Stock Markets
Oil flat, poised to end week higher on Fed rate cuts, lower US supply
By Georgina McCartney
(Reuters) -Oil prices ticked lower on Friday but remained on track for a second consecutive week of gains, drawing support from a large cut in U.S. interest rates and declining U.S. stockpiles,
Brent futures were down 34 cents, or 0.45%, at $74.54 a barrel at 12:10 p.m. EDT. U.S. WTI crude futures fell 1 cent, or 0.01%, to $71.94.
Signs of a slowing economy in major commodity consumer China pressured prices. But for the week, both benchmarks were up around 4%.
Prices have recovered after Brent fell below $69 for the first time in nearly three years on Sept. 10.
“The market concluded that a sub-$70 level combined with hedge funds holding a record weak belief in higher prices of crude and fuel products would require a recession to be justified, a risk this week’s bumper U.S. rate cut helped reduce,” Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, said.
Prices rose more than 1% on Thursday, a day after the U.S. central bank’s decision to cut interest rates by half a percentage point.
Interest rate cuts typically boost economic activity and energy demand, but some analysts view are worried about weakness in the U.S. labour market.
“U.S. interest rate cuts have supported risk sentiment, weakened the dollar and supported crude this week,” said Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS.
“However, it takes time until rate cuts support economic activity and oil demand growth,” he added.
The Fed projected a further 50 basis points of rate cuts by the end of this year, a full percentage point of cuts next year and a further half-percentage-point reduction in 2026.
“The Fed’s decision to cut interest rates and some hangover from hurricane Francine are the only two things that are propping up the market up right now,” said Tim Snyder, chief economist at Matador Economics.
About 6% of crude production and 10% of output in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico were offline in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) said in its final update following the storm, on Tuesday.
Additional support for oil prices came from a decline in inventories to a one-year low last week. [EIA/S]
A counter-seasonal oil market deficit of around 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) will support prices in the $70 to $75 a barrel range during the next quarter, Citi analysts said on Thursday, though they added that prices could plunge in 2025.
Rising tensions in the Middle East, raising the risk of supply disruption, further boosted the oil market. Walkie-talkies used by militant Lebanese group Hezbollah exploded on Wednesday following explosions of pagers the previous day.
However U.S. President Joe Biden said reaching a Gaza ceasefire deal remains realistic, at the White House on Friday, telling reporters: “We have to keep at it.”
In China, refinery output slowed for a fifth straight month in August and industrial output growth hit a five-month low.
China also issued its third and likely final batch of fuel export quotas for the year, keeping volume in line with 2023 levels.
“This move indicates that refinery margins are too weak to justify increased activity,” StoneX Analyst, Alex Hodes said in a note on Friday.
By Fedja Grulovic
TRUSINA, Bosnia (Reuters) – Women sat on the ground in tears in the Bosnian village of Trusina on Sunday as an excavator dug through the remains of their homes that were destroyed in the country’s deadliest floods in years.
A flash flood swept through the Jablanica area, southwest of Sarajevo on Friday, killing at least 15 people, the cantonal government said, and the search for those missing continued on Sunday.
In Trusina, no people were reported to have died, but houses, orchards and gardens were devastated.
“It is difficult to believe that an orchard, garage, car and another smaller house was here,” Duda Sutlic said “Everything disappeared in 10 minutes.”
“I was happy here. I had a life and I worked hard. Today I have no strength. All we have left now are our pensions – 500 marka ($282.21).”
A meteorologist Nedim Sladic told N1 TV that in under six hours, the region around Jablanica received as much rain as usually falls in three or four months.
Ecologists say the floods in Bosnia have been particularly damaging because years of neglect of river beds, deforestation and uncontrolled construction and exploitation of wood and stone have aggravated the impact of climate change.
Other parts of Europe have also been hard hit by flooding as well as extreme heat and wildfires.
“Everything that my father created and that I have created after him disappeared in 30 minutes,” Admir Poturovic, another resident of Trusina said.
“But life goes on. One has to move on” he said.
($1 = 1.7717 marka)
Stock Markets
OceanaGold’s Waihi North and Macraes Listed as Proposed Projects Under the Fast-track Approvals Bill in New Zealand
VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – OceanaGold (OTC:) Corporation (TSX: OGC) (OTCQX: OCANF) (“OceanaGold” or the “Company”) welcomes the inclusion of projects at both our Waihi and Macraes mines in the list of proposed projects under the New Zealand Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill for regionally and nationally significant infrastructure and development projects.
Yesterday, the New Zealand Government released the names of 149 Listed Projects that will be eligible to apply for approvals through processes under the proposed Fast-track Approvals Act. Included in the list was the Waihi North Project, which includes the highly prospective Wharekirauponga (WKP) proposed underground mine, as well as the Macraes Phase 4 Project, a mine extension permit.
