Oil prices finish higher after Trump's threat to buyers of crude from Venezuela
Oil futures settled higher on Monday after President...
Oil futures settled higher on Monday after President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that countries that purchase oil from Venezuela will face a 25% tariff on all of their imports to the U.S. starting April 2. He also imposed new tariffs on Venezuela, according to the Associated Press.
The decision to impose tariffs on buyers of crude from Venezuela is "based on the alleged arrival of tens of thousands of Venezuelan migrants with violent backgrounds, which has been presented as a threat to U.S. national security," said Antonio Di Giacomo, a financial markets analyst at XS.
He said the impact on the energy market was immediate. Prices climbed Monday, with the May contract for West Texas Intermediate crude up 83 cents, or 1.2%, to settle at $69.11 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. May Brent crude settled at $73 on ICE Futures Europe, up 84 cents, or 1.2%.
Stocks jumped Monday on optimism that President Donald...
Stocks jumped Monday on optimism that President Donald Trump may hold back from implementing some of his wide-ranging tariff plans and so the U.S. could skirt an economic slowdown from a protracted trade war.
The Dow Jones Industrial Averagejumped 597.97 points, or 1.42%, to end at 42,583.32. The S&P 500added 1.76% and closed at 5,767.57, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Compositegained 2.27% to settle at 18,188.59.
Shares of Teslawhich have fallen nine straight weeks, were up nearly 12%, adding to their Friday gains. Meta Platformsand Nvidia each climbed more than 3%.
As Stock Market Swoons Amid Tariff Fallout, Natural Gas Futures Prove Safe Haven
Despite spring weather and rapidly fading heating demand, natural gas futures hold strong at winter price...
Despite spring weather and rapidly fading heating demand, natural gas futures hold strong at winter price levels.
To be sure, seasonally soft supply in storage and record levels of export demand are key drivers. However, traders said a stock market slump has proved to be another bullish factor for natural gas prices over the past month.
Phillips 66's Lake Charles refinery may get $99M upgrade
Phillips 66 is pursuing a $99 million expansion of its 264,000-barrel-per-day...
Phillips 66 is pursuing a $99 million expansion of its 264,000-barrel-per-day Lake Charles refinery in Louisiana, with proposed upgrades ranging from a steam turbine power generator to a naphtha fractionator. The project, under review for state tax incentives, could be finalized in late 2027.
Mesa Minerals IV Launches New Acquisition Initiative
Mesa Minerals IV has officially...
Mesa Minerals IV has officially launched to acquire mineral and royalty interests in the Haynesville Shale, Permian Basin, and other plays, as announced by CEO Darin Zanovich at Hart Energy's 2025 DUG Gas Conference & Expo in Shreveport.
NGP's latest royalty fund financially backs the new venture and follows the success of Mesa Minerals III, which built a substantial portfolio including approximately 6,000 net royalty acres in the Permian Basin and 16,000 net royalty acres in the Haynesville.
While Mesa III has been temporarily sidelined with plans for NGP to market its portfolio in the future, the company is expanding its focus beyond the Permian Basin due to high asking prices for oil-weighted assets there.
This continues the Mesa franchise's established presence in the Haynesville play, where both Mesa I and II previously built and successfully sold mineral positions to Franco-Nevada Corp.