United States Oil Fund

Oil Trading Lower After Reports Iran is Allowing Chinese Ships to Move Through the Strait of Hormuz

Oil moved lower early on Thursday following reports Iran is allowing Chinese ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz.West Texas Intermediate crude oil for June delivery was last seen down US$1.48 to US$99.54 per barrel, while July Brent oil was down US$1.68 to US$103.95.The drop followed a Reuters report, citing Iranian state media, that Iran is allowing Chinese ships to move through the blocked Strait of Hormuz, and have allowed 30 vessels to move through the Strait "in recent hours".Iran closed the Strait to most traffic at the Feb. 28 start to the war launched by the United States and Israel, stranding hundreds of ships in the Persian Gulf and blocking 20% of daily oil demand supply by regional nations.The blockade of the Strait has pushed oil prices up by half since the start of the war. leaving Asian nations scrambling for physical supply and boosting inflation, raising concerns central banks will need to raise interest rates to cut demand. The United States this week reported wholesale and consumer prices surged last month, heightening concerns of higher rates, though the CME FedWatch Tool sees a 97.5% probability the Federal Reserve will leave rates unchanged during the June 17 meeting of its policy committee.Iran's control of the Strait is a key focus of the summit meeting underway between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Trump in Beijing. The Wall Street Journal reported the pair agreed the Strait should remain an international waterway and Iran should not be allowed to extract payments from ships passing through the Strait.

Crude Oil Prices Rise as Market Awaits Outcome of U.S.-China Talks

Crude oil prices edged higher on Thursday as the market awaits the outcome of the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.Brent crude at last look gained 0.7% to US$106.41/barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.5% to $101.55/barrel. The market is waiting for positive results on the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran from the U.S.-China talks, Reuters said in a Thursday report, citing analysts."Failure to make meaningful progress on reopening the strait could leave the U.S. with few options other than renewed military action," Reuters quoted IG analyst Tony Sycamore as saying in a note.This comes as Iran appears to have tightened its control over the Strait of Hormuz, cutting deals with Iraq and Pakistan to ship oil and liquefied natural gas from the Middle East, the report said.Meanwhile, U.S. crude inventories declined by 4.3 million barrels to 452.9 million barrels in the week ended May 8 on rising exports, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday.

Update: WTI Crude Oil Falls as the IEA Sees Global Inventories Dropping at a Record Pace

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed lower on Wednesday but stuck above US$100 as the loss of Persian Gulf supply since the start of the war on Iran cuts into stocks, with the International Energy Agency (IEA) reporting a a record draw down in inventories since the conflict began.WTI crude oil for June delivery closed down US$1.02 to settle US$101.02 per barrel, while July Brent oil was last seen down US$1.98 to US$105.79.Oil prices have climbed by more than half since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran on Feb. 28. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz, trapping in 20% of daily oil supply produced by Persian Gulf nations.In its closely watched monthly Oil Market Report, the IEA said the loss of Persian Gulf supply is depleting global inventories at a record pace."With Hormuz tanker traffic still restricted, cumulative supply losses from Gulf producers already exceed 1 billion barrels with more than 14 mb/d of oil now shut in, an unprecedented supply shock," the agency said.The IEA said the supply disruption and high prices will cut into demand, expecting a global demand drop of 420,000 barrels per day this year to 104-million bpd, down 1.3-million bpd from its pre-war forecast.Inventories fell by 129-million bpd in March and by 117-million bpd in April, though rising output from producers outside of the Gulf is helping to ease the supply shock."2026 supply growth expectations from the Americas have been revised up by more than 600 kb/d since the start of the year, to 1.5 mb/d on average. Moreover, Atlantic Basin crude oil exports, now heading primarily to hard-hit East of Suez markets, have increased by 3.5 mb/d since February, with notable gains from the United States, Brazil, Canada, Kazakhstan and Venezuela," the IEA noted.In its weekly survey, the Energy Information Administration reported U.S. commercial oil inventories fell by 4.3-million barrels last week, while the consensus estimate among analysts polled by Reuters expected a drop of 2.9-million barrels.

