Business

Federal Reserve officials are virtually certain to hold interest rates steady when their meeting ends today but they could try to send a message to markets and outside observers about what likely comes next. With no press conference scheduled after this week’s meeting and no new economic forecasts to be released, all the attention will be focused on their words and the market is more aware than ever that the Fed doesn’t act in a vacuum.

Submitted by Jeffrey Snider via Alhambra Investment Partners,

Following last night's surprise inventory draw (1.1m via API), WTI soared above the week's high holding $45 into this morning's DOE data which was dramatically different. Instead of a draw, DOE reported a bigger-than-expected 2.00m build along with a major build at Cushing and Gasoline stocks also rose. Despite a small drop in production, WTI prices are plunging, erasing the hope-driven API ramp.

API

• Crude -1.1m (+1.75m exp)
• Cushing +1.9m
• Gasoline -400k
• Distillates -1.02m

DOE

Silver “Momentum Building” As “Supply Trouble Brewing”

Silver bullion prices are likely to rise further as there is “supply trouble brewing” as strong industrial and investment demand are confronted by declining supply.

“There are signs that this year could be a pivotal year for the silver market,” New York-based CPM Group said in its “Silver Yearbook 2016.”

Following the weakness in new home sales, starts, and permits, pending home sales modest beat of expectations (+1.4% MoM vs 0.5% exp) provides a glimmer of hope for homebuilders and recovery-narrative-buyers. The decoupling between new- and pending-home sales was also seen at the start of last year, and ended badly for pending home sales...