EU mulls Iranian company protection from US sanctions
A senior judge at the EU Court of Justice (ECJ) indicated today that the bloc's rules offer protection to Iranian companies if EU firms terminate contracts in order to follow US sanctions.
Iran's Bank Melli has argued that a contract termination by Deutsche Telekom, in order to comply with reimposed US sanctions against listed Iranian undertakings, breached the EU's 1996 blocking statute, which prohibits EU firms from complying with extraterritorial measures. ECJ advocate general Gerard Hogan today said that the blocking statute requires — in principle, at least — firms terminating an otherwise valid contract with Iranian entities subject to US sanctions to demonstrate this was not done so out of a desire to comply with extraterritorial measures imposed by the US.
Hogan said that the blocking statute is a "very blunt" instrument designed to sterilise the intrusive extraterritorial effects of US sanctions. But there will be "casualties", such as Deutsche Telekom, given its large US operations. The advocate general's opinion is not binding on the ECJ, but it does indicate how the court might interpret EU law for a Hamburg court to follow in a case between Bank Melli and Deutsche Telekom.
Neither the activation of the blocking statute nor an EU-inspired special purpose vehicle allowed for maintained crude imports from Iran following reimposition of US sanctions, also on third-country firms. The update to the blocking statute also did not prevent Belgium-based Swift from complying with the extra-territorial effects of US sanctions against Iran.
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US southbound barge demand falls off earlier than usual
US southbound barge demand falls off earlier than usual
Houston, 1 May (Argus) — Southbound barge rates in the US have fallen on unseasonably low demand because of increased competition in the international grain market. Rates for voyages down river have deteriorated to "unsustainable" levels, said American Commercial Barge Line. Southbound rates declined in April to an average tariff of 284pc across all rivers this April, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is below breakeven levels for many barge carriers. Rates typically do not fall below a 300pc tariff until May or June. Southbound freight values for May are expected to hold steady or move lower, said sources this week. Southbound activity has increased recently because of the low rates, but not enough to push prices up. The US has already sold 84pc of its forecast corn exports and 89pc of forecast soybean exports with only five months left until the end of the corn and soybean marketing year, according to the USDA. US corn and soybean prices have come down since the beginning of the year in order to stay competitive with other origins. The USDA lowered its forecast for US soybean exports by 545,000t in its April report as soybeans from Brazil and Argentina were more competitively priced. US farmers are holding onto more of their harvest from last year because of low crop prices, curbing exports. Prompt CBOT corn futures averaged $435/bushel in April, down 34pc from April 2023. Weak southbound demand could last until fall when the US enters harvest season and exports ramp up southbound barge demand. Major agriculture-producing countries such as Argentina and Brazil are expected to export their grain harvest before the US. Brazil has finished planting corn on time . unlike last year. The US may face less competition from Brazil in the fall as a result. Carriers are tying up barges earlier than usual to avoid losses on southbound barge voyages. Carriers that have already parked their barges will take their time re-entering the market unless tariffs become profitable again. The carriers who remain on the river will gain more southbound market share and possibly more northbound spot interest. By Meghan Yoyotte and Eduardo Gonzalez Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US Fed signals rates likely to stay high for longer
US Fed signals rates likely to stay high for longer
Houston, 1 May (Argus) — Federal Reserve policymakers signaled they are likely to hold rates higher for longer until they are confident inflation is slowing "sustainably" towards the 2pc target. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) held the federal funds target rate unchanged at a 23-year high of 5.25-5.5pc, for the sixth consecutive meeting. This followed 11 rate increases from March 2022 through July 2023 that amounted to the most aggressive hiking campaign in four decades. "We don't think it would be appropriate to dial back our restrictive policy stance until we've gained greater confidence that inflation is moving down sustainably," Fed chair Jerome Powell told a press conference after the meeting. "It appears it'll take longer to reach the point of confidence that rate cuts will be in scope." In a statement the FOMC cited a lack of further progress towards the committee's 2pc inflation objective in recent months as part of the decision to hold the rate steady. Despite this, the FOMC said the risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals "have moved toward better balance over the past year," shifting prior language that said the goals "are moving into better balance." The decision to keep rates steady was widely expected. CME's FedWatch tool, which tracks fed funds futures trading, had assigned a 99pc probability to the Fed holding rates steady today while giving 58pc odds of rate declines beginning at the 7 November meeting. In March, Fed policymakers had signaled they believed three quarter points cuts were likely this year. Inflation has ticked up lately after falling from four-decade highs in mid-2022. The consumer price index inched back up to an annual 3.5pc in March after reaching a recent low of 3pc in June 2023. The employment cost index edged up in the first quarter to the highest in a year. At the same time, job growth, wages and demand have remained resilient. The Fed also said it would begin slowing the pace of reducing its balance sheet of Treasuries and other notes in June, partly to avoid stress in money markets. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Norwegian Cruise swings to 1Q profit