June WTI Crude Oil Contract Closes Down US$1.16; Settles at US$101.02 per Barrel

Sector Update: Energy Stocks Decline Premarket Wednesday

Energy stocks were declining premarket Wednesday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) 0.2% lower.The United States Oil Fund (USO) was down 0.4% and The United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 2.6% higher.Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was slightly lower at $102.15 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil declined 0.3% to $107.44 per barrel, and natural gas futures were up 2.5% at $2.92 per 1 million British Thermal Units.FLEX LNG (FLNG) shares were more than 1% higher after the company raised its 2026 revenue guidance.BP (BP) has stopped contract discussions with the US steelworkers' union after the lockout of over 800 employees at its Whiting, Indiana, facility, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the union. BP shares were 0.4% lower pre-bell.Ring Energy (REI) stock was down more than 23% after the company priced a public offering of about 44.4 million common shares at $1.35 apiece, targeting $60 million in gross proceeds.

Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell Wednesday Ahead of US-China Meeting

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.1% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.3% higher in Wednesday's premarket activity as markets traded mixed ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.US stock futures were also mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures down 0.03%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.5%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.3% before the start of regular trading.The US Producer Price Index rose by 1.4% in April following a 0.7% gain in March, well above the 0.5% gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.The weekly petroleum stocks data will be released at 10:30 am ET.Mortgage applications rose by 1.7% in the week ended May 8 after a 4.4% fall in the previous week, with the home purchase applications driving the increase despite a small uptick in mortgage rates, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday.In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 0.3%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.3% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) advanced 0.9%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) gained 0.4%.Power Play:IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) retreated by 0.2%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) gained 0.7% and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was down 0.1%.Red Cat (RCAT) stock was down more than 13% before the opening bell after the company said it priced an underwritten public offering of 23.9 million shares at $9.40 apiece.Winners and Losers:ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was down 0.2% and the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was 0.4% lower. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) retreated by 0.3%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) gained 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) declined by 0.3%.Birkenstock (BIRK) shares were down more than 5% pre-bell after the company reported lower-than-expected fiscal Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) declined by 0.5%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was down 1.5%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 1.6% higher.Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) shares were up more than 2% pre-bell after the company reported higher fiscal 2026 earnings and ordinary income.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) advanced by 1.4%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 1.3% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 0.8%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) increased by 1.5%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 2%.Nvidia (NVDA) shares were up more than 2% in premarket activity after reports that Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang is set to accompany US President Donald Trump on his visit to Beijing, a last-minute addition that has raised expectations of progress in stalled talks over Nvidia's H200 AI chip sales to China.EnergyThe iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was down 1%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) retreated by 0.3%.Fluence Energy (FLNC) stock was down more than 2% before the opening bell after the company said it has priced an underwritten public offering of a total of 20 million of its Class A common shares on behalf of certain shareholders at $21 apiece.Health CareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) retreated by 0.5%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was down 0.1%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 0.6% lower.Novo Nordisk (NVO) shares were up 0.4% pre-bell. The drugmaker presented new analyses from its phase 3 OASIS 4 trial showing that adults treated with Wegovy pill achieved substantial weight loss and improved physical function. The company also said it is pausing further manufacturing development at its Odense, Denmark, site.CommoditiesFront-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated by 0.4% to $101.81 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was down 0.6% at $2.83 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) decreased by 0.4%, while The United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 0.8% higher.Gold futures for May gained by 0.4% to reach $4,705.90 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures rose by 2.6% to $87.85 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was 0.7% lower, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) fell by 0.7%.

Oil Edges Lower Early as the IEA Sees Global Inventories Dropping at a Record Pace

Oil prices edged lower early on Wednesday but are sticking above US$100 as the loss of Persian Gulf supply since the start of the war on Iran cuts into stocks, with the International Energy Agency (IEA) reporting a a record draw down in inventories since the conflict began.West Texas Intermediate crude oil for June delivery was last seen down US$0.37 to US$101.81 per barrel, while July Brent oil was down US$0.10 to US$107.67.Oil prices have climbed by more than half since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran on Feb. 28. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz, trapping in 20% of daily oil supply produced by Persian Gulf nations.In its closely watched monthly Oil Market Report, the IEA said the loss of Persian Gulf supply is depleting global inventories at a record pace."With Hormuz tanker traffic still restricted, cumulative supply losses from Gulf producers already exceed 1 billion barrels with more than 14 mb/d of oil now shut in, an unprecedented supply shock," the agency said.The IEA said the supply disruption and high prices will cut into demand, expecting a global demand drop of 420,000 barrels per day this year to 104 million bpd, down 1.3-million bpd from its pre-war forecast.Inventories fell by 129-million bpd in March and by 117-million bpd in April, though rising output from producers outside of the Gulf is helping to ease the supply shock."2026 supply growth expectations from the Americas have been revised up by more than 600 kb/d since the start of the year, to 1.5 mb/d on average. Moreover, Atlantic Basin crude oil exports, now heading primarily to hard-hit East of Suez markets, have increased by 3.5 mb/d since February, with notable gains from the United States, Brazil, Canada, Kazakhstan and Venezuela," the IEA noted.

