As of April 11, 2026, the global oil market is split into two. On one side sits the “paper” market — the futures contracts and financial instruments that most investors, analysts, and headline writers track. On the other hand is the physical, or delivery, market — the actual barrels of crude that refiners must load […]
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J.P. Morgan has issued a stark warning to energy markets: oil prices could spike to $120–$130 per barrel in the near term, with a real risk of surging above $150 per barrel if supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz persist into mid-May. In comments to The Times, JPMorgan’s global head of economics, Bruce Kasman, […]
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The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas released its Q1 2026 Energy Survey on March 25, 2026, and the headline is clear: after nearly a year of contraction, oil and gas activity in the Eleventh Federal Reserve District (Texas, northern Louisiana, and southern New Mexico) is expanding again. The survey’s broadest measure—the business activity index—jumped from -6.2 […]
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In the high-stakes world of energy markets, not all oil prices are created equal. \”Paper oil\” refers to benchmark futures contracts traded on exchanges like NYMEX (WTI) and ICE (Brent)—financial instruments where the vast majority of trading volume (often 95%+) never results in physical delivery. These are the headline numbers investors see on CNBC or […]
Continue ReadingBy Stuart Turley, Energy News Beat In a dramatic turn of events that has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, oil prices surged nearly 3% on February 18, 2026, following the abrupt collapse of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva. Brent crude futures climbed 2.7% to $69.15 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate […]
Continue ReadingYou can’t buy this kind of entertainment. When President Trump throws out a mean Truth Social post, he can move the markets, but when an Aircraft Carrier Strike group shows up near Iran and Iraq, the oil traders panic. It is quite possible that the Glut Narative may just roll off into the sunset, as […]
Continue ReadingBy Stuart Turley, Energy News Beat January 29, 2026 – Truth Social posts from President Trump can certainly rattle markets, but when U.S. aircraft carrier task forces deploy to the Persian Gulf, that\’s when traders sit up and take notice. This morning, Brent crude surged past the $70 per barrel mark for the first time […]
Continue ReadingIn the latest Weekly Petroleum Status Report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) for the week ending January 9, 2026, U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) saw a notable increase of 3.4 million barrels, reaching a total of 422.4 million barrels. This build defied market expectations of a drawdown and […]
Continue ReadingAs we kick off 2026, the global oil landscape is a whirlwind of geopolitical maneuvers, supply gluts, and shifting alliances. With Brent crude hovering around $59 per barrel and a projected surplus of 1-3.8 million barrels per day (mbpd) looming large, markets are bracing for volatility. Non-OPEC production surges, OPEC+ unwinding voluntary cuts, and fresh […]
Continue ReadingAs we close out 2025, oil prices are holding steady amid a complex interplay of geopolitical tensions, sanctions enforcement, and shifting supply-demand dynamics. Brent crude is trading around $62.46 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) sits at approximately $58.48, both benchmarks reflecting modest gains of about 0.13% and 0.17% respectively in recent sessions. This […]
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