Refinación y Comercialización de Petróleo y Gas

Highlights US refiners will raise capacity-utilization rates as demand revives, which will keep crude oil inventories draining through 2H20. Early data indicate COVID-19-induced lockdowns pushed demand for gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other products in the US down by a massive 31.9% vs. five-year average levels between March and end-April (Chart of the Week).1 Supply destruction in the US shales, a surge in crude exports, and an import collapse catalyzed by unintended inventory accumulation kept storage from breaching operational capacity outside Cushing, OK, where NYMEX WTI futures deliver. We continue to expect WTI to average ~ $37/bbl this year and ~ $65/bbl next year. Brent will trade ~ $3/bbl higher. Two-way price risk – to the upside and downside – remains high. Feature US refiners did an extraordinary job of balancing their systems in the wake of this demand collapse, which, with impelling alacrity, propelled similarly rapid adjustments in pipeline, storage and shipping markets.  Getting a fix on the actual demand destruction in oil markets wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic is exceedingly difficult. Few regional markets track fundamental data in anything close to a timely manner, except for the US, where the Energy Information Agency (EIA) publishes early estimates of crude and refined-product output, consumption, exports and imports on a weekly basis. Of course, these data are preliminary and will be revised – perhaps substantially – post-publication. However, they are invaluable for getting an early read on the effects of an exogenous shock like the COVID-19 pandemic in an advanced economy. While this experience cannot be translated directly to the rest of the world, the analysis is useful in getting a handle on the order of magnitude of demand destruction globally. These early data flows indicate that, between March and the end of April, US refined-product demand fell a stunning 31.9% vs. its five-year average, as shown in the Chart of the Week. The collapse in US product demand led OECD demand lower by a similar magnitude, which is unsurprising, given the US accounted for ~ 20% of the 100mm b/d or so of products consumed globally prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. An analysis of these early data indicate US refiners did an extraordinary job of balancing their systems in the wake of this demand collapse, which, with impelling alacrity, propelled similarly rapid adjustments in pipeline, storage and shipping markets. These adjustments now are being reflected in forward curves for WTI and Brent, as market participants discount them. Chart of the WeekUS Refined-Products Demand Collapse Refiner Adjustments Propel Re-Balancing Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully. - Samuel Johnson2 As the extent of the demand destruction became apparent in March, US refiners in PADDs 2 and 3 – the US Midwest and Gulf Coast, respectively, where ~ 75% of US refining capacity is situated – moved quickly to throttle back operations (Chart 2).3 Average utilization rates in both districts fell from a 1Q20 peak of 96.5% in January to 71.2% in April. In volumetric terms, this represented a decline of 4.1mm b/d in US refiner crude inputs (gross), leaving total inputs at 13.4mm b/d by the end of April (Chart 3). Chart 2US Refiners Quickly Ramped Down Chart 3US Refiners Throttle Back Run Rates As Product Demand Collapses Early data indicate pipelines and storage operators let it be known their systems were rapidly filling. This sudden ramping down in operations reduced refiners’ demand for flowing crude oil, leading to a sharp unintended accumulation of crude and product inventory in the US midcontinent and Gulf Coast, and the US East coast (PADD 1), which can receive more than 3mm b/d of refined product on the Colonial Pipeline, a 5,500-mile line running from Houston, TX, to the New York Harbor (Chart 4). With crude and product storage filling, anecdotal reports now confirmed in the early data indicate pipelines and storage operators let it be known their systems were rapidly filling, and that they soon would be denying access to their transportation and holding facilities. Word reached the US shale-oil basins, particularly the Permian and midcontinent fields in Oklahoma and North Dakota, where producers were forced to lay down rigs and choke back crude flows to reduce output (Chart 5).4 Chart 4Demand Collapse Leads To Unintended Inventory Accumulation Chart 5The Word Goes Out To Cut Production, As Pipelines and Storage Fill Additional data will be required to assess how quickly crude production ramped down in the US shales, but it