Key Currency Exchange Rates for Friday, 6/14/24

December futures were little-changed in New York. OPEC and its partners including Russia achieved a record-high level of compliance to output cuts during September, according to a statement on Saturday. In the U.S., drillers reduced the rig count for a third week to the lowest since June, according to Baker Hughes. “The lower U.S. rig count number, the OPEC compliance number and the geopolitical headlines from northern Iraq and Iran on sanctions have helped futures higher,” Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S said. “But there are signs the market could be weakening with the seasonal refinery demand slowdown.” One sign that demand could be weakening is the Brent market structure known as backwardation -- when prompt prices are more expensive than later-dated futures -- which isn’t as strong as a month ago, said Hansen. Click Read More below for additional information.

National Average Price for Regular – Current: $2.863; Month Ago: $2.932; Year Ago: $2.280. National Average Price for Diesel – Current: $3.175; Month Ago: $3.188; Year Ago: $2.465.

“OPEC may be trumpeting success as inventories close their gap to the most recent five-year average,” said Harry Tchilinguirian, head of commodity markets strategy at BNP Paribas SA. “It has progressed, but OPEC is not out of the woods. The stock-draws are not enough to reverse the large builds in oil inventories that we saw between 2014 and 2016.” U.S. crude output rose by 46,000 barrels a day to 9.55 million a day, according to a report Wednesday by the EIA. That’s the highest level in a month. Gasoline stockpiles fell for a second week to 212.8 million barrels, the lowest level since August 2015. Click Read More below for additional information.