-- 西テキサス・インターミディエイト（WTI）原油は木曜日、下落して取引を終えた。アジア時間中に前夜に付けた4年ぶりの高値から反落した。これは、米国がイランとの停戦を破棄する可能性があるとの報道を受けたもので、ペルシャ湾からの供給に依存するアフリカ大陸は、閉鎖されたホルムズ海峡によって供給が遮断され、史上最大の供給ショックに見舞われている。 6月渡しのWTI原油は1バレルあたり1.81ドル安の105.07ドルで取引を終えた。前夜には110.93ドルまで上昇していた。一方、6月渡しのブレント原油は4.12ドル安の113.91ドルで取引を終えた。前夜には1バレルあたり126.34ドルまで上昇し、2022年以来の高値をつけた。 WTI原油は、米国とイスラエルの攻撃を受け、イランが世界の石油供給の約20％を占める重要なチョークポイントであるホルムズ海峡を封鎖した2月28日の戦争開始以来、59％上昇している。米国は現在イランの港湾を封鎖しており、イランは和平交渉再開の条件として封鎖解除を要求しているが、米国はこれを拒否しており、史上最大規模の供給ショックが続いている。 この供給不足は、ペルシャ湾からの輸出の80%を占めるアジア地域で最も深刻な影響を受けており、各国はスポット価格をつり上げ、供給不足を回避するために中国の戦略備蓄の利用を模索している。 「（アジアの）複数の国の農村地域で燃料不足の報告が続いており、燃料の流通はやや行き当たりばったりな状態にあるようだ。中国が友好国への輸出を一部許可し、タイが近隣諸国への支援強化を検討するなど、政府間協定に基づく取引がますます増えている」と、マッコーリー・グループのグローバル・エネルギー・ストラテジスト、ヴィカス・ドゥイヴェディ氏は述べている。 しかしながら、戦争終結と封鎖された海峡の再開に向けた交渉の兆しはほとんど見られない。先週末にパキスタンで開催される予定だった米国とイランの会談は、米国がイランの港湾封鎖解除の要求を拒否したため、実現しなかった。ウォール・ストリート・ジャーナル紙は、トランプ米大統領が、米国政府が「海洋自由構想」と呼ぶ海峡再開のための連合に他国が参加するよう求めていると報じた。米国政府は、同盟国に参加を促すため、各国大使館に働きかけている。また、トランプ大統領は、イランが核開発計画を放棄するまで、海峡封鎖を延長すると警告した。
Related Articles
International
TSX Closer: Index Up For the First Day In Six On Bargain Hunting, Economic Rebound In Q1
The Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday posted its first wining session in six, recovered all the 630 points and more lost over the prior five sessions, on some bargain hunting and a first-quarter rebound for the Canadian economy.The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 645.94 points, or 1.9% to close at 33,964.33, with most sectors higher, led by Base Metals, up near 3%, even with gold prices deflated. Even Energy was up 0.8%, despite lower oil prices.The Battery Metals Index lost 2.7%.On the economy, Derek Holt, Head of Capital Markets Economics at Scotiabank noted Canada's economy rebounded in Q1 and "might be performing a smidge better" than the Bank of Canada's published forecast yesterday. "Still," Holt said, "it's backward data that settles nothing much other than to reject gloomier consensus views on the underlying performance of the economy coming into the start of the year."Holt noted the economy grew by 0.17% month over month seasonally-adjusted, rounded up to 0.2% on screens. Statcan's preliminary guidance for March was that GDP was unchanged, absent any details. What this translates into is Q1 GDP tracking growth of 1.7% on a quarter over quarter SAAR (Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate), a rebound from the 0.3% q/q SAAR contraction in Q4, "with an asterisk beside both readings", Holt added.That asterisk speaks to the fact that we're using monthly, production-side GDP accounts, Holt said. The BoC and the street focuses upon more complete quarterly GDP accounts that also consider how activity was generated, such as by considering swings in inventory investment, he added.Holt said the difference may be material. Q4 GDP in expenditure-based terms shrank by -0.6% q/q SAAR because inventory depletion drove a 4.2 percentage point weighted drag against GDP economy. Final domestic demand excludes inventory effects and it grew by 2.3% q/q SAAR in Q4. "We don't have the complete inventory and trade picture for Q1 yet and so there continues to be some tracking risk," Holt added.Holt cited a chart that shows what drove February GDP. Manufacturing punched above its weight while the rest was an evenly distributed mixture of small growth additions and drags, he said. Some of the drags were weather oriented in his view, like construction, and maybe some of the leisure categories, he added.So, while GDP rebounded, it likely outpaced the supply side of the economy which will probably translate into a narrower output gap when we get the full set of Q1 GDP accounts, according to Holt.Of commodities, gold traded higher by midafternoon Thursday as the dollar dropped after a report showed a key U.S. inflation measure rose last month, while first-quarter gross domestic product rose less than expected. Gold for June delivery was up US$71.30 to US$4,632.80 per ounce, remaining within the US$200 range it has traded within for the past month.But West Texas Intermediate crude oil closed lower, falling off four-year highs touched overnight during Asian trade on a report the U.S. may end the ceasefire with Iran as the largest-ever supply shock hits hardest for the continent that relies on Persian Gulf supplies now trapped behind the closed Strait of Hormuz. WTI crude oil for June delivery closed down US$1.81 to settle at US$105.07 per barrel after touching US$110.93 overnight, while June Brent oil was last seen down US$4.12 to US$113.91, after it reached US$126.34 overnight, the highest since 2022.
$^GSPTSE$.GSPTSE
Mining & Metals
Earnings Flash (CYBT.CN) Cybeats Technologies Reports Q4 Revenue $0.72M Vs $0.511M Year Ago; Net Loss in Q4 $299,318 Vs Loss of $3.226M
$CYBT.CN
Commodities
EU Clears Itochu, Peninsula Petroleum Ammonia Marine Fuel Joint Venture
The European Commission on Thursday cleared an Itochu-Peninsula joint venture for ammonia fuel trading, citing limited market share and negligible activity in the European Economic Area.The Commission approved the joint venture between Japan-based Itochu and Peninsula Petroleum, based in Ireland, under the EU Merger Regulation.The companies will focus on marketing services for ammonia bunkering and trading ammonia as a marine fuel, according to the Commission.The Commission found no competition concerns due to the venture's minimal presence in the European Economic Area and the companies' limited combined market positions, following a simplified review process.