DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

REUTERS/Charles PlatiauCHICAGO/DETROIT, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The companies that produce goods at the heart of the U.S. consumer economy - SUVs, washing machines, heavy equipment and hamburgers - kept rolling along at the end of 2022. Bellwethers including McDonald's (MCD.N), General Motors, Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), appliance maker Whirlpool (WHR.N) and delivery giant United Parcel Service (UPS.N), posted results that exceeded estimates. That's a good sign for the broader economy, according to Lori Calvasina, equity analyst at RBC Capital Markets. The economy's performance may depend on whether price pressures that have afflicted consumer and business spending start to wane. "As we go into 2023, there is going to continue to be inflation," said Christopher Kempczinski, McDonald's CEO, on the company's earnings call Tuesday.

REUTERS/Andrew KellyOAKLAND, Calif/BANGALORE, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Microprocessor giant Intel Corp (INTC.O) says it will regain its footing against AMD and other chip rivals which are gobbling up market share, but Wall Street is skeptical. That's a headwind for Intel and AMD, both of which are rolling out new chips, but Intel is facing a larger inventory correction. Intel still dominates the markets for PC and server processing chips, with a market share greater than 70%, tech research firm IDC calculated. Chipmaker shares were hammered across the board on Friday, but Intel led the decline, slumping by 10% while AMD lost 1.8%. AMD set to overtake Intel in market cap, again AMD set to overtake Intel in market cap, againReporting By Jane Lanhee Lee and Chavi Mehta; Editing by David Gaffen, Peter Henderson, Kirsten Donovan and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

In a note to employees, CEO Satya Nadella attempted to address the divergent outlook for different parts of the business. Nadella said the layoffs, affecting less than 5% of Microsoft's workforce, would conclude by the end of March, with notifications beginning Wednesday. Along with Amazon, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) announced cuts of 11,000 jobs, while cloud-based software company Salesforce Inc (CRM.N) said it would cut 10% of its 80,000-member workforce. Under U.S. law, most employers are required to report staff cuts affecting 50 or more workers at a single location. But growth dropped to 35% in the first fiscal quarter of 2023, and the company projects more declines to come.

Canada is in the midst of building a large terminal to export LNG, but its completion is two years away. Canadian gas production is on track to reach a record 18 bcfd in 2022 and 19 bcfd in 2023, according to energy consultancy Rystad Energy. Pipelines are also constrained in Canada due to swift production growth, particularly TC Energy Corp's (TRP.TO) NGTL pipeline system that ships gas around and out of western Canada. In August, gas prices in Alberta briefly turned negative because of bottlenecks stemming from NGTL maintenance. U.S. LNG exports are expected to reach 10.6 bcfd in 2022 and 12.3 bcfd in 2023, according to federal estimates.

☆ Keystone cleanup turns remote Kansas valley into a small town
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Erwin Seba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

And while the city of Washington, Kansas, is small with just over 1,000 residents, it is surrounded by farms where wheat, corn, soybeans are planted and cattle are raised. The once-quiet valley is currently a construction site buzzing with some 400 contractors, staff from pipeline operator TC Energy, and federal, state and local officials. The valley has become almost a small town, with several Quonset-style huts erected for workers. WIDER GROUP AFFECTEDLiving in rural Kansas, the Pannbackers are used to preparing for harsh weather, but not an oil spill. “How many people have experienced an oil spill?

REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte/File PhotoDec 13 (Reuters) - For the energy industry, 2022 will be remembered as the year Russia's invasion of Ukraine accelerated a global energy crisis. The world's top energy companies beat a hasty retreat from Russia and wrote off tens of billions of dollars in assets. WHY IT MATTERSRussia's invasion of Ukraine caused European countries to re-evaluate their relationship with that nation, long the continent's primary supplier of natural gas. "We are seeing nothing less than the termination of a successful 50-year partnership on gas between Russia and Europe," said Michael Stoppard, special adviser and global gas analyst at S&P Global Commodity Insights. As the year comes to a close, costs for natural gas and heating fuel have ebbed as economic activity declines.

This week's spill of 14,000 barrels in Kansas is sure to raise alarms over future pipeline development, as U.S. regulators had already increased scrutiny of pipeline construction due to previous Keystone spills in 2017 and 2019. The pipeline suffered few incidents in its early years, but since 2017, the number of spills increased after TC Energy received a special permit from the U.S. "I think a lot of scrutiny is going to be placed on the special permit," said Jane Kleeb, founder of Bold Alliance, an advocacy group that fought Keystone XL. John Stoody, vice-president of government relations at the Liquid Energy Pipeline Association said special permits come with numerous different operating conditions. "If anything there are complaints from industry about how lengthy the special permit process is.

Crude inventories (USOILC=ECI) fell by 5.2 million barrels in the week to Dec. 2 to 413.9 million barrels, a decline that far exceeded analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 3.3 million-barrel drop. Meanwhile, U.S. crude production rose to 12.2 million barrels per day, highest since August. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub (USOICC=ECI) fell by 373,000 barrels in the last week, EIA said. Refinery crude runs (USOICR=ECI) fell by 53,000 barrels per day in the last week, EIA said. Net U.S. crude imports (USOICI=ECI) rose by 1.49 million barrels per day, EIA said.

