Jeff Currie, founder and CEO of Real Macro and a veteran commodities strategist formerly of Goldman Sachs and Carlyle, appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box on August 26, 2026, and cut through the usual noise. The segment title said it plainly: “The Strait of Hormuz is just one of many choke points being squeezed right now.” […]
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The oil market is sending mixed signals that traders and energy watchers cannot ignore. Futures prices—the “paper” side of the trade—have been surprisingly restrained even as physical barrels face ongoing constraints from the prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Diesel cracks are screaming tightness downstream, China has stepped back as the world’s swing buyer, […]
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The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a surprise and historically large build in commercial crude oil inventories for the week ending August 7, 2026. Commercial stocks (excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) rose by 17.4 million barrels to 424.4 million barrels—the largest weekly increase since January 2023 and well above analyst expectations of a draw […]
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The International Energy Agency’s latest Oil Market Report underscores a deepening imbalance in global oil markets. Despite a sharper-than-expected contraction in demand driven by elevated prices from the ongoing Iran conflict and related disruptions, supply shortfalls have widened even more, producing the tightest near-term balances in years. At the time this article is written, Brent […]
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Citigroup has raised its third-quarter 2026 Brent crude forecast to $80 per barrel from $75, citing the prolonged U.S.-Iran conflict and continued constraints on oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The bank left its fourth-quarter 2026 forecast unchanged at $70 per barrel and continues to project an average of $65 per barrel for full-year […]
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Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply this week even as markets closely watch Iran-Oman talks on a potential management framework for the waterway. At the same time, Houthi threats continue to constrain Red Sea routes, recent attacks have kept insurance and freight costs elevated, and Saudi Arabia is deepening discounts on […]
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In this explosive episode of the Energy News Beat Daily Standup, host Stu Turley breaks down ten major stories that expose a widening chasm between what financial markets are signaling and what’s actually happening on the ground in global energy infrastructure. From a $40-50 disconnect between paper oil prices and physical barrel delivery costs, to […]
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The Refining Capacity Shortage and Demand Destruction Quest Brent crude oil prices surged more than 3% today, breaking above $86 per barrel (reaching $86.06 in early London trading). This extends a sharp ~12% rally since Friday, driven by escalating geopolitical risks across key oil chokepoints and infrastructure. The immediate spark came from Iranian cruise missile […]
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Recent analyst predictions of an impending oil glut and sharply lower prices have gained traction amid falling benchmark crude prices and reports of recovering tanker flows through the Strait of Hormuz. However, a closer look at actual oil movements, inventory dynamics, refinery constraints, and exploration activity suggests these calls may be getting ahead of reality. […]
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In a historic first for the world’s most important oil price benchmark, no cargoes of North Sea Brent crude oil are scheduled to load in August 2026. This development, driven by steadily declining production from mature fields, marks a symbolic turning point for the Dated Brent complex—even as the benchmark itself remains robust and continues […]
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