The Bunker Review was contributed by Marine Bunker Exchange (MABUX)
MABUX World Bunker Index (consists of a range of prices for 380 HSFO, 180 HSFO and MGO (Gasoil) in the main world hubs) continued downward evolution on October 1.
380 HSFO - USD/MT 407.81 (-9.92)
180 HSFO - USD/MT 445.57 (-11.13)
MGO - USD/MT 663.83 (-4.75)
Meantime, world oil indexes also demonstrated irregular changes on Oct.1.
Brent for December settlement decreased by $1.89 to $58.89 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. West Texas Intermediate for November delivery fell by $0.45 to $53.62 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The Brent benchmark traded at the premium of 5.27 to WTI. Gasoil for October delivery decreased by 4.75.
Today indexes are steady on a surprise drop in U.S. crude inventories.
According to American Petroleum Institute U.S. crude stockpiles dropped sharply last week, by 5.9 million. It was expected a build of 1.57 million barrels. The Energy Information Administration's weekly oil inventories report is due at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) on Wednesday.
Oil prices are now below levels from before the Sept. 14 attacks on Saudi oil facilities as the world's largest oil exporter has restored its full oil production and capacity.Despite the attack, Saudi Aramco has succeeded in making all of its shipments in the month of September. The company also managed to restore its oil-production capacity to pre-attack levels, meeting an accelerated two-week timeline announced by the firm earlier this month.
Saudi oil output was cut in half by an attack on Aramco facilities, an attack that was allegedly orchestrated by Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran (though Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels initially took credit for it). In the wake of the attack, oil prices soared, as the kingdom warned that the equivalent of 5.5% of global production had been temporarily taken offline.
However, growing fears of stalling demand have proved more durable than concerns about supply squeezes due to tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. A drop in U.S. manufacturing activity fed concerns over a slowdown in energy demand. The Institute of Supply Management’s purchasing managers index posted its lowest reading in 10 years, falling to 47.8 from 49.1 in September and disappointing consensus forecasts of a rebound above 50. The day earlier, similar surveys from Japan to the euro zone and U.K. had also painted a picture of a global manufacturing sector still suffering from the fallout of the U.S.-China trade conflict, Brexit and other concerns.
Ecuador, meanwhile, announced plans to leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on Jan. 1, 2020 as its government seeks ways to boost revenue. At the same time, speaking at an event in Sochi, Russia, Barkindo, OPEC’s head, said that the OPEC+ alliance of OPEC and 10 non-OPEC producers led by Russia has served the interests of producers, consumers and the global economy over the past three years. The so-called ‘Charter of Cooperation’ of the 24 oil-producing countries could help the global oil market get through external shocks in the future, such as geopolitics, trade tensions, monetary policies, and natural disasters. He noticed that the United States, in its capacity of the world’s top oil producer, has a strategic stake in global supply and demand. The U.S., however, isn’t keen on market-managing policies, and President Trump has often called out OPEC for manipulating oil prices or for keeping them “artificially high.” Other major oil producers, including Canada, Brazil, and Norway, are not part and haven’t expressed desire to be part of the ‘Charter of Cooperation’ either. It’s growing oil supply from the U.S., Brazil, and Norway that has been offsetting OPEC’s efforts to rebalance the market and prop up oil prices.
Expect bunker prices to demonstrate downward changes today: 8-10 USD down for IFO, 3-5 USD down for MGO.