Global Editor, Base Oil News

Iain Pocock

Global Editor

Global Base Oils and Lubricants Markets

Base Oil News

Base Oil News focuses on the interplay between fundamentals and prices in the global base oils and lubricants markets.

Baseoilnews.com combines daily, weekly and monthly base oils and lubes fundamentals data from every region of the world to build the most comprehensive and up-to-date global picture of the state of the market.

The data and analysis provide key tools to understand current market developments and opportunities and to anticipate how the market is likely to behave in the coming months.

Base oils producers, lube blenders and consumers can then better plan accordingly.

Baseoilnews.com analyses and publishes market news and data every day as it breaks.

Commodities

<ul><li>US base oils demand could weaken in face of widespread market volatility and slumping crude prices.</li><li>Any slowdown in demand would be at a time of year when consumption typically gets a seasonal boost.</li><li>More muted demand would cushion impact of round of base oils plant maintenance work.</li></ul>

US base oils demand could weaken in face of widespread market volatility and slumping crude prices.Any slowdown in demand would be at a time of year when consumption typically gets a seasonal boost.More muted demand would cushion impact of round of base oils plant maintenance work.

Americas/EMEA base oils demand outlook: Week of 7 April

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>The Berkshire Hathaway <a href="https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/2024ar/2024ar.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annual Shareholder Letter for 2024</a> was released this weekend. Much was made in Japanese twitter-space of the comments he made on the Japanese trading houses. </li>
<li>He said Berkshire Hathaway's admiration of these companies "has consistently grown" and Berkshire likes their capital deployment, managements, and their attitude in respect to investors. They also pay themselves reasonably.</li>
<li>He mentioned Berkshire will increase their stakes somewhat in the trading houses "over time." That comment deserves some exploration, as does the comment about yen funding.</li>
</ul>


The Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Letter for 2024 was released this weekend. Much was made in Japanese twitter-space of the comments he made on the Japanese trading houses. 
He said Berkshire Hathaway's admiration of these companies "has consistently grown" and Berkshire likes their capital deployment, managements, and their attitude in respect to investors. They also pay themselves reasonably.
He mentioned Berkshire will increase their stakes somewhat in the trading houses "over time." That comment deserves some exploration, as does the comment about yen funding.


Warren Buffett and the Japanese Trading Houses I

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>In last week's 2/25/25 Compass, we discussed our expectation for near-term downside as the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) displayed several bearish short-term developments.</li>
<li>We said don't be surprised if there is a test of the bottom of the range at either 5770-5850 or 5600-5670, where we would be buyers</li>
<li>The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) are testing major confluence of support at 5770-5850 and $490-$500, respectively, the first of our potential bottom levels discussed last week.</li>
</ul>


In last week's 2/25/25 Compass, we discussed our expectation for near-term downside as the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) displayed several bearish short-term developments.
We said don't be surprised if there is a test of the bottom of the range at either 5770-5850 or 5600-5670, where we would be buyers
The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) are testing major confluence of support at 5770-5850 and $490-$500, respectively, the first of our potential bottom levels discussed last week.


S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Testing Initial Support; Russell and Nasdaq With Bullish Breadth Divergences

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>In this insight, we discuss how Buffett's increased stakes in Japanese trading companies could positively impact Korean trading companies.</li>
<li>In addition, we look back at the past five years and compare how the major Korean trading companies have performed relative to their Japanese counterparts. </li>
<li>In Korea, we believe that the following 5 major Korean trading companies (POSCO International, Hanwha Corp, LX International, Samsung Corp, and Hyundai Corp) could continue to outperform the market.</li>
</ul>


In this insight, we discuss how Buffett's increased stakes in Japanese trading companies could positively impact Korean trading companies.
In addition, we look back at the past five years and compare how the major Korean trading companies have performed relative to their Japanese counterparts. 
In Korea, we believe that the following 5 major Korean trading companies (POSCO International, Hanwha Corp, LX International, Samsung Corp, and Hyundai Corp) could continue to outperform the market.


Warren Buffett's Increased Stakes in Japanese Trading Houses - Impact on Korean Trading Companies

Oil and Gas, Mint Finance

Suhas Reddy

Oil and Gas

Deep Fundamental Analysis

Mint Finance

Mint Finance's investment research blends deep fundamental analysis with technical & quant insights. Investment strategies straddle across multiple asset classes with risk management embedded into every trade to deliver an outsized reward-to-risk ratio.

