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US Buys Nearly 2.5 Million Barrels of Oil for Strategic Petroleum Reserve

A maze of crude oil pipes and valves is pictured during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas, US June 9, 2016. REUTERS/Richard Carson/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A maze of crude oil pipes and valves is pictured during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas, US June 9, 2016. REUTERS/Richard Carson/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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US Buys Nearly 2.5 Million Barrels of Oil for Strategic Petroleum Reserve

A maze of crude oil pipes and valves is pictured during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas, US June 9, 2016. REUTERS/Richard Carson/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A maze of crude oil pipes and valves is pictured during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas, US June 9, 2016. REUTERS/Richard Carson/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

The US has bought nearly 2.5 million barrels of oil to help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve after the largest sale ever from the facility in 2022, the Energy Department said on Friday.

About 800,000 barrels per month of the domestically produced sour, or relatively high in sulfur, oil will be delivered to the reserve's Bryan Mound, Texas site from January to March next year, it said, Reuters reported.

The contract for the purchase of more than $180.3 million worth of oil was awarded to Macquarie Commodities Trading US LLC, it said.

The department said on Aug. 12

it had planned to buy up to 6 million barrels, at a rate of 2 million per month from January to March. It did not immediately respond to a query on whether the remaining 3.5 million barrels could be bought for the Bryan Mound site for delivery in that time period.

The administration of President Joe Biden is slowly replenishing the reserve after it sold 180 million barrels from the facility in 2022 to control gasoline prices after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

So far the administration has bought back more than 47 million barrels, the Energy Department said, at an average price of $76.89 a barrel, about $18 lower than the average price of $95 per barrel it sold the oil in 2022.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Business

Hapag-Lloyd Raises Outlook for Third Time on Strong Freight Rates

Hapag-Lloyd containers at a loading terminal at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, July 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Hapag-Lloyd containers at a loading terminal at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, July 13, 2025. (Reuters)
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Hapag-Lloyd Raises Outlook for Third Time on Strong Freight Rates

Hapag-Lloyd containers at a loading terminal at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, July 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Hapag-Lloyd containers at a loading terminal at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, July 13, 2025. (Reuters)

German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd on Wednesday raised its full-year earnings outlook for the third time this year, citing strength in freight rates and a stronger-than-expected performance ‌in the ‌fourth quarter.

The stock was ‌up ⁠2.4% at 0925 ⁠GMT.

The upgrade adds to a series of positive outlook revisions across the European logistics sector, where resilient global trade, elevated shipping ⁠rates and persistent ‌supply-chain disruptions have ‌supported earnings and boosted profitability.

Hapag-Lloyd ‌now expects full-year earnings ‌before interest and tax of $2.0 billion to $2.4 billion, up from previous expectations of $1.25 billion to $1.75 ‌billion.

The company also lifted its 2026 earnings before ⁠interest, tax, ⁠depreciation and amortization guidance to $4.6 billion to $5.0 billion, from $3.9 billion to $4.4 billion previously.

The latest increase follows earlier upgrades in July and September, reflecting sustained strength in container shipping markets and management's improved expectations for year-end trading.

Business

Gold Gains After Steep Drop, but Hawkish Central Bank Signals Weigh

People buy gold jewellery on the occasion of 'Dhanteras' as part of Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata on November 6, 2026. (AFP)
People buy gold jewellery on the occasion of 'Dhanteras' as part of Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata on November 6, 2026. (AFP)
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Gold Gains After Steep Drop, but Hawkish Central Bank Signals Weigh

People buy gold jewellery on the occasion of 'Dhanteras' as part of Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata on November 6, 2026. (AFP)
People buy gold jewellery on the occasion of 'Dhanteras' as part of Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata on November 6, 2026. (AFP)

Gold prices climbed on Wednesday, but remained anchored near the $4,000 level after a sharp selloff in the previous session following a hot US inflation print and hawkish policymakers' comments that tilted market expectations towards further and larger ‌rate hikes.

Spot ‌gold rose 0.5% to $4,051.31 per ounce ‌by ⁠0916 GMT after dropping ⁠as much as 3% to $4,013.29 on Tuesday. US gold futures for December delivery gained 0.7% to $4,059 per ounce.

"Gold is seeing some slight relief after its post-CPI declines," said Han Tan, chief market analyst at Bybit.

"However, it's a tough ask for gold bulls to keep pushing prices higher, given ⁠the prospects of more Fed rate ‌hikes in the pipeline."

Data released on ‌Tuesday showed US consumer prices rose more than expected in ‌October, with the CPI increasing 0.4%. Economists polled by Reuters ‌had forecast a 0.3% rise.

Traders raised the odds of a December Federal Reserve rate hike to 100% from 84% before the data, as per CME's FedWatch tool. Expectations of a ‌larger, half-percentage-point hike also increased.

Ahead of the data, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said a core inflation ⁠reading ⁠of 0.3% in October would prompt him to consider a half-point hike at the December meeting.

Other policymakers also maintained a hawkish tone, with Fed Bank of Philadelphia President Anna Paulson signaling further US rate hikes and Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman reaffirming the central bank's focus on curbing price pressures.

Although gold is typically seen as an inflation hedge, higher interest rates diminish its appeal, as gold bullion pays no interest.

Among other metals, spot silver climbed 2.7% to $52.87 per ounce, and palladium gained 4.1% to $1,066.66 per ounce.

Business

Oman Posts Third-Quarter Budget Surplus as Revenue Rises 16%

Visitors and locals gather at the Mutrah Corniche in Muscat, Oman, April 11, 2025. (AP)
Visitors and locals gather at the Mutrah Corniche in Muscat, Oman, April 11, 2025. (AP)
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Oman Posts Third-Quarter Budget Surplus as Revenue Rises 16%

Visitors and locals gather at the Mutrah Corniche in Muscat, Oman, April 11, 2025. (AP)
Visitors and locals gather at the Mutrah Corniche in Muscat, Oman, April 11, 2025. (AP)

Oman's ‌public revenue rose 16% by the end of the third quarter to 9.828 billion Omani rials ($25.53 billion), the Oman News Agency said in a post ‌on X on ‌Wednesday.

Public spending ‌rose ⁠9% to about ⁠9.74 billion rials, and the state budget recorded a surplus of about 90 million rials ⁠at the end of ‌the ‌third quarter.

Public debt ‌fell by more ‌than 600 million rials from a year earlier, to about 14.1 ‌billion rials from 14.7 billion.

Dues paid ⁠to ⁠the private sector and received through the financial system totaled more than 1.43 billion rials by the end of the third quarter.