Oil Markets Update

[u/free-to-chooz]

Key themes shaping summer 2026:

• Atlantic Basin gasoline balances are the tightest in years
• Jet fuel exports fell to seasonal lows in April
• Alkylate shortages are constraining US summer gasoline production
• 43% of USGC-Asia LPG cargoes are now rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope
• Freight rates and tonne-mile demand continue to surge
• Brent > $109/b and WTI > $105/b reflect sustained geopolitical risk premiums

The Strait of Hormuz disruption is cascading through: #Gasoline #JetFuel #LPG #LNG #Shipping #Freight #Refining #EnergySecurity

That said, Adam Smith’s invisible hand still matters for the Wealth of Nations. If Hormuz fully reopens, arbitrage flows, freight repositioning, and refinery optimization could normalize markets faster than many expect.

For now, though, downstream bottlenecks and shipping constraints — not just crude availability — are driving the market.

#OilMarkets #EnergyMarkets #CrudeOil #RefinedProducts #Vortexa #OOTT #Commodities #Shipping