• English
  • 简体中文
  • 繁體中文
  • Tiếng Việt
  • ไทย
  • Indonesia
Subscribe
Real-time News
September 12th - Following the Houthi rebels capture of the key Red Sea town of Muha, the number of ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on the 10th plummeted to single digits. Data shows that as of approximately 3 PM local time on the 10th, only six ships had passed through the strait that day, compared to 30 on the 9th, 26 on the 8th, and 29 on the 7th. The report stated that of the ships that passed through on the 10th, five carrying grain, crude oil, coal, and fertilizer left the strait, while another ship entered. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and is a vital shipping route in the Middle East, handling approximately 12% of the worlds goods.September 12th - According to Canadian media reports on September 11th, Dominic LeBlanc, Canadas Minister for Canada-US Trade, stated at a cabinet meeting that there are currently no formal trade negotiations arranged between Canada and the United States, but he remains in contact with US Trade Representative Greer and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. LeBlanc said the escalating trade dispute between Canada and the United States remains a key issue for the government. The Canadian government must prepare for potential trade agreements, and any agreement must respect Canadian sovereignty and be in the national interest.On September 12, Sun Lei, Chargé dAffaires ad interim of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations, spoke at a high-level discussion during the UN South-South Cooperation Day commemoration on September 11, calling for deeper South-South cooperation. Sun Lei stated that China supports the statement made by Uruguay on behalf of the "Group of 77 and China" and appreciates the efforts made by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation to promote development in the Global South. Southern countries face the common task of achieving economic and social development and should adhere to the principles of independence, equality, and mutual benefit, leveraging the advantages of South-South cooperation in capacity building and knowledge sharing to form a synergy for development. China has always been a member of the Global South and welcomes the continuous enrichment of South-South cooperation mechanisms and platforms. China expects relevant cooperation to continue to be led by developing countries and demand-oriented, achieving practical results.On September 12, officials from the U.S. engineers union stated that Boeing (BA.N) and its union reached a provisional contract agreement on Friday. This four-year proposal includes a higher general wage increase than the first proposed plan. The first plan was overwhelmingly rejected by members of the Society of Professional Engineers in Aerospace Engineering (SPEEA) in a vote on August 21. If approved, approximately 17,000 members in SPEEAs professional and technical divisions would receive a 10% pay rise on October 16, followed by a 4% annual increase between 2027 and 2030, plus performance-based increases. Ben Nimgurt, Boeings vice president of production engineering and chief competency engineer, stated in a statement, "Our final contract addresses the primary concerns raised by employees and the SPEEA negotiating team, including immediate pay rises and a larger, guaranteed pay pool." According to the union, the latest proposal also includes adjustments to remote work policies and overtime restrictions for professional division members.On September 12th, a research report from Huatai Securities stated that the unexpectedly strong core inflation in August makes a September rate hike by the Federal Reserve a "must-have," further increasing the credibility risk of a September rate hike. Following the much stronger-than-expected non-farm payrolls in August and the escalating tensions in the Middle East pushing oil prices above $100, the August CPI data has become the core variable for the market pricing in whether the Fed will raise rates in September. The core CPI inflation in August rose more than expected, and the core services ex-housing component, which the Fed focuses on, did not show further signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, concerns about high oil prices due to low inventory levels, the transmission of AI price increases to downstream industries, and a new round of tariffs in certain regions could all disrupt the process of declining US inflation. Looking ahead, CPI data may push neutral voting members, represented by Walsh, to turn hawkish at the September FOMC meeting, reducing the resistance to a September rate hike due to internal divisions within the Fed; August data also cleared obstacles to a rate hike. If Walsh fails to deliver on his hawkish promises made at the August Jackson Hole meeting in September, the Feds credibility will be more challenged, and long-term Treasury yields will be more difficult to control.

Phillips 66 Trademarks Mark Lashier will Succeed Greg Garland as CEO

Haiden Holmes

Apr 13, 2022 09:44

P2.png


Lashier, a chemical engineer who joined the firm three decades ago in the chemicals division, was named president and chief operating officer a year ago after leading Chevron Phillips Chemical Co, the company's joint venture with Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX), since 2017.


Garland has considered refining as a mature company and has concentrated its efforts on expanding its energy infrastructure, chemicals, and establishing a presence in electric vehicle battery components. It spent around $150 million last year for a 16.5% share in Novonix Ltd, an Australian provider of lithium-ion battery materials.


Garland "built a market-leading diversified energy manufacturing and logistics organization while investing for the future and producing solid financial returns," according to Glen Tilton, lead independent director of Philips 66.


Although the Houston company's non-refining initiatives have generated great shareholder returns, its shares have lately underperformed bigger competitors that benefitted from increasing gasoline margins during pandemic lockdowns.


Lashier is expected to pursue Garland's diversification approach, which includes biofuels, hydrogen, and battery components. However, he must demonstrate that he can match competitors Marathon Petroleum Corp (NYSE:MPC) and Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO), which increased shareholder returns by selling off retail operations and diversifying into renewable diesel, analysts said.


Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) traded at $81.97 on Tuesday, up 13% year to date, compared to 34% year-to-year gains at Marathon and Valero and around 96% year-to-date gains at PBF Energy (NYSE:PBF).


"Lashier's task is to increase the company's value," Matthew Blair, an analyst at Tudor Pickering Holt & Co., said. "He will face inquiries regarding the company's non-refining businesses' value and what he can do to boost stock price performance and capitalize on the potential valuation."