Phil Flynn: Freezer Frame

Has the coldest winter in a decade, as some experts predict, just begun? Can record cold really overcome record supply if refineries cut back production? Well it seemed a bit more plausible as winter worries helped an oil flurry on a light volume trading session. The cold weather fed into fears that refinery cut backs could cut into a massive oversupply situation when every trader turned on the heat. Throw in a weaker dollar and you have the perfect recipe for a holiday trade oil rally.

Barbara Powell at Bloomberg fed into traders concerns when she reported that, "Oil refiners from Valero Energy Corp. to Sunoco Inc. are cutting the most capacity since the early 1980.” The reason she says is that they fear that even, “the coldest U.S. winter in a decade won’t be enough to soak up a glut of fuel.” Powell said, "returns from processing crude into heating oil for delivery in February are the lowest in six years”.....read the entire article.