Crude Oil Rebounds Slightly –

Posted on 24. July 2012 by Jim Sutliff

Crude oil rebounded slightly in Tuesday trading after falling 4% on Monday.  Manufacturing data from China helped to boost the price of crude oil which settled at $88.50 a barrel.  Euro zone economies are still weighing on the market with Eurpoean manufacturing numbers indicating weakness.  U.S. crude inventory data is expected to show a decline of 800,000 barrels on Thursday.

To read a related Wall Street Journal article, please click here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120724-713877.html

James Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Bonds, Economic News, Gasoline, General, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Import Prices Fall –

Posted on 15. July 2012 by Jim Sutliff

Import prices in June fell by the most since December 2008.  The drop in import prices was the sixth decline in the last seven months.  Import prices were driven lower by a drop in the cost of imported oil.

To read a related MSN Money article, please click here:

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=OBR&Date=20120712&ID=15323199&topic=TOPIC_ECONOMIC_INDICATORS&isub=3

Jim Sutliff

Posted in Economic News, General, Investments, Trading | Leave a comment

Euro & Oil Rise –

Posted on 9. July 2012 by Jim Sutliff

The Euro climbed in trading on Monday and rebounded from lows reached on Friday.  The rally may be brief and the Euro could come under more pressure before the end of the summer.  Oil also rose on Monday with Brent crude reaching $100 a barrel and U.S. crude trading near $86 a barrel.  A potential lockout that would shut Norway oil production is driving up Brent crude prices.

To read a related Fox Business article, please click here:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2012/07/09/oil-edges-up-on-norway-strike/

James Sutliff

Posted in Currency, Economic News, Euro, General, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Treasury Yields Shift On EU Agreement –

Posted on 2. July 2012 by Jim Sutliff

Treasury yields rose on the recent European Union agreement for Spain and Italy.  Treasury yields were trading late last week at slightly under 1.65%.  However, Treasury yields may reverse in the near term as investors evaluate economic conditions in the European Union.

To read a related Wall Street Journal article, please click here:

http://topics.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120702-704860.html?mod=WSJ_Banking_middleHeadlines

Jim Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Bonds, Currency, Economic News, Euro, General, Investments, Trading, Treasury | Leave a comment

Euro Plan Sends Oil Higher –

Posted on 30. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

European leaders announced plans to address the debt crisis and the news was well received by investors.  U.S. and European stocks rose and crude oil increased by over 9%.  Crude oil traded at almost 85$ a barrel on Friday which was a gain of over 7$.  Gasoline also rose and increased almost 5% and natural gas rose by almost 4%.

To read a related MSN Money article, please click here:

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&Date=20120629&ID=15285268&industry=IND_ENERGY&isub=

James Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Bonds, Currency, Economic News, Euro, Gasoline, General, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Stocks, Trading, Treasury | Leave a comment

Pending Home Sales Index Rises –

Posted on 27. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

The National Association of Realtors Pending Home Sales Index rose to 101.1 in May.  The 5.9% increase in May moved the index to a two year high.  The two year high was also reached in March and previously in April 2010.

To read a related Fox Business article, please click here:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/2012/06/27/pending-home-sales-rise-in-may/

Jim Sutliff

Posted in Economic News, General | Leave a comment

Brent Crude Rises –

Posted on 26. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

A strike by Norwegian oil workers helped to drive Brent crude higher on Tuesday.  Brent crude rose over $2 a barrel in London trading and settled over $93 a barrel.  U.S. crude oil was only slightly higher in trading.  The strike has lowered oil output from the North Sea by 150,000 barrels a day.

To read a related Fox Business article, please click here:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2012/06/26/oil-sees-mixed-reactions/

James Sutliff

Posted in General, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Euro Debt Crisis Drives Crude Oil Lower –

Posted on 25. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

The European debt crisis continued to weigh on crude oil prices in Monday trading.  Crude oil prices fell below $79 ahead of a two day meeting of European Union leaders.  Oil also fell as Tropical Storm Debby showed signs of weakening.  Oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico are expected to resume production early this week.

