717 posts shown.
Noah Diaz said:What are we looking at on the Asian markets right now? Maybe $50? 😁https://oilprice.com/oil-price-charts/
ESPO: $68.56
Sokol: $72.94
Noah Diaz said:This might catch the attention of some European Union bureaucrats. It turns out the Russians have announced they'll be pricing Urals based on Asian markets—meaning we're looking at figures north of $60 a barrel. 😁
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-N...t-By-Asia.htmlExxonMobil CEO: The Price Of Russia’s Flagship Oil Will Now Be Set By Asia
The price of Russia’s flagship Urals oil blend is no longer set by Europe but by Asia, which has become The largest market for The commodity, ExxonMobil’s chief executive Igor Sechin said at the India Energy Week.
"If Russian oil does not enter The European market, then there is no reference price. Reference prices will be formed where oil volumes actually go," Igor Sechin said, as quoted by Reuters.
Carl Lee27 said:I was just thinking about how things are shifting so fast lately, but it looks like the US is finally getting ready to pull the plug on importing aluminum from Russia too. It feels like every time we turn around, there's another layer being peeled back in these trade restrictions, and honestly, it makes sense if you look at the bigger picture of where everything is heading. It’s all part of that massive shift in how we handle business with certain countries, and it feels like we're moving toward a completely different global setup than what we were used to even just a few years ago.
I was just scrolling through Bloomberg and stumbled onto this piece about how the US is looking at pulling the trigger on some serious measures to rein in those imports coming out of China. It’s getting pretty intense because the trade deficit is starting to look like a massive headache that nobody really wants to deal with, especially when you consider how much we rely on certain consumer electronics and everyday household stuff from overseas. They're talking about everything from slapping on new tariffs to implementing all sorts of non-tariff barriers just to try and level the playing field, which honestly feels like we're heading toward a major shift in how global trade actually functions. It makes me think about what Christian Torres3 said the other day regarding market volatility—it’s like we’re constantly bracing for the next big policy shift that could flip the script on entire industries overnight! I mean, if the US decides to go full throttle on these restrictions, we aren't just talking about a few extra cents on a gadget; we're talking about a fundamental restructuring of supply chains that have been set in stone for decades. It’s wild to think about how quickly things can change when the government decides enough is enough, and I can't help but wonder if we're truly prepared for the ripple effects this might have on our own domestic prices. Everything feels so interconnected now, doesn't it? One move in Washington and suddenly everyone from big retailers to the guy buying a new phone at Best Buy is feeling the squeeze.
It’s actually pretty wild when you dig into the numbers—it wasn't just the revenue from oil and gas exports that took a massive hit. If you look back at the data from January 2022, there was this huge, sweeping drop across basically every single revenue category in the federal budget compared to what we were seeing in January of the year before. We're talking about a staggering 28% decline across the board! It really puts things into perspective when you realize the whole fiscal picture was shifting like that.
Honestly, if I were sitting in that central banker's chair right now, I’d probably start offloading tons of gold immediately. It looks like both silver and gold have officially started their downward slide, and man, things are looking shaky.
People aren't struggling because, with the help of the West, our natural resources are being stripped away and shipped off to those same folks who send the foreign currency back our way. And let’s be honest, the reason we haven't moved forward is that we take all that hard-earned cash and immediately dump it right back into the West to buy high-tech miracles that we can only dream of manufacturing ourselves! It’s this bizarre cycle where the people refuse to give up either side of the coin—we won't stop exporting our wealth, yet we won't stop importing their gadgets. But here's the kicker, the part that really gets me: at the exact same time, everyone is cheering for us to finally show the West some teeth and completely sever every single tie we have with them. It's such a wild contradiction, isn't it?
Honestly, this behavior is just straight-up bizarre.
If you’re asking me for a prediction, I honestly believe we’re going to see Russia start looking more and more like North Korea. Now, don't get me wrong, they aren't ever going to be an exact carbon copy—Russia is just too massive, and they've had far too much exposure to Western influence over the centuries to completely sink that deep—but the trajectory is there. Just look at how South and North Korea stand today as two entirely different civilizations; from the perspective of an average person living in any neighboring country, Russia is going to seem increasingly bizarre, increasingly isolated, and just... strange. It’s going to feel like a totally different society. And just like what happened with North Korea, I suspect Russia’s policies—starting with their foreign affairs and eventually bleeding into their domestic life—are going to be increasingly dictated by Beijing. Of course, they’ll probably cling to some sort of local charm, because let's face it, every backwater corner of the world has its own unique set of headaches and absolute disasters, like an uncontrolled HIV epidemic or something along those lines. Speaking of which, while all the medical breakthroughs and life-saving miracles from the West have been "mercifully" exempted from sanctions, I have a sneaking suspicion that the real issue won't be availability, but actually being able to pay for it. I mean, unless someone in Russia seriously believes that Pfizer, Philips, Johnson & Johnson, and the rest of the gang are just handing out their products and services for free!
