BrokeAssAggie said:
WTI and energy sector rocket?
https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/energy/2022/07/16/saudi-arabia-no-additional-capacity-to-increase-oil-production-beyond-13-million-bpd/
Saudi Arabia: no additional capacity to increase oil production beyond 13 million bpd
WTI (& Brent) and energy sector rocket? Yes, it should. Last night, Jake Sullivan trying to spread disinformation this weekend stating KSA will produce 50% more crude all to depress the oil price. Today, Jake has had to do a U-turn on the statement. KSA fine print was a crude increase....by 2027. Saudi can pump 11 mbpd. They have done 12 mbpd but can't sustain that number. Biden got nothing from MBS. = Bullish
There is focus on Demand Destruction, but it's really Demand Reaction. The current numbers suggest demand reduction, but it's a tiny bit convoluted with the Holiday in recent numbers. Most folks are making some adjustments to driving, but it appears it's business (driving) as usual even with $5/gal. = Bullish
It's not crude,....the bottleneck is refining capacity. This Administration will continue SPR releases until the end of October. OPEC+ will continue to reduce crude production slightly to offset the SPR and keep the S&D flush. OPEC+ is not looking to crash the market price. ....... Might be able to "show" a crude build and put crude price under pressure, but refined products will face a tight supply moving forward. = Neutral to Bullish
Once the SPR releases are stopped in October the S&D will show there is no crude build. It's net deficit. = Bullish
Maybe, before the October stoppage of SPR releases you could see a no crude build, because Russia shut down the Kazakh Pipeline for 30 days (starting July 1) and that's equivalent to the SPR releases. In theory, the S&D should show a negative in a crude build (deficit). = Bullish
XOM, CVX, OXY, BP, and other O&G stocks,....as long as crude is higher than $45, most of these businesses are printing money. = Bullish (Some are more bullish than others. I think WB is making a play for OXY)
If we go back to the first rate inversion months ago (the inversion everyone ignored) that lasted all of a day or 2, that may have been a true signal start of a bear market/recession. = Bearish (That "signal" means we are in a recession now...without the NBER putting their stamp of approval on a "recession" as "official". Also, the NBER doesn't necessarily confirm a recession with 2 consecutive quarters of negative growth. They are the official body who determines if and when a recession is official.)
In a recession, solid value stocks are where to be, but they can go down in price with the rest of the market, overall a better investment (O&G are in this group). = Bullish
Europe is doing the backstroke,...the Green Energy Law was amended to include NatGas and Nuclear as Green Energy. France has nuclear for the majority of its needs. Germany is a total cluster, unwilling to restart any nuclear and they are at the end of a long process of shutting down their coal fueled electrical generating plants. Well, Germany is now restarting the coal fueled electricity plants again, only problem is, there's no supply of coal shipments to these locations, the critical personnel to operate these plants have left for other jobs, and last - guess who furnishes 40% of the coal to these coal fueled electric plants - wait for it - RUSSIA! There is a mad scramble in Europe to secure fossil fuel to keep butts warm in the winter and I think they will be highly UNsuccessful. This cluster will likely lead to new leadership changes in many nations (some taking place now) and all the way to a potential break off of some countries from the EU. = Bullish
This Administration is canceling drilling off the Atlantic, Pacific and "maybe" in the Gulf...relatively new info. And, the EPA is going after Permian right now. = Bullish
Over 225 million barrels have been released out of the SPR in a period of a few months. It took right at 4 years to put 225 million barrels in the SPR. At some point the SPR has to be refilled. = Bullish
Once the sour crude is no longer available or a small percentage of the mix, U.S. refiners will slow as it will take more time to refine what crude is available in the market. = Bullish
Limited to no CAPEX was invested over the last 2 to 3 years by petro companies to keep up with basic growing demand. Foreign producers are slow to react/invest to the demand because they do not want to kill the market price with an over-supply. U.S. companies are reluctant to invest with the Administration trying to run them out of business and coerce Big Banks to not loan money to Big Oil. = Bullish
Russia is selling crude (cheap) to China, India and Saudi. India and Saudi are refining the Russian crude and selling on the open market. Sanctions aren't working. = Neutral
Russia/Ukraine War. = Bullish (Should the war end in 2022, Europe will cozy up to Russia for fossil fuels and it's foolish to think otherwise. Green Energy sounds great until your ass gets cold. Because the structural CAPEX investments have not been made to expand the fossil fuel industry over the last 2 to 3 years, that's why this is bullish and not bearish.)
Fossil Fuel Structure = Bullish (The industry is behind structurally and will not catch up in 2 years - it will take longer)
Discussion of Green Energy transition in countries started faster then what they were ready/prepared for. = Bullish (Yes, you can not have Green Energy without fossil fuels. Also, to replace ICE vehicles with EV's, it will take 2X the amount of fossil fuel to operate that entire model than operating with 100% fossil fuel today. Let that one sink it.)
Eventually, the O&G sector will top and even in a recession, O&G will not be able sustain upward momentum, but it will be better than the other sectors.
XOM will have a monster Q2 and they have hinted already. They have $11 billion in cash. They have a $30 billion buyback and I would not be surprised to see the buyback grow. XOM historically announces a div hike in the 3Q and I'm certain they'll increase this year.
I am looking for XOM (specifically) to run, run slowly, to earnings(July) and then to payout(Sep), and then maybe a couple days after payout(Sep). Once XOM hits $95 in this time period, that price is an alert signal to me. I will use that signal to start monitoring, or selling, 2024 (maybe 2025) Call Options/Leaps, on everything I own (XOM and all other stocks - energy and nonenergy). Maybe XOM can make another ATH in a few months, but right now I dont think I'm going to wait. I am starting to see more weakness and I feel I don't want to participate in 2023 markets. I do think there's a good chance to see a buying op in Oct and a rally to S&P 5,000 by mid 2023; however, Powell and Biden are showing me a different side and could tank things. I believe I am going to sell Option/Leaps premiums and exit. I'll collect dividends and wait it out. I might be able to buy the Leaps back if the market retreats in Oct and reposition after a potential run up(that S&P 5,000 I mention above). I typically do not unwind my plans, i.e. the Oct buyback and hope for a runup to re-establish the position.
That's my plan. This market feels tricky and I don't want to miss the op. I have GTC orders in the system now at prices that will not execute in today's world. On execution day, I'll just change the order to a price I want and be done. Beats having to type in orders for everything I have planned, especially in a fast moving day.