Trump's complaint about the trade deficit with EU and what could come next
Donald Trump, President of the United StatesTrump has pledged to reduce a long-standing trade deficit between the United States and the European Union. He says he will do this by imposing tariffs, or forcing the EU to buy more U.S. gas and oil. In a memo entitled "America First Trade Policy", issued by Trump on his first day in the White House, he directed the Commerce and Treasury Departments and the U.S. Trade Rep to investigate the goods trade deficit and recommend measures before April.
Portugal imports more US and Nigerian LNG in order to stop Russian supplies
The Portuguese government plans to buy more liquefied gas (LNG), mainly from the United States, and Nigeria to replace its already diminishing Russian supplies. This was announced by Environment Minister Maria da Graca Carvalho on Tuesday. Data from the electricity and gas grid operator REN show that Portugal will import 49,141 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2024. Of this, 96% is LNG. About 40% of these LNG deliveries came from the United States, and about 4.4% from Russia. In 2021, Russia will account for 15% of Portugal’s LNG.
IEA: Global gas markets will remain tight due to rising demand
LONDON (Jan. 21) - The global natural gas market will remain tight in 2019 as the demand for gas increases and production grows slower than it did before the energy crises of 2022 and 2020-2021. This was revealed by a report released on Tuesday by the International Energy Agency. Political factors have exacerbated the volatility of gas prices, including the uncertainty surrounding the energy policy of U.S. president Donald Trump and possible disruptions of Middle Eastern supply.
Finland: Russia's Baltic oil exports have fallen 10% following EU sanctions
The Finnish Border Guard reported that the Russian oil exports via the Baltic Sea dropped by 10% in the final four months of 2024 as the EU sanctions on Russian oil and gas were implemented. Baltic Sea nations have been put on high alert following disruptions in power cables, gas pipelines, and telecom links since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine 2022. Some of these disruptions are linked to tanker activities. Finland's Coast Guard is also monitoring the shadow fleet used by Russia to export oil through the Gulf of Finland.
SLB's Russia business aligns itself with US sanctions as revenues drop
SLB, an oilfield services provider, said on Friday that its current business in Russia aligns with the U.S. sanctioned this month but revenue is declining in Russia. After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, one of only a few Western companies that will remain in Russia is the world's largest oilfield services company. SLB faces pressure to leave Russia following the U.S. Treasury Department's new sanctions on Jan. 10. These included an executive order that cut off Russia’s access to U.S.
The US sanctions against Russia have caused a spike in global diesel prices
Analysts and LSEG data indicate that global diesel prices and refinery margins increased following the latest round U.S. sanctions against Russia's oil market on the expectation of tightening supplies. On Jan. 10, the United States imposed their toughest sanctions yet against Russian producers and tanks to reduce the revenue of the No. 2 oil exporter in world. The United States used the revenue of Russia's No. 2 oil exporter to fund its war in Ukraine.
British Business - January 17
These are the most popular stories in the British business pages. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports. BP announced on Thursday that it would cut 5% or more of its global workforce as part of the CEO Murray Auchincloss efforts to reduce costs, and restore investor confidence in BP. Rio Tinto has held preliminary talks with Glencore about merging their businesses. This would create a commodities titan, valued at around $158 billion.
Trump's nominee for Interior Department says that boosting energy is key to US security
Doug Burgum, Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Interior Department said on Thursday that he would vigorously pursue President-elect Trump's goals to maximize energy production from U.S. Public Lands and Waters, calling it a key to national security. Burgum's remarks to lawmakers at his nomination hearing indicate a sharp change in policy. For years, President Joe Biden tried to limit oil-and-gas drilling by reducing federal leasing auctions and prohibiting future development in certain offshore waters in order to combat climate change.
Trump's nominee for Interior supports drilling on federal land
Doug Burgum, the nominee for Secretary of Interior by Donald Trump, will tell Congress during his nomination hearing Thursday that he is committed to maximizing energy production on America's public land and waters. He will call this a key element of national security. The comments are a sign of a policy shift that is about to occur. President Joe Biden tried for years to limit oil and gas drilling in federal waters by reducing federal auctions and prohibiting future development. This was part of his strategy to combat climate change.
Prices lower in Europe due to softer demand and higher renewables
Dutch and British wholesale prices of gas fell on Thursday, amid forecasts for higher wind and solar production and a softer demand. However, prices may be affected by changes in energy policy as Donald Trump assumes the U.S. presidency next week. According to LSEG, the benchmark front-month contract for the Dutch TTF Hub dropped by 0.80 euros to 46.20 Euro per Megawatt Hour (MWh) or $13.94 per mmBtu by 0933 GMT. The Dutch day-ahead contracts was lower by 0.88 euros at 46.40 Euro/MWh.