Gerard Bond, President & CEO of OceanaGold, said “I am delighted to see both of our projects on the list for consideration under the new Fast-track Approvals Bill. We welcome a clear and timely regulatory process in New Zealand which supports the development of projects that can provide economic benefits while respecting important environmental, cultural and social protections. Expediting the permitting of our projects will preserve the jobs of 1,000 employees we have in New Zealand, provides new jobs and will deliver wider economic benefits for the local communities and the country.”
The Fast-track Approvals Bill is expected to be passed into law later this year, allowing listed projects to apply directly to a Government-appointed expert panel for final decision.
www.oceanagold.com
About OceanaGold
OceanaGold is a growing intermediate gold and producer committed to safely and responsibly maximizing the generation of Free Cash Flow from our operations and delivering strong returns for our shareholders. We have a portfolio of four operating mines: the Haile Gold Mine in the United States of America; Didipio Mine in the Philippines; and the Macraes and Waihi operations in New Zealand.
Cautionary Statement for Public Release
Certain information contained in this public release may be deemed “forward-looking” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future performance and reflect the Company’s expectations regarding the generation of free cash flow, execution of business strategy, future growth, future production, estimated costs, results of operations, business prospects and opportunities of OceanaGold Corporation and its related subsidiaries. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “estimates” or “intends”, or stating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements and information. They include, among others, the accuracy of mineral reserve and resource estimates and related assumptions, inherent operating risks and those risk factors identified in the Company’s most recent Annual Information Form prepared and filed with securities regulators which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com under the Company’s name. There are no assurances the Company can fulfil forward-looking statements and information. Such forward-looking statements and information are only predictions based on current information available to management as of the date that such predictions are made; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the Company, some of which are beyond the Company’s control. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release is based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be assured that actual outcomes or results will be consistent with such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The information contained in this release is not investment or financial product advice.
Stock Markets
Thousands stage pro-Palestinian protests worldwide, on eve of Oct 7 attack that triggered Gaza war
PARIS (Reuters) – Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators protested in cities around the world on Sunday on the eve of the first anniversary of the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.
Demonstrations were held in major cities from Jakarta to Istanbul to Rabat, and followed protests on Saturday in major European capitals as well as Washington and New York.
“We are here to support the Palestinian resistance,” said protester Ahmet Unal in Istanbul, where thousands assembled.
In Paris, the Jewish community gathered on Sunday to mark one year since the attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, when militants attacked southern Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and laid waste to the enclave.
Israel launched air attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs overnight and early on Sunday, the most intense bombardment of the Lebanese capital since Israel sharply escalated its campaign against Iranian-backed group Hezbollah last month.
In Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, at least 1,000 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered on Sunday morning near the U.S. embassy demanding that Washington stop supplying weapons to Israel.
In Sydney, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered ahead of the Oct. 7 anniversary, chanting and waving Lebanese and Palestinian flags amid a heavy police presence.
One person was arrested for waving an Israeli flag with a swastika in the middle of it instead of the Star of David.
In Rabat, thousands of Moroccans marched, calling for a halt to the violence in Gaza and Lebanon, in one of the largest protests in the country since the beginning of the war in Gaza.
Protesters demanded an end to Morocco’s diplomatic ties with Israel, chanting “no to normalisation, Palestine is not for sale,” referring to Morocco’s establishing of diplomatic relations with Israel.
Over the past year, the scale of the killing and destruction in Gaza has prompted some of the biggest global demonstrations in years, including in the U.S., which saw weeks of pro-Palestinian college campus encampments.
Advocates have raised concerns over antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric in some protests and counter-protests related to the conflict. Rights advocates have warned about rising threats against Jews and Muslims around the world.
The United States and other allies have supported Israel’s right to self-defence, but Israel has faced wide international condemnation over its actions in Gaza, and now over its bombarding of Lebanon.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government is acting to prevent a repeat of the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas.
Forex2 years agoForex Today: the dollar is gaining strength amid gloomy sentiment at the start of the Fed’s week
- Forex2 years ago
How is the Australian dollar doing today?
- Forex2 years ago
Dollar to pound sterling exchange rate today: Pound plummeted to its lowest since 1985
- Forex2 years ago
Unbiased review of Pocket Option broker
- Cryptocurrency2 years ago
What happened in the crypto market – current events today
- World2 years ago
Why are modern video games an art form?
- Commodities2 years ago
Copper continues to fall in price on expectations of lower demand in China
- Forex2 years ago
The dollar is down again against major world currencies