Crude Oil Prices Edge Lower as Market Awaits Middle East Ceasefire Developments

Crude oil prices edged lower on Wednesday as the market waited for developments in the Middle East ceasefire, with the war continuing to drive price movements.Brent crude at last look lost 0.4% to US$107.37/barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude fell 0.7% to $101.51/barrel. The market is also awaiting the result of a summit in Beijing between U.S. President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping, Reuters said in a Wednesday report."The market remains highly reactive to every update from the region, meaning sharp swings are likely to persist. Any further escalation or direct threat to supply flows could quickly revive strong upside momentum in both Brent and WTI," Reuters quoted Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova, as saying.Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency said global oil supply will not meet total demand this year amid impacts of the war in the Middle East."The latest IEA oil market report just showed the magnitude of the disruption with large oil inventory declines over the last two months," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo was quoted as saying.

Update: WTI Oil Rises Again as the Shaky U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Continues to Block Persian Gulf Supply

(Updates prices and adds detail from the EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook in the final two paragraphs.)West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil oil closed higher a third session early on Tuesday as a faltering ceasefire between the United States and Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed, continuing the largest-ever energy supply shock.WTI oil for June delivery closed up US$4.11 to settle at US$102.18 per barrel, while July Brent oil was last seen up US$3.60 to US$107.81.The rise comes as a shaky ceasefire in the war on Iran threatens to end, with U.S. President Trump on Monday saying it was on "massive life support" after Iran rejected a U.S. peace plan and Trump rejected Iran's response.The lack of a deal continues Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, blocking exports from Persian Gulf nations that accounted for 20% of daily oil demand. Oil prices have climbed by nearly half since the Feb. 28 start to the war, with stalemate between the warring nations offering no quick relief to countries searching for alternative supply."Oil prices climbed ... as the global oil market continued to tighten amid limited prospects for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The move followed Trump casting doubt over a ceasefire with Israel signalling the war is not over," Saxo Bank wrote.In its influential monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook released Tuesday, the Energy Information Administration reported Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain have together shut in 10.5-million barrels per day of oil production due the the closure of the Strait, while global inventories fall amid the lack of supply."The Brent crude oil spot price increased sharply in April, reaching a high of $138 per barrel (b) on April 7 and averaging $117/b for the month, as the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz tightened global oil supplies. We expect global oil inventories will fall by an average of 8.5 million b/d in the second quarter of 2026 (2Q26), keeping Brent prices around $106/b in May and June. As oil production in the Middle East rises, we expect crude oil prices to fall, dropping to an average of $89/b in 4Q26 and $79/b in 2027," the agency said.

June WTI Crude Oil Contract Closes Up US$4.11; Settles at US$102.18 per Barrel

Sector Update: Energy Stocks Rise Premarket Tuesday

Energy stocks were rising premarket Tuesday, with the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) up 1.1%.The United States Oil Fund (USO) was up 3% and The United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 2% lower.Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil was 3.2% higher at $101.25 per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange. Global benchmark North Sea Brent crude oil rose 3.2% to $107.49 per barrel, and natural gas futures were down 1.7% at $2.86 per 1 million British Thermal Units.Venture Global (VG) shares were up more than 7% after the company reported higher Q1 earnings and revenue.Petrobras (PBR) stock was down more than 1% even after the company posted higher Q1 net income and sales revenue.Shell (SHEL) plans to divest its gas station network in France, according to a Google translation of a Monday report from French newspaper Les Echos. Shell shares were up 0.2% premarket.