☆ U.S. subsidies better than EU ones on energy re-shoring, Enel CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Enel SpA FollowNEW YORK, Dec 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act is more efficient than European Union aid to support domestic production of energy sector components, the CEO of Europe's biggest utility Enel (ENEI.MI) said in an interview during the Reuters Next conference. The United States approved a $430-billion new green energy subsidy package in the summer labelled Inflation Reduction Act that offers tax breaks for components used in renewable energy technologies on condition they are made in North America. Starace called "problematic" the global dependence on Chinese solar materials, and confirmed Enel would ramp up its solar panel manufacturing capacity in Europe and in the United States with two plants. Europeans will eventually find an agreement on how to reduce the volatility of gas prices, the CEO of Enel said. To view the Reuters NEXT conference live on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, please click [https://www.reuters.com/world/reuters-next/]Reporting by David Gaffen; writing by Francesca Landini Editing by Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. grants $1.1 bln to keep Diablo Canyon nuclear plant open
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Timothy Gardner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Diablo is the last operating nuclear plant in California. The Biden administration believes nuclear power is critical in curbing climate change and wants to keep plants open ahead of the development of next-generation reactors. Poppe said the plant is also ordering more uranium fuel for the reactor, and dry casks for storing nuclear waste. Some politicians who have been wary of problems associated with nuclear waste have come out in support of the Civil Nuclear Credit program. Holtec International, which in May bought the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, said on Friday that DOE rejected its application for funding.

Republican leaders had promised voters during the election they would cut the mining permit review timeline in half and boost domestic EV mining, rather than seek more supply overseas. Westerman and other Republicans will be partially stymied by Republicans' failure to wrest control of the U.S. Senate from Democrats. With their newfound control, Republicans could threaten to withhold funding from agencies perceived as taking too long to approve mines. The Resolution project is opposed by Representative Raúl Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat who will relinquish his chairmanship of the House Natural Resources Committee to Westerman. Republicans say that expanding such deals to other countries is not a priority for the new Congress.

CHICAGO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Cooks may have to put away their oversized platters for serving turkey this Thanksgiving. If a farm has an outbreak, producers must disinfect their barns after culling turkeys and wait about six months before restocking. The National Turkey Federation acknowledged that cooks in some geographic areas could see limited supplies of big turkeys. On the U.S. East Coast, Baldor sees a shortage of the bigger sizes as large Thanksgiving celebrations make a comeback, Lindgren said. Shoppers are resuming traditional purchases of turkeys around 18 pounds, after downsizing their birds for smaller gatherings over the last two years, he said.

☆ U.S. nuclear plants expect government decision on credits by year-end
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Two companies that have applied for funding to keep struggling nuclear power plants open said they expect to hear from the U.S. Department of Energy by the end of the year. Both power utility PG&E Corp (PCG.N) and Holtec International applied to the first phase of the $6 billion DOE Civil Nuclear Credit program to keep their reactors running. The Biden administration believes nuclear power is essential to fight climate change, but plants are struggling with costs and competition from natural gas plants and renewables. Poppe said PG&E is applying to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license allowing Diablo to continue operating. She said Diablo is also ordering more uranium fuel for the reactor, and dry casks for storing nuclear waste.

Here are the known and unknowns so far:WHO'S IN THE PRICE CAP COALITION? Britain said Thursday it could ban countries from using its services to transport Russian oil purchased for a price exceeding the cap. WHAT WILL THE PRICE CAP LEVEL BE? Moscow could end up cutting production as a result, which would apply upward pressure on global oil prices. Worries about potential sanctions, even if unfounded, can cause traders to avoid deals, another factor that can boost oil prices.

The market was supported by another decline in U.S. oil inventories as refineries picked up activity ahead of the winter heating season. The oil market held its rally even as stocks fell and the dollar rallied after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said it was premature to think about pausing rate increases. U.S. crude oil stocks fell about 3.1 million barrels on the week, according to federal data. Gasoline inventories while distillate stocks rose only marginally ahead of the key heating season, when demand is expected to pick up. The ban, a reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, will be followed by a halt on oil product imports in February.

Brent crude rose $1.74, or 1.8%, to $96.39 as of 12:01 p.m. EDT (1601 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up $1.95, or 2.2%, to $90.31 per barrel. U.S. crude oil stocks fell about 3.1 million barrels on the week, according to federal data. "That is why we are seeing oil prices being supported." China's zero-COVID policy has been a main factor in keeping a lid on oil prices as repeated lockdowns have slowed growth and pared oil demand. Therefore, expect oil prices to close out this year heading into triple-digit territory," PVM analyst Stephen Brennock said.