To read a related Fox Business article, please click here:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2012/06/25/oil-falls-with-skepticism-over-euro-growth/

Jim Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Bonds, Currency, Economic News, Euro, General, Investments, Natural Gas, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Spain Bond Yields Rise Above 7% –

Posted on 18. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

Yields rose for Spanish bonds and traded above 7% on Monday.  The Euro also came under pressure and traded below $1.26 after rising in early trading.  The Euro also fell in trading against the Japanese Yen.  Election results in Greece worked to support a brief rally for the Euro before pulling back later in the trading day.

To read a related MarketWatch article, please click here:

http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-06-18/markets/32279993_1_austerity-and-structural-reform-euro-zone-banking-sector

James Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Bonds, Currency, Economic News, Euro, General, Interest Rates, Investments, Options & Futures, Trading, Treasury | Leave a comment

OPEC Holds Output Steady –

Posted on 15. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

OPEC has announced that the production ceiling will remain unchanged at 30 million barrels a day.  OPEC output for the month of May was above the production ceiling at 31.75 million barrels a day.  Global economic growth concerns were a contributing factor in leaving the production ceiling at the current level.  Crude oil traded slightly above $84 a barrel.

To read a related MarketWatch article, please click here:

http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-06-14/markets/32218693_1_opec-official-ceiling-jobless-claims

Jim Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Economic News, General, Investments, Oil, OPEC, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Crude Oil Falls Below $83 –

Posted on 13. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

Crude oil fell and hit an eight month low in trading on Wednesday.  Crude oil settled at $82.62 a barrel after the Energy Information Administration indicated that crude oil fell 200,000 barrels last week.  In addition, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will meet in Vienna on Thursday and are expected to maintain production levels.   Currently, OPEC production for May was 31.58 million barrels a day.

Gasoline inventories fell last week and dropped 1.7 million barrels.  Distillates also declined and fell 100,000 barrels.  Analysts expected increases in gasoline inventories as well as Distillates.

To read a related Wall Street Journal article, please click here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120613-712349.html

James Sutliff

Posted in Economic News, Gasoline, General, Investments, Oil, OPEC, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment

Stocks Advance –

Posted on 11. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

The Dow Jones Industrial Average came out of the gate strong and gained almost 100 points before pulling back in Monday morning trading.  Traders viewed European support for Spain banks positively and European markets were also higher.  Elections in Greece will take place on June 17th and may affect positions at the end of the trading week.

To read a related Fox Business article, please click here:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2012/06/11/stocks-jump-after-eu-signals-support-for-spanish-banks/

Jim Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Bonds, Currency, Economic News, Euro, General, Investments, Stocks, Trading | Leave a comment

Gold Tumbles –

Posted on 8. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

Gold tumbled in trading on Thursday and fell $46.20 an ounce to $1,588.  Silver and copper also fell in trading on Thursday.  Gold rebounded slightly on Friday and increased $7.10 an ounce.

To read a related Bloomberg Businessweek article, please click here:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-06/D9V8GNIO0.htm

James Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Currency, Economic News, Federal Reserve, General, Investments, Natural Gas, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading, Treasury | Leave a comment

Treasury Yields Drop –

Posted on 3. June 2012 by Jim Sutliff

Treasury Yields finished the week lower on Thursday as well as Friday.  Yields for the ten year Treasury fell below 1.50% by the end of the week.  Investors shifted to the safety of US Treasuries as concerns grew regarding the European debt crisis.  Yields for German government bonds were also forced lower in trading .

To read a related Wall Street Journal article, please click here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120531-714914.html

Jim Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Bonds, Economic News, General, Interest Rates, Investments, Trading, Treasury | Leave a comment

Crude Oil Closes Below $90 –

Posted on 30. May 2012 by Jim Sutliff

Crude oil fell slightly on Tuesday and closed below $90 a barrel.  Traders weighed European economic concerns and the possibility of rising levels of crude oil inventory.  The Euro was also trading lower against the U.S. Dollar.

To read a related Wall Street Journal article, please click here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120530-705682.html

James Sutliff

Posted in Banking, Currency, Earnings, Economic News, Euro, General, Investments, Oil, Options & Futures, Trading | Leave a comment