Oil Rises Again as the Shaky U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Continues to Block Persian Gulf Supply

Oil prices rose for a third session early on Tuesday as a faltering ceasefire between the United States and Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed, continuing the largest-ever energy supply shock.West Texas Intermediate crude oil for June delivery was last seen up US$3.23 to US$101.30 per barrel, while July Brent oil was up US$3.32 to US$107.53.The rise comes as a shaky ceasefire in the war on Iran threatens to end, with U.S. President Trump on Monday saying it was on "massive life support" after Iran rejected a U.S. peace plan and Trump rejected Iran's response.The lack of a deal continues Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, blocking exports from Persian Gulf nations that accounted for 20% of daily oil demand. Oil prices have climbed by nearly half since the Feb. 28 start to the war, with stalemate between the warring nations offering no quick relief to countries searching for alternative supply."Oil prices climbed ... as the global oil market continued to tighten amid limited prospects for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The move followed Trump casting doubt over a ceasefire with Israel signalling the war is not over," Saxo Bank wrote.Trump will travel to Beijing tomorrow for a summit meeting with Xi Jinping, his Chinese counterpart, a major buyer of Iranian oil and an ally of the country. However the Wall Street Journal reported Xi is unlikely to press Trump to end the war.

Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Fall Pre-Bell Tuesday Amid Consumer Inflation Report Release

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.5% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 1% lower in Tuesday's premarket activity amid the consumer price date report for April.US stock futures were also lower, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.4%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipping 0.04%, and Nasdaq futures falling 0.9% before the start of regular trading.The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index edged up to 95.9 in April from 95.8 in March, while expectations for business conditions weakened, according to National Federation of Independent Business data on Tuesday.The US seasonally adjusted consumer price index, a measure of inflation, rose by 0.6% in April, as expected and following a 0.9% increase in March, according to data released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, rose by 0.4%, higher than the consensus estimate for a 0.3% increase. Core CPI rose by 0.2% in March.In premarket activity, bitcoin was down by 1.6%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 1.6% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) retreated 2.4%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) lost by 1.5%.Power Play:EnergyThe iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) was up 0.8%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) gained by 1.2%.Venture Global (VG) stock was up more than 11% before the opening bell after the company reported higher Q1 earnings and revenue.Winners and Losers:IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) retreated by 0.4%, while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was inactive and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) gained 0.04%.Hub Group (HUBG) stock was down more than 5% before the opening bell after the company said it filed a Form 12b-25 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to delay its Q1 2026 Form 10-Q filing as it continues work on previously disclosed financial restatements.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was up 0.2% and the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was flat. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was inactive. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) lost 0.5%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) decreased by 0.5%.GameStop's (GME) shares were down more than 4% pre-bell after eBay (EBAY) said its board has rejected an unsolicited, non-binding buyout offer from GameStop.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) retreated by 0.1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 0.2%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 0.1% lower.Figure Technology Solutions (FIGR) shares were up more than 4% pre-bell after the company swung to a Q1 net income and higher revenue.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) retreated 1.2%, and the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 1.5% lower, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was down 1.3%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) fell 1.1%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) lost 2.2%.Qnity Electronics (Q) shares were up more than 3% in premarket activity after the company reported higher Q1 adjusted earnings and net sales.Health CareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 0.4%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) gained by 0.5%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) slipped 0.2%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was flat.Novo Nordisk (NVO) stock was up more than 2% premarket after the company said the higher dose of Wegovy helped people with obesity lose "significant amounts" of weight irrespective of how quickly their body responds to the treatment, based on a new sub-analysis from a clinical trial.CommoditiesFront-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 3.6% to $101.55 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was down 0.4% at $2.90 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) advanced 3.3%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 1.5% lower.Gold futures for May declined by 0.4% to $4,709.30 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures fell 1.8% to $84.37 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) was 0.7% lower, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) fell by 2.8%.

NY Crude Up 3.1% at US$101.10 and Brent Crude Up 2.9% at Near US$107.25

Brent Crude Up 2.8% at Near US$107.20

U.S. Energy Production Sets New Record in 2025 for 4th Consecutive Year, EIA Reports

U.S. energy production hit a new record high of 107 quadrillion British thermal units in 2025, up 3.4% from the previous record set in 2024, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a Monday note, citing its most recent Monthly Energy Review.Production was driven by record-high production in natural gas, crude oil, natural gas plant liquids and renewables, the EIA noted. This was the fourth consecutive year of record energy production for the U.S.Dry natural gas output rose more than 4% year over year to 39 trillion cubic feet in 2025, with most of the growth occurring in the Appalachia, Permian and Haynesville regions, the EIA said.Crude oil production grew 3% to 13.6 million barrels per day from 2024. Most of the growth comes from the Permian region of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico.Production of NGPLs, or hydrocarbons separated as liquids during natural gas processing, climbed 7% to 4 trillion cubic feet year over year. Like oil and natural gas output, NGPLs production also hit a new record in 2025, according to the agency.

