MABUX: Bunker Market review as of morning March 6
The Bunker Review was contributed by Marine Bunker Exchange
MABUX World Bunker Index (consists of a range of prices for 380 HSFO, 180 HSFO and MGO (Gasoil) in the main world hubs) demonstrated slight irregular changes on Mar. 05
380 HSFO - USD/MT 421.86 (+1.72)
180 HSFO - USD/MT 468.57 (+2.14)
MGO - USD/MT 640.64 (-3.22)
Oil prices ended flat on Tuesday; focus on OPEC-led output cuts, Libya oilfield
Oil prices hovered near flat on Tuesday as the market balanced OPEC-led efforts to tighten crude supply with the restart of Libya’s biggest oilfield and the prospect of weaker demand.
Investor hopes for an imminent trade deal between the United States and China also wavered on mixed comments from the White House.
“Oil is still waiting for a deal to come back to table with China,” said Phillip Streible, senior commodities strategist at RJO Futures.
Supply curbs by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies were helping to support crude futures. On Monday, Russia said it would speed up its output cuts this month. Also this week, OPEC sources said the group would likely extend its output cut pact that has driven oil prices about 20 percent higher this year.
The restart of Libya’s El Sharara oilfield pressured the oil market. The field, which has a capacity of 315,000 barrels a day in supply, had been closed since December.
“The oil market will... be slightly oversupplied again unless production is cut further or unscheduled outages occur elsewhere,” Commerzbank said in a report.
Trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing added to market uncertainty.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said President Donald Trump would reject any trade deal that is not perfect, but added the White House would keep working on an agreement.
A day earlier, reports that Washington and Beijing could reach a formal agreement in March boosted crude futures.
Oil Market's start Wednesday morning
Oil dips on U.S. stocks build, production outlook
Oil prices slipped on Wednesday as bullish output forecasts by two big U.S. producers and a build in weekly U.S. crude stockpiles outweighed ongoing OPEC-led production cuts.
Data from the American Petroleum Institute (API), an industry group, also showed larger-than-expected U.S. crude stockpiles.
U.S. crude inventories rose by 7.3 million barrels in the week ending March 1 to 451.5 million, compared with analysts’ expectations for an increase of 1.2 million barrels, API said. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 1.1 million barrels.
“An increase in U.S. crude inventories is weighing on oil prices and in the long term, concerns over rising oil production in the Permian region is keeping a lid on prices,” said Kim Kwang-rae, commodity analyst at Samsung Futures in Seoul.
Official data from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration is due later on Wednesday.
The rise in North American production undermines supply cut efforts led by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
OPEC and its allies pledged to curb output by 1.2 million barrels per day, and they are likely to push back their decision whether or not to extend the output cut agreement to June from April, according to sources.
Meanwhile, the market is looking for further signs that the United States and China are making progress in talks to resolve their trade conflict.
Oil Future close 5th March:
Brent: $65.86(+0.19)pbr Front month May
WTI: $56.56(-0.03)pbr Front month April
MGO: $619.25(-3.50)/mton Front month March
NY Harbor Ulsd: $$620.77(+0.65)/mton Front month April
Oil Futures trading GMT: 07.15; Brent:-37 cents, WTI:-36 cents
Expect bunker prices little change today due to Oil Future's almost flat closing last night.