appears the quick-response capability of this production allowed storage operators outside of Cushing, OK, to avoid even coming close to breaching the critical 80% operating capacity threshold of storage operators in these key districts. US Ramps Crude Exports, Slashes Imports Sharply lower refiner demand forced producers and traders to move crude oil out of the US as quickly as possible. In addition to sharply curtailing production, sharply lower refiner demand forced producers and traders to move crude oil out of the US as quickly as possible, which they did (Chart 6). US crude exports are up 26.9% y/y in 1H20, and likely will continue to remain strong. At the same time, US imports of crude oil have fallen 12.6% y/y as refiners continue to manage their own storage levels and system requirements. This will allow floating storage, particularly in the US Gulf, to be drawn down, as refiners return to normal utilization rates (Chart 7). Chart 6US Crude Exports Soar, Imports Collapse ... Chart 7… And Floating Storage Soars, Particularly In The US Gulf The only outlier in all of this was Cushing, OK, where the NYMEX WTI futures contract delivers. Production curtailments in the shales, surging crude exports and sharply lower imports kept storage levels under control, for the most part, as refined-product demand was collapsing in the US. Indeed, EIA data indicate storage levels in PADDs 2 and 3 overall remained below 65% of working-storage capacity throughout March and April. The only outlier in all of this was Cushing, OK, where the NYMEX WTI futures contract delivers. Storage in Cushing breached 80% of capacity in the last two weeks of April before falling back to ~ 70% by mid-May (Chart 8). The proximate cause of this appears to be a disorderly termination of trading in the NYMEX WTI contract for May delivery in Cushing.5 Chart 8Storage In Cushing, OK, Breached 80% Of Capacity US Product Demand Revival It’s still early days, but there are indications of demand reviving in the US. The Apple Mobility Index, which tracks consumer interest in travel, appears to move in line with US refined-product demand (Chart 9). Our expectation remains demand will revive in 2H20 and will increase sharply y/y in 2021, given the massive fiscal and monetary stimulus deployed in the US and globally. This, coupled with the massive supply cuts by OPEC 2.0 and producers outside the coalition, will allow prices to continue to rebound over this period.5 Brent prices likely will average $40/bbl this year and $68/bbl next year. We expect WTI to trade $2 - $4/bbl below Brent. That said, two-way price risk remains extremely high, as we have noted before. Output cuts by OPEC 2.0 and US shale-oil producers could overshoot, and take too much supply off the market as demand is recovering, while demand could once again collapse if a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic emerges following the lifting of lockdowns globally. Chart 9US Interest In Travel Generally Appears To Be Picking Up     Robert P. Ryan Chief Commodity & Energy Strategist rryan@bcaresearch.com Fernando Crupi Research Associate Commodity & Energy Strategy FernandoC@bcaresearch.com   Commodities Round-Up Energy: Overweight WTI prices increased 74% since beginning of May as economies gradually ease lockdown measures and global voluntary and involuntary supply cuts intensify. In the US, total oil rig count fell 73% to an 11-year low of 237 rigs, reflecting weak investment appetite by producers. The IEA expects investment in the oil and gas sector to fall by $400 billion this year, led by a 32% decline in oil and gas investment. In trading markets, speculators are returning to WTI markets in expectations lower supply and reviving demand will drain inventories and move prices significantly up (Chart 10). Fund managers now hold 8-to-1 long contracts in WTI vs. 2-to-1 for Brent. Base Metals: Neutral The LMEX rose 10% since bottoming on March 23. Copper, aluminum, zinc and nickel are up by 15%, 6%, 9% and 13%. Iron ore prices dropped ~$2/MT on Tuesday as ore exports from Brazil’s Vale increased by 1.5mm tons, easing concerns about COVID-19 induced supply disruption in the country, according to Fastmarkets MB. Precious Metals: Neutral Record economic policy uncertainty in the US – and globally – keeps safe assets – chiefly gold and the US dollar – well bid (Chart 11). We expect the dollar will weaken as economies reopen and uncertainty wanes. As this unfolds, the risk of a temporary pullback in gold prices remains elevated. Medium to long term, persistent accommodative global monetary policy will continue to support the yellow metal’s upward trend. Ags/Softs:  Underweight According to the USDA, private exporters reported sales of 258k MT of soybeans for delivery to China split between the current and next marketing year, which was supportive of soybean futures prices. A weaker USD also is supporting grains, and rallying corn futures. Wheat was slightly down, as a softer USD positive is being offset by favorable weather conditions in the Black Sea export regions that compete with the US. Chart 10Speculators Are Returning to WTI Chart 11USD Well Bid By High Uncertainty     Footnotes 1     “Product Supplied” is the US EIA’s measure of demand.  