AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report for Friday, 1/26/18

American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 6.7% in September after declining 5.3% in August. In September, the index equaled 115.1 (2015=100) compared with 107.9 in August. “September had a nice recovery after a significant decline in August,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The truck freight market continues to be bifurcated, with strength in retail and home construction, but some continued weakness in industrial freight. During the third quarter, truck tonnage increased 2.4% over the second quarter, but fell 5.3% from a year earlier.” August’s decrease was revised up to -5.3% from our September 22 press release.

American Dollar to Canadian Dollar = 0.773473; American Dollar to Chinese Yuan = 0.148109; American Dollar to Euro = 1.017834; American Dollar to Japanese Yen = 0.007442; American Dollar to Mexican Peso = 0.048878.

West Texas Intermediate futures rose 0.5 percent, following a 1.7 percent increase last week, when they hit a three-year high. Rigs drilling for crude fell by five to 742 in the seven days ended Jan. 5, according to Baker Hughes data Friday. Hedge funds retreated from the most bullish stance on WTI in 10 months during the week ended Jan. 2. “A drop in active oil rigs is usually bullish for oil prices,” said Michael Poulsen, an analyst at Global Risk Management Ltd. Oil had its strongest opening week for any year since 2013 as U.S. stockpiles continue to shrink. Click Read More below for additional information.