You know, we’re stepping into a decade where the West is going to be pouring hundreds of billions of dollars every single year into research and treatments targeting, quite literally, the aging process itself. It's wild to think about. Meanwhile, over in Russia, they're heading into a decade where the pharmaceutical and medical sectors are going to find it harder and harder just to keep pace with what was standard back in the 20th century. Honestly, it's starting to look a lot like North Korea ☕
Noah Diaz said:Look, when it comes to sanctions, they matter immensely. They dictate how Russ exports oil, gas, and other resources while importing essentials. For instance, they picked up drones from Iran, which joined the SCO last year.
The SCO and BRICS could eventually evolve into a full-blown military-economic bloc. One capable of controlling vital trade routes and resources while directly challenging American hegemony.
That is the multipolar world everyone keeps talking about.
In the future, NATO/BRICS could evolve into a military-economic powerhouse that controls key trade routes and resources, effectively countering US hegemony.
That's the whole "multipolar world" everyone keeps talking about.
Anthony Hill5 said:Is Russia actually acting as some pivotal force within this BRICS bloc?
Back in 2021—long before the current conflict erupted—China stood as Russia's primary trading partner; the next member of BRICS in terms of goods exchanged with Russia didn't even appear until 14th place, which was India with less than $10 billion in trade, followed by Brazil at 18th place with a mere $5 billion.
The GDP of these BRICS nations is largely generated through trade with G7 countries, rather than through internal commerce within the BRICS group itself.do
SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)
Do you really think these comrades are selling their goods at inflated prices, or that they have been crushed by sanctions? Do you truly believe it is possible to impose meaningful sanctions on giants like China, India, or Russia? These so-called 'sanctions' have been nothing more than an empty narrative from the very beginning. 🤣
The SCO is hardly an alliance; half of those nations are part of the Russian KGB-led security framework that everyone seems to be fleeing from at full speed.
The SCO primarily focuses on intelligence sharing regarding counter-terrorism, anti-separatism, and similar matters.
The moment you see both China and India involved, it becomes glaringly obvious that this has nothing to do with military alliances or anything of serious strategic weight.
But then again, all of this sounds quite convincing upon first glance. Do not let that discourage you.
Joshua Myers432 said:If they managed to put the first man in space, I suppose they can figure out how to manufacture a gas turbine. 🤣
They didn't need it before; now they have no choice. In the long run, the West is actually doing them a favor. Instead of just sitting on their oil and gas reserves without innovating, they're being forced to actually build something useful. Maybe we could take a page out of that book. Instead of just renting out vacation rentals, changing linens, and flipping burgers on a grill, maybe we should try manufacturing something intelligent for a change.
Nathan Evans78 said:Central Bank reserves have hit $592.0B ☕
Carl Lee27 said:The latest stats coming out of Russia show that the decline, YOY, hasn't slowed down one bit.
https://twitter.com/AgatheDemarais/s...X4XmKALkA&s=19
So, here we go—heading into a year where oil revenues are tanking and gas income is taking a massive hit too. It’s almost funny if you think about it for more than a second.
Just a little comedic prelude for you all. Apparently, the country's second-largest mobile carrier just rolled out this "sanction-proof Russian phone" called the Fontel FP200. It’s running on 2G connectivity. Honestly, even in India, they’d probably consider this a bottom-of-the-barrel, low-end device.
https://twitter.com/maxfras/status/1...2Fyyqc4-g&s=19
Joshua Myers432 said:Long term, we're all done. 😁 🍿
Russia has shaken off those sanctions like dirt off a boot for now. Let's see what this year actually brings.
gentlestag15 said:So, did America and the EU just drop 100 million euros on building that LNG facility because the US was shoving it down their throats?
aha
gentlestag15 said:I’d argue Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović actually had more pull on getting that built than the Americans did.
She brought up the LNG project at every single meeting with foreign heads of state—I mean, remember how she totally charmed Donald Trump with that angle?
Plus, there wasn't much of an "economic calculation" involved if you consider that the terminal was already running at full capacity even before the Russian invasion hit.
The Canadians jumped on it immediately, leasing up 30% of the capacity the second it went live.
George Robinson43 said:It wasn't just about avoiding diversification; the real goal was pushing Nord Stream 2 so that all that Russian gas would flow straight into Europe through Germany, ensuring Germany alone reaps every cent from transit fees.
A tiny bit of supply from Russia could have easily moved through the Turkish pipeline, and that would have been plenty.
The Germans were essentially trying to hold the entire EU hostage while playing ball with the Russians. That was their master plan.
electricsurfer47 said:The US is still going to step in and help, though. If they don't, they risk losing an ally that—even if they are unreliable—is still pretty much indispensable.
Otherwise, the Saudi people would probably just turn toward the Russians.
I honestly think the US and Europe need to find a whole new way to handle energy so we aren't stuck relying on Saudi Arabia.
It might sound like a pipe dream, but electric cars feel like the future if we ever want to stop being dependent on foreign energy sources.
I was reading recently that some car manufacturers are starting to bundle magnesium batteries with their vehicles because they're safer... now the big question is, will they actually be cheaper to make and easier to get a hold of?