Energy markets have remained somewhat stable for the month of April. At the time of print, it looks like West Texas Intermediate price of crude oil will decline for a sixth straight month. Over the last three months, we have seen refinery margins shrink from recent highs. This has led to speculation that production will slow in the short-term to reestablish margins. Forecasting demand is difficult due to conflicting economic data. Inventories of both crude oil and refined products have been in recent decline. An increase is likely if the economy improves at all. Positively speaking, Canadian crude oil is shortening the discount to WTI crude that we’ve witnessed in recent months.
Propane prices remain steady throughout late winter into early spring. Inventory levels are improving and stand near a 5 year high for the time of year. This would typically indicate stable prices for the foreseeable future.