Mint Finance's research is centered around three key themes. First, energy transition and climate change. Second, artificial intelligence. Third, shifting world order with its impact across politics and monetary economics.

<ul>
<li>For the week ending 07/Feb, US crude inventories increased by 4.1m barrels, exceeding expectations of a 2.4m barrel build. Gasoline stockpiles surprisingly fell, while distillate stocks unexpectedly rose.</li>
<li>US natural gas inventories fell by 100 Bcf for the week ending 07/Feb, beating analyst expectations of a 90 Bcf drawdown. Inventories are 2.8% below the 5-year seasonal average.</li>
<li>BP’s Q4 net profit fell 48.5% QoQ and missed estimates by 2.5% due to weak refining margins. Chevron plans to trim workforce by 20% to cut costs. </li>
</ul>


For the week ending 07/Feb, US crude inventories increased by 4.1m barrels, exceeding expectations of a 2.4m barrel build. Gasoline stockpiles surprisingly fell, while distillate stocks unexpectedly rose.
US natural gas inventories fell by 100 Bcf for the week ending 07/Feb, beating analyst expectations of a 90 Bcf drawdown. Inventories are 2.8% below the 5-year seasonal average.
BP’s Q4 net profit fell 48.5% QoQ and missed estimates by 2.5% due to weak refining margins. Chevron plans to trim workforce by 20% to cut costs. 


[ETP 2025/07] Rising U.S. Crude Inventories Weigh on WTI, Henry Hub Soars on Frosty Forecasts

United States

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is a holding company owning subsidiaries in a variety of business sectors.  The Company's principal operations are insurance business conducted nationwide on a primary basis and worldwide on a reinsurance basis. Berkshire's other operations include a railway company, a specialty chemical company, and an international association of diversified businesses.

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52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
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Berkshire Hathaway Inc Cl B (BRK/B US)

Americas/EMEA base oils demand outlook: Week of 7 April

US base oils demand could weaken in face of widespread market volatility and slumping crude prices. Any slowdown in demand would be at a time of...

Base Oil News

Warren Buffett and the Japanese Trading Houses I

Today, National Indemnity - BRK's holdco for owning Japanese trading co shares - announced it had upped its stake in each of the five trading...

Travis Lundy

S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Testing Initial Support; Russell and Nasdaq With Bullish Breadth Divergences

$SPX and $QQQ $NDX Testing Initial Supports at 5770-5850 and $490-$500; Russell 2000 $IWM and Nasdaq 100 Bullish Breadth Divergences (% above 20-...

Vermilion Research

Warren Buffett's Increased Stakes in Japanese Trading Houses - Impact on Korean Trading Companies

In this insight, we discuss how Buffett's increased stakes in Japanese trading companies could positively impact Korean trading companies.

Douglas Kim

[ETP 2025/07] Rising U.S. Crude Inventories Weigh on WTI, Henry Hub Soars on Frosty Forecasts

US crude inventories rose more than expected, gasoline stockpiles dropped, and distillate stocks rose unexpectedly. BP's Q4 profit fell and missed...

Mint Finance

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Americas/EMEA base oils demand outlook: Week of 7 April

US base oils demand could weaken in face of widespread market volatility and slumping crude prices. Any slowdown in demand would be at a time of...

Base Oil News

Warren Buffett and the Japanese Trading Houses I

Today, National Indemnity - BRK's holdco for owning Japanese trading co shares - announced it had upped its stake in each of the five trading...

Travis Lundy

S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Testing Initial Support; Russell and Nasdaq With Bullish Breadth Divergences

$SPX and $QQQ $NDX Testing Initial Supports at 5770-5850 and $490-$500; Russell 2000 $IWM and Nasdaq 100 Bullish Breadth Divergences (% above 20-...

Vermilion Research

Warren Buffett's Increased Stakes in Japanese Trading Houses - Impact on Korean Trading Companies

In this insight, we discuss how Buffett's increased stakes in Japanese trading companies could positively impact Korean trading companies.

Douglas Kim

[ETP 2025/07] Rising U.S. Crude Inventories Weigh on WTI, Henry Hub Soars on Frosty Forecasts

​US crude inventories rose more than expected, gasoline stockpiles dropped, and distillate stocks rose unexpectedly. BP's Q4 profit fell and missed...

Mint Finance

US crude inventories rose more than expected, gasoline stockpiles dropped, and distillate stocks rose unexpectedly. BP's Q4 profit fell and missed...