China's lead in coal imports over India is the largest it has been in more than 10 years
China, the largest coal importer in the world, has extended its lead over India, No. The gap between China and India, the world's No. 2 coal buyer last year, was the largest since at least 2013. Customs data show. This helped cement its grip on global markets while also helping to stem a price slide. According to the International Energy Agency, global thermal coal prices are still 50% higher than average for the period 2017-19, despite a decline from the record highs reached after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Sources say that India's palm oils imports will hit a 5-year low on January due to negative margins.
India's palm-oil imports will plunge to their lowest level in five years this January due to negative refining margins. The tropical oil's higher price than its rivals is driving buyers to soyoil which is more competitively priced, according to government and industry officials. The world's largest buyer of vegetable oil, Malaysia, could reduce palm oil imports and weigh down on Malaysian benchmark palm oil prices. However, this would support U.S. soybean oil futures.
TotalEnergies reports a slight improvement in the fourth-quarter refining profit margins
TotalEnergies said that it expects the fourth quarter 2024 results downstream to benefit from a slight improvement in refining profit margins. The French oil major made this announcement in its trading update. The European refining mark-up was $25.90 per ton of metric weight in the fourth quarter last year. This is up from $15.40 the previous quarter. It noted that the fall of $5 per barrel in oil prices is expected to have a negative impact on Exploration and Production in the fourth quarter.
The separatist enclave of Moldova hopes that Russia will soon resume gas supplies
Vadim Krsnoselsky, the leader of Transdniestria, a breakaway region in Moldova, said that it expects to be able to get Russian gas soon, to meet its own needs. This comes after two weeks of crippling power outages. Prime Minister of Moldova's pro European central government, said that Russia is determined to bring a Moscow friendly government into power in the country. He said that Moscow was likely to provide only a small amount of gas to guarantee electricity to both the rebel-held and government-held regions.
Fico is likely to survive a vote of no confidence as the coalition rebels back him
The Slovak prime minister Robert Fico is likely to survive a forthcoming vote of no confidence after rebel legislators in one ruling coalition said that they would not be supporting the motion. The opposition parties announced on Tuesday that they would initiate a vote of no confidence against Fico’s leftist and nationalist government. They accused him of pushing the country’s foreign policy towards Russia, while doing little to solve problems at home.
The separatist enclave of Moldova hopes that Russia will soon resume gas supplies
Vadim Krsnoselsky, the leader of Transdniestria, a breakaway region in Moldova, said that it expects to be able to get Russian gas soon, to meet its own needs. This comes after two weeks of crippling power outages. Since January 1, when Russia's Gazprom stopped gas exports into the region, Chisinau has refused to recognize the debt Moldova owes Gazprom of $709,000,000 as valid. Moscow has blamed the suspension of gas supply on pro-Western Moldova, and Ukraine.
Russia launches new missiles at Ukraine and targets its gas infrastructure
Russia has launched another barrage of drones and missiles against Ukraine, this time targeting the gas infrastructure in western regions. This is the latest attack on Ukraine's crippled power system just as winter approaches. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said that Russian forces used over 70 drones and 40 missiles in the morning's attack. He said that Ukrainian air defences had shot down 30 missiles or more. "Another massive Russian assault.
VLCC Rates Spike as US Sanctions Bite
Supertanker freight rates jumped after the U.S. expanded sanctions on Russia's oil industry, sending traders rushing to book vessels to ship supply from other countries to China and India, shipbrokers and traders said.Chinese and Indian refiners are seeking alternative fuel supplies as they adapt to severe new U.S. sanctions on Russian producers and tankers designed to curb the world No. 2 oil exporter's revenue due to its war in Ukraine.Many of the newly-targeted vessels…
Leader of Moldova’s separatist region visits Moscow to discuss gas crisis
Transdniestria, the news agency of Transdniestria, reported that on Tuesday the leader of Moldova’s Transdniestria region has traveled to Moscow to hold talks in order to resolve a crisis resulting from the suspension of Russian Gas deliveries. Transdniestria is experiencing widespread power outages since January 1, when Russia's Gazprom stopped gas exports. The company cited an unpaid Moldovan bill of $709 millions that Chisinau doesn't recognize as valid. Moscow has blamed the suspension of gas supply on Moldova and Ukraine.
Hungary will increase its gas exports to Slovakia starting April
The transmission system operator FGSZ announced on Tuesday that Hungary would increase its gas export to Slovakia from 2.63 billion cubic metres per year to 3.5 bcm by April. Hungary's decision to increase its export capacity to the north follows Ukraine refusing to renew a transit agreement with Russia, as it seeks a reduction in revenue that goes to Moscow for funding the war in Ukraine. The expiration of this deal has stopped a major route for Russian Gas to be shipped into Slovakia and Western Europe.