Norwegian Cruise swings to 1Q profit
New York, 1 May (Argus) — US-based cruise ship operator Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) swung to a profit in the first quarter on record bookings. The company posted a $69.5mn profit in the first quarter, compared with a $127.7mn loss during the same period of 2023. Revenue rose by 20pc to $2.19bn in the quarter from a year earlier as the cruise operator reported record quarterly bookings. Cruise operating expenses were up by 8pc at $1.39bn in the quarter from a year earlier. Norwegian rerouted some of its voyages that were previously expected to sail through the Red Sea. But demand from other regions offset the effect of the redeployed voyages. The company spent $197.7mn on marine fuel in the first quarter, 1pc up from $194.9mn in the first quarter of 2023. The company burned 269,000t of marine fuel and did not disclose its fuel consumption for the first quarter of 2023. It expects to burn about 245,000t in the second quarter and 995,000t for full 2024, split evenly between residual fuel oil and marine gasoil. Currently, it has hedged about 35pc of its fuel oil consumption at $395/t and 75pc of its marine gasoil consumption at $746/t for the entire 2024. Starting this year, Norwegian had been applying to the EU innovation fund with the goal of accelerating the transition of six of its vessels from being methanol ready to being fully methanol capable. Biomethanol was pegged at $2,223/t very low-sulphur fuel oil equivalent (VLSFOe) or 3.7 times the price of VLSFO average in April in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp bunkering hub, Argus assessments showed. Methanol was assessed at $699/t VLSFOe or 1.2 times the price of VLSFO. The company also has half of its fleet equipped with shoreside technology allowing it to use port electricity and minimize emissions during port stays. Norwegian has ordered eight new vessels for delivery from 2025-2036. Separately, its subsidiaries Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas will take delivery of three new vessels from 2025-2029 and two new vessels from 2026-2029, respectively. By Stefka Wechsler Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Cenovus boosts oil sands output by 4pc in 1Q
Cenovus boosts oil sands output by 4pc in 1Q
Calgary, 1 May (Argus) — Canadian integrated Cenovus Energy increased its oil sands production by 4pc in the first quarter, led by gains at Lloydminster Thermal and Foster Creek heavy crude assets, and the company plans to boost output further to supply the newly opened Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) pipeline. Cenovus pumped out 613,000 b/d of crude from its oil sands projects in Alberta, up from 588,000 b/d in the same quarter last year, the Calgary-based company reported on Wednesday. This was one of the highest producing quarters for Cenovus' oil sands assets since acquiring Husky in early 2021, second only to the 625,000 b/d produced in the fourth quarter that year. Cenovus has a commitment of about 144,000 b/d on the newly completed 590,000 b/d TMX pipeline, which was placed into service on Wednesday , and the company has plans to push upstream output higher over the next several years across its portfolio to meet its commitment. The pipeline nearly triples the amount of Canadian crude that can reach the Pacific coast without first having to go through the US. First-quarter production from the Lloydminster Thermal segment rose to 114,000 b/d, up from 99,000 b/d a year earlier, because of higher reliability, according to Cenovus. Cenovus' Foster Creek production rose to 196,000 b/d of bitumen, up from 190,000 b/d in first quarter 2023. The company plans to bring another 30,000 b/d online at the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) asset by the end of 2027 through optimization projects. To the north, Christina Lake's first-quarter bitumen output of 237,000 b/d was steady with previous quarters. The asset is expected to get a significant boost by the end of 2025 when a pipeline connecting the project to output from the neighbouring Narrows Lake asset is completed. The 17 kilometer (11 mile) Narrows Lake tie-back will add 20,000-30,000 b/d of bitumen to Christina Lake, which already ranks as the industry's largest SAGD project. The pipeline is 67pc complete and should be placed into service in early 2025, Cenovus executives said Wednesday on an earnings call. Northeast of Fort McMurray, Alberta, new well pads are planned at Sunrise in 2025, where Cenovus also plans to push production higher by 20,000 b/d. Sunrise produced an average of 49,000 b/d in the first quarter this year, up from 45,000 b/d in the same quarter 2023. Cenovus' output company-wide rose to 801,000 b/d of oil equivalent (boe/d) in the first quarter, up from 779,000 boe/d a year earlier. This includes oil sands, natural gas liquids, natural gas, conventional and offshore assets. Cenovus posted a profit of C$1.2bn ($871mn) in the quarter, up from a C$636mn profit during the same quarter of 2023. By Brett Holmes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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