2     From The Life of Samuel Johnson LL.D. Vol 3, by James Boswell. 3    PADD stands for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts. 4    US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette estimates as much as 2.2mm b/d of crude oil production has been shut in because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see US oil production shut-ins top 2.2 million b/d during pandemic: DOE chief published by S&P Global Platts May 21, 2020 5    Please see our April 30, 2020, report Stand By For Heavy Rolls: June WTI Could Go Below $0.00/bbl, which examines the anomalous behavior of May-delivery WTI futures traded on the NYMEX last month, which may have contributed to this dramatic deviation from the rest of the US storage market. Markets will, at some point in the near future, be looking for a detailed post-mortem surrounding the events that occurred during the termination of trading of the NYMEX of futures delivering in May at Cushing, when WTI futures traded as low as -$40.32/bbl (i.e., negative $40.32/bbl). Part of the proximate cause of the anomaly appears to be a failure by the CME Group, which operates the NYMEX, and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which regulates US futures exchanges, to ensure an orderly termination of trading in May 2020 WTI futures contracts. See also Column: U.S. commodities watchdog issues blunt warning over oil volatility published by reuters.com May 14, 2020. In future research, we will explore the implications a non-trivial probability of negative prices in the future poses for the oil and gas markets, particularly in re capex and investment generally.   Investment Views and Themes Recommendations Strategic Recommendations Tactical Trades Trade Recommendation Performance In 2020 Q1 Commodity Prices and Plays Reference Table Trades Closed in 2020 Summary of Closed Trades

Overweight US refiners enjoyed a solid run for the better part of 2019, but over the past three months have retraced roughly a third of those relative gains. Nevertheless, we remain overweight the S&P oil & gas refining & marketing (O&G R&M) index for three reasons. First, US gasoline inventories are on the cusp of contracting anew. Whittled down inventories have historically underpinned US refiners’ margins (gasoline inventories shown inverted, second panel). Second, historically rising crack spreads have been synonymous with expanding relative forward earnings growth. Thus, an inventory-led boost to refining margins should continue to underpin relative profit growth (third panel). Finally, the dollar is a key driver behind the entire commodity complex as well as commodity exposed equities. Since the 2015 manufacturing recession, US refiners have been tightly inversely correlated with the greenback and the current message is that the sell-off in the S&P O&G R&M index is near exhaustion (US dollar shown inverted, bottom line). Bottom Line: We remain overweight the S&P O&G R&M index. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG – S5OILR – MPC, VLO, PSX, HFC.

While our bullish take on refiners got to a slippery start, it has recovered all the losses and this position is now in the black. Factors are falling into place for additional gains in the coming months and we recommend investors stick with this overweight recommendation in pure-play downstream stocks. Domestic refined product consumption remains upbeat and should serve as a catalyst for further relative share prices gains (top panel). Refining product supply dynamics are also moving in the right direction. Gasoline inventories are getting whittled down and should boost beaten down refining relative profit expectations (inventories shown inverted, bottom panel). This firming demand/supply backdrop has already been a boon to refining margins and should continue to underpin relative share price momentum (middle panel). Bottom Line:  Stay overweight the S&P oil & gas refining & marking index. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG – S5OILR – MPC, VLO, PSX, HFC. Please refer to the most recent Weekly Report1 for more details. Footnotes 1 Please See U.S. Equity Strategy, "Is This It?," dated October 21, 2019.

