Core Durables Goods Surge For 12th Straight Month, Push Bond Yield Higher

Another Greek Tanker Sneaks Through Strait Of Hormuz Another Greek-controlled oil tanker has crossed the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iran's declaration that only "friendly" vessels will be allowed to make the transit, marking the fourth such voyage since hostilities in the Middle East began. The suezmax Pola, which switched off its tracking system in the Persian Gulf on March 10, was detected again on Monday by the Automatic Identification System: it was located several thousand miles away.  The ship was sailing in the eastern Indian Ocean near the maritime corridor off the...

From Hormuz To Houston: The US Takeover Of Global Energy Flows Ramps Up Authored by Simon Watkins via OilPrice.com, The Americas are replacing the Middle East as the key source of global oil supply, with crude exports from the Western Hemisphere hitting a record 14.5 million bpd while Strait of Hormuz traffic collapsed. Trump’s broader energy strategy aims to weaken OPEC’s influence and cement U.S. dominance over global energy markets. Venezuela, Argentina, and Brazil are emerging as the biggest growth engines, with Venezuela rebuilding output, Argentina rapidly expanding Vaca Muerta shale production, and...

Here's What Happened Inside Gas Stations When Gas Hit $4 In Goldman's first-quarter "Nicotine Nuggets" survey of retailers and wholesalers covering roughly 44,000 U.S. stores, or about 28% of all tobacco outlets nationwide, analysts observed that once the national average for regular 87-octane gasoline hit the politically sensitive $4-a-gallon level, the squeeze on consumers began to emerge. One of the clearest signs of stress was a downshift in purchases as budget-conscious consumers started pulling back on tobacco purchases or, in some cases, trading down.  "The outlook remains cautious but retailers &...