of Rs 16,944 crore. Consolidated revenue from operations grew 3.6% YoY to Rs 2.28 lakh crore, but was a tad lower than the estimated Rs 2.36 lakh crore.

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/ril-q3-result-takeaways-7-key-things-to-know-for-dalal-street-investors-from-the-fineprint/articleshow/106996027.cms

8 stocks from BNP Paribas’ top picks that have over 20% upside scope

BNP Paribas continues to prefer financial services, information technology and telecom, while having added logistics in its outperformance space. It expects consumer staples, pharma and autos to underperform given their rich valuations. Here are a few stocks from its top India picks that can rise over 20%. Take a look:

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/8-stocks-from-bnp-paribas-top-picks-that-have-over-20-upside-scope/stock-ideas/slideshow/106986692.cms

Kotak Bank Q3 result preview: PAT may grow 15% YoY on strong interest income, lower credit costs

Kotak Bank Q3 result preview: The private sector lender’s net profit for the quarter is seen rising 15.3% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 3,219 crore, and net interest income is likely to grow by nearly 14% YoY to Rs 6,416 crore, the average of estimates given by 12 brokerage firms showed.

Read more at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/earnings/kotak-bank-q3-result-preview-pat-may-grow-15-yoy-on-strong-interest-income-lower-credit-costs/articleshow/106978996.cms

S&P 500 closes at first record high in two years as tech fuels U.S. stocks

U.S. stocks finished higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 closing at a new record high for the first time in more than two years.

Read more at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-stock-futures-higher-with-s-p-500-eyeing-fresh-record-and-tech-set-to-lead-gains-f283f9b2?mod=mw_rss_topstories

Traders give up on a March rate cut by Fed as bond-market inflation expectations move higher

Traders are starting to throw in the towel on hopes that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in March, just as one of the bond market’s most closely followed measures of long-term inflation expectations is edging higher.

Read more at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/traders-give-up-on-a-march-rate-cut-by-fed-as-bond-market-inflation-expectations-move-higher-aa3ddd1c?mod=mw_rss_topstories

I want my son to inherit my $1.2 million house. Should I leave it to my second husband in my will? He promised to pass it on.

“Can my husband leave my house to his stepson with a step-up in basis?”

Read more at: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/i-want-my-son-to-inherit-my-1-2-million-house-should-i-leave-it-to-my-second-husband-in-my-will-he-promised-to-pass-it-on-94e4c79b?mod=mw_rss_topstories