Aspectos destacados Estrategia de cartera La débil demanda de vivienda, el mínimo en las tasas de interés, la deflación de los precios de viviendas nuevas y las pobres perspectivas de empleo en la industria sugieren que ahora procede una posición infraponderada en el índice S&P homebuilding.      El fortalecimiento de la dinámica demanda/oferta, las regulaciones IMO Sulfur 2020, y las expectativas de beneficios relativos hundidas indican que hay más ganancias por delante para las acciones puras de refino. Cambios recientes Bajar la calificación del índice S&P de construcción de viviendas a infraponderado, hoy. Tabla 1 ¿Esto es todo? ¿Esto es todo? Artículo Las acciones intentaron alcanzar nuevos máximos históricos la semana pasada, continuando con el entusiasmo por el acuerdo comercial "fase uno" y respirando con alivio por resultados bancarios mejores de lo esperado. Dudamos que se materialice un acuerdo real que incluya la Propiedad Intelectual y el sector tecnológico. En el mejor de los casos, lo único que obtuvimos fue una tregua comercial. Vale la pena repetir la reciente analogía futbolística de Larry Kudlow: “Es como estar en la línea de siete yardas en un partido de fútbol... Y como fanático sufridor de los New York Giants, podrían estar en la línea de siete y nunca logran llevar el balón a la zona de anotación... Cuando llegas al último 10 por ciento, a la línea de siete yardas, es difícil”. Como recordatorio, las altas tarifas permanecen vigentes y hay muchas probabilidades de que el daño ya infligido al comercio global sea lo suficientemente severo como para que pasen meses antes de que surjan brotes verdes. Mientras tanto, dando seguimiento a nuestro “candidato a gráfico del año” que publicamos hace dos semanas, profundizamos y descubrimos dos índices económicos sensibles adicionales que consistentemente alcanzaron su pico antes que el SPX en los tres ciclos anteriores (Gráfico 1). Ahora conforman el Indicador Líder de Acciones de la Estrategia de Renta Variable de EE. UU.: un compósito con ponderación igual del índice S&P Banks, el índice Russell 2000 y el índice Value Line Geometric, que señala que el dinero fácil ya se ha hecho este ciclo en el SPX (Gráfico 2). Gráfico 1 Tres señales infalibles... Tres señales infalibles... Tres señales infalibles... Gráfico 2 ...Combinadas en un único indicador líder de acciones ...Combinados en un único indicador líder de renta variable ...Combinados en un único indicador líder de renta variable Es importante subrayar que, en ausencia de crecimiento de beneficios, sigue siendo extremadamente difícil que las acciones emprendan un nuevo tramo alcista sostenible confiando únicamente en la expansión de múltiplos. Gráfico 3 muestra nuestro actualizado Indicador de Poder de Fijación de Precios Corporativos (CPPI) y continúa desinflándose. De hecho, la fuerte caída de nuestro CPPI compensa más que la caída en el crecimiento salarial, advirtiendo que la contracción de márgenes en el S&P 500 tiene poder de persistencia1 (panel inferior, Gráfico 3). Analizando en profundidad, nuestro CPPI está agitando una bandera roja. Como recordatorio, calculamos el poder de fijación de precios por grupo industrial a partir de las tasas de crecimiento relevantes del CPI, PPI, PCE y las materias primas para cada uno de los 60 grupos industriales que seguimos. Tabla 2 también destaca las tendencias de poder de fijación de precios a más corto plazo y la diferencia de cada industria con respecto a la inflación general. Sólo el 42% de las industrias que cubrimos están elevando los precios de venta en más del 1%, y el 33% están claramente deflacionando. Preocupantemente, solo el 26% de los sectores están subiendo precios a un ritmo superior al de la inflación general. En cuanto a las tendencias de poder de fijación de precios, dos tercios de las industrias que cubrimos están o bien planas o en tendencia descendente (Tabla 2). Gráfico 3 Poder de fijación de precios corporativo nulo Nulo poder corporativo de fijación de precios Nulo poder corporativo de fijación de precios Tabla 2 Poder de fijación de precios por grupo industrial ¿Es esto todo? ¿Es esto todo? El oro ha saltado a la cima de nuestra tabla galopando a una tasa del 26% anual (recuerde que estaba en deflación en nuestra actualización de principios de julio), y solo tres industrias adicionales relacionadas con materias primas llegaron al top veinte (Tabla 2). La desaparición del complejo de materias primas de los primeros puestos es consistente con los problemas del PPI global y la fortaleza del dólar estadounidense. Esta semana actualizamos dos grupos, uno temprano y otro profundamente cíclico. Curiosamente, los sectores defensivos tienen una presencia saludable en los diez primeros puestos con cinco entradas. Por el contrario, las materias primas en general y las industrias relacionadas con la energía en particular ocupan la parte baja de la clasificación, ya que el crudo WTI está deflacionando fuertemente desde el pico de octubre de 2018. Sumando todo, la inflación de precios de venta del sector corporativo se está hundiendo en línea con las expectativas de inflación deprimidas. Como planteamos