☆ Global oil giants rake in massive profits in third quarter
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oil companies booked billions of dollars in profits as prices for crude, natural gas and fuels like gasoline hovered near record levels during the quarter. The soaring profits are feeding criticism from consumer groups in the United States and Europe as inflation climbs. Exxon Mobil, the largest U.S. major, reported nearly $20 billion in revenue, exceeding expectations and surpassing its previous record set in the second quarter. Chevron earned $11.2 billion, nearly doubling the $6.1 billion from the same period last year. The strong results out of Europe followed Shell's $9.5 billion profit reported Thursday, putting it on track to surpass its record set in 2008.

The dollar's weakness added support, as the greenback's strength of late has been a notable factor inhibiting oil market gains. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.59, or 3%, to $87.91. Crude exports rose to 5.1 million barrels a day, the most ever, dropping net U.S. crude imports to their lowest in history. Oil analysts anticipate supply will tighten in coming months after that move, and as Europe is expected next month to ban oil imports from Russia and restrict Russian shippers from the global shipping insurance industry. "Until 2024 we believe oil price will be strongly influenced by the availability of tankers that are willing to transport Russian oil rather than global supply-demand fundamentals, keeping oil price elevated," JP Morgan analysts wrote.

Brent crude futures were up $2.43, or 2.6%, to $95.95 a barrel by 12:31 p.m. EDT (1631 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.86, or 3.3%, to $88.18. U.S. crude stocks rose 2.6 million barrels last week, according to weekly government data, more than anticipated, but that was lower than industry figures, which showed a 4.5 million-barrel build. In addition, crude exports rose to 5.1 million barrels a day, the most ever, dropping U.S. crude imports on net to their lowest in history. Traders attributed the surge in exports to the widened WTI-Brent spread , which, coming into Wednesday's trade, was at more than $8 per barrel.

NEW YORK, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Oil prices surged on Wednesday as U.S. crude exports hit an all-time high and as the nation's refiners operated at higher-than-usual levels for this time of year. Brent crude futures for December were up $2.16, or 2.3%, at $95.68 a barrel as of 11:01 a.m. EDT (1501 GMT). A 0.9% drop in the U.S. dollar also added to bullishness, making oil cheaper for holders of other currencies. "OPEC production cuts effective November and the new EU sanctions on Russian oil to be enforced from December should be positive" for prices, said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management. In addition, crude exports rose to 5.1 million barrels a day, the most ever, dropping U.S. crude imports on net to their lowest in history.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) <CLc1> for November, that is expiring on Thursday, was at $83.17 a barrel, up 35 cents, or 0.4%. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterU.S. crude inventories fell unexpectedly last week - down 1.7 million barrels, weekly government showed, against expectations for a build of 1.4 million barrels. SPR levels fell 3.6 million barrels to just over 405 million, the lowest since May 1984. The EU's sanctions on Russian crude and oil products will take effect in December and February, respectively. There were also some signs of resurgent Chinese oil demand, including private mega refiner Zhejiang Petrochemical Corp (ZPC) and state-run ChemChina receiving further import quotas.

☆ U.S. EIA sees slower oil demand, output growth this year and next
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Overall U.S. demand for petroleum and other liquid fuels in 2023 is expected to rise slowly, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said, estimating growth at 190,000 barrels per day to 20.54 million bpd. In September, the EIA expected that growth to come in at 350,000 bpd. For this year, demand is expected to rise by 460,000 barrels per day to 20.35 bpd, also down from the previous forecast. U.S. crude output is now expected to increase by 610,000 bpd in 2023 to 12.36 million bpd, which would still be the most output, on average, for a year, in U.S. history. Output in 2022 is expected to average 11.75 million bpd, down from a previous estimate of 11.79 million bpd.

Oil futures have risen over 7% since to five-week highs, as the move was seen as putting a floor under the market. However, the U.S. oil options market skewed toward buying of put options, used to either bet on or protect against downside movement. Trading volumes for U.S. crude futures puts and calls for November delivery gained over 40% to Wednesday, the day of the OPEC+ meeting, from Tuesday, data from CME Group showed. On Thursday and Friday, volumes in puts totaled 15,579 and 25,771, respectively, while volumes in calls totaled 16,087 and 42,291, CME Group data showed. In the futures market, crude spreads widened on Friday, with near-term contracts rising at a faster rate than later-dated contracts.

WASHINGTON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - A production cut by the OPEC+ oil cartel is reigniting U.S. voters' No. The move late in the campaign season unsettled a growing consensus that Biden's Democrats could stem their losses in the U.S. House of Representatives -- though they are still expected to lose their narrow majority. Republicans have hammered Democrats all year over inflation, which has reached four-decade highs as gasoline prices surged with Russia's March invasion of Ukraine. Moscow is also a member of OPEC+ and played a role in the cartel's decision this week to cut output. Forecasters do not expect gasoline prices to surge back to summertime highs.

Brent crude futures settled up $3.05, or 3.5%, at $89.32 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures ended up $3.65, or 4.7%, to $82.15 a barrel. The dollar hit a fresh two-decade peak against a basket of currencies on Wednesday before pulling back. A strong dollar reduces demand for oil by making it more expensive for buyers using other currencies. "All raw material dominated currencies are up - crude is not just moving in isolation here."

Search resuls for: "David Gaffen"

25 mentions found