What happens: Brent crude futures, the global benchmark, have exceeded $ 60 a barrel, the highest level since January 2020.
“With Covid-19 cases now declining in certain regions, including the US and the UK, there will be a glimmer of hope that the worst is now behind us, especially as vaccination begins to increase,” Warren Patterson said. , the strategic strategy of ING, said and Wenyu Yao said in a recent note to clients.
There are also significant signs of demand recovery in high-growth economies such as China, India and Brazil, UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo told me.
The demand trajectory is definitely pointing upwards, he said.
Meanwhile, producers are working hard to keep supply in check so that there can still be a significant reduction in inventory that was full last year.
Producers in the United States are expected to take longer to get back on track quickly.
“Investment activity has been relatively subdued, and it will still take time to see a greater impact,” Staunovo said.
Together this is good news for prices. The trend has been supporting the shares of oil companies such as Exxon and Chevron since November.
That said, such supplies remain much lower than where they were before the pandemic, and it underscores the long road ahead.
If investors become concerned that asset prices have moved too high, too fast, equities and oil prices could be put under pressure. And the demand forecast remains bleak, especially as new coronavirus variants complicate normal timelines.
Remember: The International Energy Agency last month revised its forecast for global oil demand in 2021 lower, citing ‘renewed closures in a number of countries’ that will weigh on fuel sales. Oil companies have also been caught up in a serious debate over whether the question can ever fully bounce back. Looking ahead to the next 12 months, the picture looks brighter, but with many unknowns.
Hyundai and Kia: we’m not talking to Apple about a car deal
“We are not in talks with Apple about developing self-driving cars,” Hyundai said in a statement.
The statement added that Hyundai had received requests from “numerous companies” about the development of self-driving electric cars, but that “no decision has been made as we are in the initial stages.” Apple declined to comment, my CNN business colleagues Jill Disis and Gawon Bae reported.
The announcement shocked investors who were betting on some sort of commitment between the companies after news reports. Kia’s share fell nearly 15%, according to data provider Refinitiv, the worst day since at least 2001. The fall wiped $ 5.4 billion from its market value.
Hyundai’s share fell more than 6%, losing about $ 2.8 billion in market value.
Apple’s interest in South Korea’s automakers made sense. Analysts have pointed out that Hyundai is open to joining forces with technology companies. For example, there are already partnerships with Chinese search giant Baidu and US chipmaker Nvidia over autonomous driving.
The big question: if Apple moves its car forward, the wisdom is that it prefers to work with an experienced manufacturer. But who? Analysts have also pushed Honda and Volkswagen as possible options, and attention may now be turning in that direction.
Despite heavy losses, US airlines roll in cash
The country’s four largest airlines – American, Delta, United and Southwest – closed last year with a combined cash of $ 31.5 billion on their balance sheets. That was more than $ 13 billion a year earlier, before the pandemic struck.
What gives: Although these airlines have blown $ 115 million a day over the last nine months of 2020, easy loans have enabled them to increase their finances.
Like a struggling family flooded with credit card offers, airlines have many people on Wall Street who are eager to lend them money or help them raise funds from investors. The lower interest rates play a big role.
“Liquidity is at record levels,” said Philip Baggaley, chief credit analyst for the airline industry at Standard & Poor’s. “It’s good, and it’s one of the few strengths they have at this point.”
In addition to selling bonds and taking out loans, airlines have also mortgaged their aircraft, regular flight programs and other assets, and even sold additional shares, an unusual step for a crisis industry. Meanwhile, they have made deep cost savings.
“I think the general feeling is that they are injured, but they are going to get it right,” Baggaley said.