Brent Oil Exchange rate
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD turns sideways around 0.6660 as rally hits pause
The AUD/USD pair turns sideways as the three-week rally hits a pause after posting a fresh three-month high at 0.6686 on Wednesday. During Friday’s early European trading hours, the Aussie pair trades calmly near 0.6660. The pair struggles to extend its advance after the release of the unexpectedly weak Australian labor market data for November.
EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains
EUR/USD is trimming part of its earlier gains, coming under some mild downside pressure near 1.1730 as the US Dollar edges higher. Markets are still digesting the Fed’s latest rate decision, while also looking ahead to more commentary from Fed officials in the sessions ahead.
Gold poised to challenge record highs
Gold prices added roughly 3% in the week, flirting with the $4,350 mark on Friday, to finally settle at around $4,330. Despite its safe-haven condition, the bright metal rallied in a risk-on scenario, amid broad US Dollar weakness.
Week ahead: US NFP and CPI, BoE, ECB and BoJ mark a busy week
After Fed decision, dollar traders lock gaze on NFP and CPI data. Will the BoE deliver a dovish interest rate cut? ECB expected to reiterate “good place” mantra. Will a BoJ rate hike help the yen recover some of its massive losses?
Big week ends with big doubts
The S&P 500 continued to push higher yesterday as the US 2-year yield wavered around the 3.50% mark following a Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cut earlier this week that was ultimately perceived as not that hawkish after all. The cut is especially boosting the non-tech pockets of the market.
Majors
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Signatures
BRENT OIL, ENERGY COMMODITY
Brent Oil (or Brent Crude) is a major trading classification of sweet light crude oil that serves as a major benchmark price for purchases of oil worldwide. It is extracted from the North Sea. Brent oil contracts in the ICE (Intercontinental Exchange) are quoted in US dollars. It is the benchmark used primarily in Europe though it is also mixed in with the OPEC Reference Basket which is used around the world. Brent blend makes up more than half of the world's globally traded supply of crude oil. Crude oil is the highest volume contract that is traded worldwide for a physical commodity.
USD/CAD, AUD/USD and NZD/USD are called “commodity pairs” because they are highly correlated to commodity (especially oil) fluctuations.
When making trading decisions in the commodity pairs, it might be a good idea to take a look at the correlated commodities because it can help to predict future up or down movements.
HISTORIC HIGHS AND LOWS FOR BRENT OIL
- All-time records: Max:147.27 on 07/07/2008 - Min: 9.75 on 31/03/1986
- Last 5 years: Max:86.71 on 03/10/2018 - Min: 26.08 on 11/02/2016
* Data as of February 2020
ASSETS THAT INFLUENCE BRENT OIL THE MOST
- Currencies: USD.
- Commodities: Natural Gas.
- Bonds: T-Bond (Treasury bond is a marketable, fixed-interest U.S. government debt security).
- Indices: BRENT Index (the cash settlement price for the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Brent Future based on ICE Futures Brent index at expiry) and WTI (West Texas Intermediate is a grade of crude oil used as a benchmark in oil pricing, the underlying commodity of NYMEX's oil futures contracts).
ORGANIZATIONS, PEOPLE AND ECONOMIC DATA THAT INFLUENCE BRENT OIL
Weekly crude inventories (that represent the supply of oil) are very closely watched by traders, in particular those reported by the EIA (Energy Information Administration) and the API (American Petroleum Institute).
On the other hand, an important indicator of underlying oil demand growth is the world GDP growth rates (in periods of recession, the consumption of oil tends to fall).
On how supply (inventories) and demand affect the price of oil, we recommend you to watch this short video.
In terms of influent people and organizations for the brent oil, we highlight:
- Mike Sommers is the 15th chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute (API) since its founding. API is the largest national trade association representing all aspects of America's oil and natural gas industry. Before being named API's president and CEO, Sommers led the American Investment Council, a trade association representing many of the nation's leading private equity and growth capital firms and other business partners.
- Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, OPEC’s Secretary General since August 2016. He previously served as Acting Secretary General in 2006, represented Nigeria on OPEC's Economic Commission Board during 1993–2008, led the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation during 2009–2010, and has headed Nigeria's technical delegation to UN climate negotiations since 1991. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is a permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference in 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.
- US Oil & Gas Association, was founded in October 1917 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, following the United States’ entry into World War I. This trade association “promotes the well-being of the oil and natural gas industries in the United States”.
- Vladimir Putin, who has served as the president of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 2000 until 2008.