Crude Oil Prices Climb as Supply Concerns Escalate Amid Lack of Peace Deal

Crude oil prices saw gains on Tuesday amid dissipating hopes that an agreement between the U.S. and Iran to end the war will be reached.Brent crude at last look rose 2.9% to US$107.21/barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 3.3% to $101.32/barrel. Disagreements persist between the two countries over demands that include the cessation of hostilities, the removal of the U.S. naval blockade, the resumption of Iranian oil sales and compensation for war damage, Reuters said in a Tuesday report."Optimism regarding an imminent (peace) deal seems to be fading again and if we don't see a deal by the end of May, then upside risks for oil prices are definitely on the table," Reuters quoted DBS Bank energy sector team lead Suvro Sarkar as saying.The continued near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to curtailed exports, with a Reuters survey showing that output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries fell to its lowest level in over two decades in April, the report said.

Market Chatter: Trans Mountain CEO Sees No Urgency to Return Pipeline to Private Hand

Canada should be in no rush to offload the operator of the country's sole oil pipeline to the Pacific, the heads of Trans Mountain and its state owner say, The Wall Street Journal is reporting Monday.The backdrop has shifted since the federal government stepped in to buy Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline to ensure an expansion project that would triple capacity went ahead, Trans Mountain Chief Executive Mark Maki said."That was in a different market and that was in a different time," Maki told an audience at a Canadian Club Toronto event. "Just look where we are and look how important energy security is and look how incredibly profitable this asset is. I'd say there's a lot of merit to holding on to it and realizing that full value."The report noted that Canada's Liberal government in 2018 agreed to buy the pipeline for C$4.5 billion, about US$3.29 billion today, in an extraordinary step to ensure construction of a planned C$7.4 billion expansion that faced regional opposition. Ottawa has long held to plans to sell the asset when the time was right, though the expansion project took roughly six years to complete, and by the time it was done in 2024 the cost had ballooned, the report said."There should be no rush to move this out into the private sector at all," said Elizabeth Wademan, president and CEO of Canada Development Investment Corp., which counts Trans Mountain among its assets. It is in the "taxpayer's interest to hold this for a while, get things done that add a whole bunch of value to it before you even think about monetization."Wademan added the intention remains to offer a stake in Trans Mountain to indigenous communities, though with about 127 nations on or near the land the pipeline runs through it is a complex situation and negotiations will take time. "It is important and it will happen, but there's other strategicpieces that I think have to be sorted out to make sure it's at the right timeline and being very thoughtfully progressed," she said at the event.Monday's report noted the vast majority of Canada's oil exports head to the U.S., but Trans Mountain has opened up other markets. More than 65% of shipments from Canada's west coast go to Asia.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally, and/or from other media sources. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Update: WTI Oil Rises as the United States Rejects Iran's Response to Its Peace Proposal

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil rose on Monday after the United States rejected Iran's response to its peace proposal, calling it unacceptable, continuing the war that has produced the largest-ever energy supply shock.WTIcrude oil for June delivery closed up US$2.65 to settle at US$98.07 per barrel, while July Brent oil was last seen up US$3.47 to US$104.76.Iran replied to a U.S. peace offer last week with a plan of its own, delivering a response on Sunday that included demands for compensation for war damages, acknowledgement of its control of the Strait of Hormuz, an end to Israel's war on Lebanon and the removal of sanctions on it oil exports and nuclear enrichment program.Iran's demands were dismissed by U.S. President Trump. who called the demands "totally unacceptable" in a social media post.The war launched by the United States and Israel is now in its tenth week, leaving the Strait of Hormuz closed to tankers that delivered 20% of daily demand for oil, LNG and refined products. Iran's blockade of the Strait has forced Asian nations that rely on Persian Gulf imports to bid up spot prices for oil, caused shortages of aviation fuel and raised inflation as gasoline costs climb."The two sides continue to maintain a fragile ceasefire while the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz drags on. After briefly trading down to USD 96 last week on renewed hopes the strait would reopen, Brent has rebounded above USD 105. Morgan Stanley has described the situation as a "race against time," warning that recent mitigating factors - such as a surge in U.S. exports (+3.8 mb/d YoY over the past 30 days) and weaker Chinese imports (-5.5 mb/d) - cannot persist indefinitely. That increasingly leaves demand destruction through slower consumption growth and higher prices as the only viable mechanisms to rebalance the market," Saxo Bank wrote.

June WTI Crude Oil Contract Closes Up US$2.65; Settles at US$98.07 per Barrel