Stock Futures are Little Changed as Post Election Rally Shows Signs of Wavering
U.S. stock futures were little changed Wednesday night, as the major...
U.S. stock futures were little changed Wednesday night, as the major averages’ postelection run began to show signs of stalling.
On Wednesday, the 30-stock Dow and S&P 500 closed out the regular session near the flatline, with the former rising 47.21 points, or 0.11%, and the latter eking out a 0.02% gain. The Nasdaq Composite ended the session down by 0.26%.
Those moves come after the October consumer price index came in as expected, but nevertheless signaled the Federal Reserve’s fight against inflation is yet to be won. Core CPI rose by 0.3% for a third straight month, with the 12-month rate at 3.3%.
Oil Rebounds Slightly on Short-Covering as Stong Dollar Caps Gains
(Reuters) - Oil prices rebounded slightly on Wednesday...
(Reuters) - Oil prices rebounded slightly on Wednesday on short-covering a day after they fell near a two-week low on OPEC's reduced demand forecast, but gains were limited as the dollar hit a seven-month high.
Brent crude futures settled up 39 cents, or 0.5%, to $72.28 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude(WTI) futures gained 31 cents, or 0.5%, to $68.43.
On Tuesday, the benchmarks closed at their lowest level in nearly two weeks after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries lowered its global oil demand growth forecasts for 2024 and 2025, citing weak demand in China, India, and other regions. It was the producer group's fourth straight downward revision for 2024.
"The forecast is no doubt bearish and the market is still digesting it," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho, adding the market bounced back as some speculative investors tried to recoup losses.
Both U.S. and global oil production are set to rise to slightly larger record highs this year than prior forecasts, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said.
U.S. oil output is now expected to average 13.23 million barrels per day (bpd) this year and global production is set to reach 102.6 million bpd.
Liberty Energy’s Chris Wright is Harold Hamm's Top Choice for Energy Secretary
Liberty Energy co-founder, chairman and CEO Chris Wright is wildcatter...
Liberty Energy co-founder, chairman and CEO Chris Wright is wildcatter Harold Hamm’s top choice for U.S. energy secretary in the new Trump White House, Hamm told Hart Energy in an exclusive interview.
Hamm, who was previously offered the energy secretary position in the prior Trump administration, was an early supporter of Trump's first presidential run and has been a large financial supporter of all three Trump campaigns.
Hamm said another pick for DOE secretary could be North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum with whom he has worked closely in the Williston Basin’s Bakken play and on Continental Resources’ development of the Summit Carbon Solutions project, which aims to sequester CO2 in the state.
Inflation ticked up slightly on an annual basis in October, the latest evidence that while cost increases were coming under control, they were not entirely vanquished.
The Consumer Price Index, released on Wednesday, climbed 2.6 percent from a year earlier, higher than September’s 2.4 percent. And after food and fuel prices were stripped out to give a better sense of the underlying inflation trend, “core” inflation held steady at 3.3 percent.
WTI crude oil prices remained near their November lows, trading around $68.39 per barrel Wednesday morning, as bearish market factors capped any gains during yesterday's session. In the physical market, indicators suggest a supply glut is emerging sooner than expected, while the futures market is displaying signs of oversupply. Additionally, OPEC reduced its demand growth forecasts for the fourth consecutive month, and the strong US dollar made commodities priced in the currency less attractive.
Despite some activity in the physical market supporting the Dated Brent benchmark, the overall outlook for oil remains weak. Global supply is expected to outpace demand next year, and China's latest economic measures fell short of direct stimulus while inflation remains subdued. Traders continue to monitor tensions in the Middle East, the possibility of a second Trump presidency, and OPEC+ production decisions, all of which contribute to the choppy trading environment in the mid-$60s to mid-$70s range.
