Energy

Crude markets remain volatile as prices respond to rapidly shifting geopolitical headlines, winter‑related supply disruptions, and evolving global trade dynamics. After a sharp selloff earlier this week as Middle East tensions appeared to ease, crude prices have since stabilized and edged higher as new geopolitical incidents revived risk concerns. The recent pullback was driven by […]

Venezuela: Oil Flow Reshuffling Global trading houses Vitol and Trafigura have quickly positioned themselves as the first major players moving Venezuelan crude under U.S. oversight, outpacing U.S. energy majors who remain wary of legal and credit risks. The U.S. and Caracas are finalizing a $2B deal to sell up to 50 million barrels of crude.

U.S. Energy Stocks Rise on Venezuela Developments U.S. oil stocks climbed after President Trump said the U.S. would take control of Venezuela, raising expectations that American companies could gain access to the world’s largest oil reserves. Chevron, currently the only U.S. major operating in Venezuela, led gains, while refiners and oilfield services companies also rose

Supply Disruptions & Geopolitics Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC): Ukrainian drone strikes over the weekend caused major damage to the CPC Black Sea terminal, which handles over 1% of global oil supply and the majority of Kazakhstan’s exports. Loadings were briefly halted, and although one mooring (SPM-1) has resumed, another remains heavily damaged and a third under repair

Global Supply Shock: Russia A Ukrainian strike on Russia’s port of Novorossiysk has temporarily halted roughly 2.2 million bpd of oil exports—about 2% of global supply. The disruption is tightening global balances and adding upward pressure and volatility to WTI. Russia is trying to offset the loss with spare refining capacity, but export delays remain large.

OPEC+ Outlook: OPEC+ is expected to approve a modest oil output hike of 137,000 barrels per day for December 2025, signaling a cautious approach amid supply glut concerns. Despite adding 2.7 million bpd since April, new Western sanctions on Russia are complicating production plans. Oil prices have rebounded from $60 to $65 per barrel, supported

Geopolitical Developments Middle East Tensions Intensify Israel has expanded its military operations with a targeted airstrike in Doha, Qatar, aimed at Hamas leadership. The strike, which killed five Hamas members, has drawn strong criticism from both Qatar and the U.S., with concerns it could derail ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Qatar, a key mediator in Gaza peace

The U.S. economy showed stronger-than-expected growth in the second quarter, with GDP rising at a 3.0% annualized rate, outpacing the 2.4% forecast, after a contraction earlier this year. However, economists caution the number may be distorted by trade activity and inventory fluctuations. Inflation came in cooler than expected at 2.1%, leading to tempered expectations for