DATA FLASH: US APRIL CONFIDENCE FELL FURTHER, BUT EXPECTATIONS IMPROVE

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Conference Board’s U.S. consumer confidence index Tuesday fell to a reading of 86.9 in April from a downward revised 118.8 reading in March, as business and employment conditions deteriorated rapidly due to the COVID-19 shutdown. And while the assessment of current conditions posted their largest one-month decline in […]

TEXAS ENERGY REGULATOR DELAYS OIL PRODUCTION VOTE UNTIL MAY 5

—Wants Time To Assess Legal Risks, Potential Industry Impact By Brai Odion-Esene, SW4 Insight, for Mace News WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – A divided Texas Railroad Commission Tuesday postponed its vote on limiting oil production in the nation’s largest oil-producing state, with the majority preferring to conduct additional due diligence and avoid potential legal minefields.  “We need […]

DATA FLASH: US MARCH IMPORT PRICES FALL 2.3% ON FUEL PLUNGE

–Excluding Fuels, Import Prices Were Flat on Mixed Components By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – U.S. import prices fell by 2.3% in March, primarily on a 26.8% plunge in fuel prices. Outside of the fuel price drop, import prices were flat, with mixed components. Analysts had expected overall import prices to fall by 3.1% after […]

IMF WEO: CHINA TO ESCAPE PANDEMIC ECONOMIC DECLINES

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath’s summary of the World Economic Outlook update published Tuesday outlining sharp declines in economic activity throughout much of the world with the notable exception of China, where the pandemic originated: The world has changed dramatically in the three months since our last update of […]

Oil Analysis: Low Expectations For Agreement At OPEC-Plus Virtual Gathering

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Members of the Organization for Oil Exporting Countries, along with Russia, Mexico and possibly Canada as well as Norway, are set to meet virtually Thursday to hash out an agreement to halt the months-long plunge in oil prices. However, expectations are low that a deal will be reached to ease a situation […]

WHITE HOUSE WATCH COMMENTARY: BRACING FOR THE WORST YET

–‘There’ll Be A Lot of Death’ By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The president and his experts Saturday warned the nation that next week and the week after are going to see virus death tolls that will far eclipse anything seen so far, as the increasing number of hotspots climb the steepening curve toward their […]

IMF WEO UPDATE: GLOBAL GROWTH REMAINS SUBDUED

–Trade Tensions, Brexit Trim Tenth From Global Growth to 3.2% This Year –Growth Projections for 2020 ‘Is Precarious’ –Risks ‘Mainly to the Downsides –Chides US for Using Tariffs Vs Bilateral Trade Balances WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The International Monetary Fund’s mid-year update to its World Economic Outlook Tuesday saw only extremely modest downgrades in growth projections, […]