en nuestro reciente Informe Especial sobre márgenes de beneficio, los márgenes de beneficio ya han alcanzado su pico para el ciclo. Reiteramos nuestra visión cautelosa del mercado accionario en un horizonte cíclico de 9 a 12 meses. Esta semana actualizamos dos grupos, uno temprano y otro profundamente cíclico. Resquebrajando los cimientos de la construcción de viviendas Recomendamos degradar el nicho del índice S&P homebuilding a infraponderado, ya que la mayoría, si no todos, los impulsores positivos de beneficios ya están reflejados en los precios relativos de las acciones. Específicamente, la caída de las tasas de interés ha sido más que compensada por el comportamiento superior en lo que va del año de los constructores de viviendas. Desde la Gran Recesión, los constructores de viviendas han estado en ciclos claramente definidos de subidas y bajadas, y hay muchas probabilidades de que pronto entremos en una oscilación descendente (panel inferior, Gráfico 4). Las tasas de interés tocaron fondo a principios de septiembre y hay poco impulso adicional que puedan ejercer sobre los precios relativos de las acciones (rendimiento del Treasury a 10 años mostrado invertido, panel superior, Gráfico 4). Gráfico 4 Las ganancias relativas están agotadas Las ganancias relativas están agotadas. Las ganancias relativas están agotadas. Preocupantemente, las expectativas de los consumidores de comprar una vivienda nueva se desplomaron el mes pasado según la encuesta de The Conference Board, y esa debilidad en la demanda afectará a los inicios de vivienda y, en última instancia, a los ingresos de la construcción de viviendas (Gráfico 5). Gráfico 5 Aparecen grietas Formación de grietas Formación de grietas Para colmo, los precios de venta de casas nuevas están perdiendo terreno frente a los precios de las viviendas existentes, pero dicho descuento ya no está impulsando los volúmenes dado que las ganancias de cuota de mercado de ventas de viviendas nuevas se han estancado recientemente. Ya, las ventas del S&P homebuilding están contrayéndose y existe el riesgo de que la deflación se arraigue en esta industria de la construcción (Gráfico 6). Aunque el índice de solicitudes de hipoteca para compra (MAPI) ha estado subiendo por el desplome de las tasas de interés, el aumento de 30 puntos básicos en el rendimiento del Treasury a 10 años desde el 1 de septiembre indica que el MAPI ha alcanzado tentativamente su pico (segundo panel, Gráfico 7). Gráfico 6 Ventas en contracción Ventas por contrato Ventas por contrato Gráfico 7 Problemas de margen Problemas de margen Problemas de margen Simultáneamente, los precios de la madera están cobrando fuerza y, junto con la contracción de los precios de viviendas nuevas, señalan que las ganancias de los constructores sufrirán un retroceso (paneles medio y cuarto, Gráfico 7). Esto contrasta notablemente con la comunidad sell-side que ha estado aumentando las estimaciones de beneficios para el índice S&P homebuilding (panel inferior, Gráfico 7). Resumiendo, la débil demanda de vivienda, el mínimo en las tasas de interés, la deflación de los precios de viviendas nuevas y las deterioradas perspectivas de empleo en la industria sugieren que ahora procede una posición infraponderada en el índice S&P homebuilding. En el frente operativo, el mercado laboral también emite una señal de alarma. Las ofertas de empleo en la industria de la construcción están cayendo como una piedra y el crecimiento del empleo en la construcción residencial coquetea con la zona de contracción. Históricamente, los flujos y reflujos en los empleos de la construcción han ido a la par con el rendimiento relativo de los precios de las acciones y el mensaje actual es esperar una caída en estos últimos (Gráfico 8). La mayoría de los indicadores que seguimos subrayan un entorno desafiante para la construcción de viviendas en los próximos meses. Sin embargo, existe un riesgo clave para nuestra visión: las tasas de interés. Si la tasa hipotecaria fija a 30 años cayera más desde los niveles actuales, atraerá a los compradores de primera vivienda y amortiguaría el golpe a la demanda de construcción de viviendas (tasas hipotecarias mostradas invertidas, panel superior, Gráfico 9). De forma similar, los banqueros están dispuestos a extender crédito hipotecario y están reportando una demanda creciente de préstamos inmobiliarios residenciales como consecuencia rezagada de la caída de las tasas. Pero, nuestra sensación es que las ganancias fáciles están agotadas y está a la vista una reversión en la mayoría de estas medidas (Gráfico 9). Gráfico 8 Preste atención al mensaje del mercado laboral Preste atención al mensaje del mercado laboral Preste atención al mensaje del mercado laboral Gráfico 9 La posible caída de las tasas es un riesgo clave Las Tarifas Potencialmente Más Bajas Son Un Riesgo Clave Las Tarifas Potencialmente Más Bajas Son Un Riesgo Clave Resumiendo, la débil demanda de vivienda, el mínimo en las tasas de interés, la deflación de los precios de viviendas nuevas y las deterioradas perspectivas de empleo en la industria sugieren que ahora procede una posición infraponderada en el índice S&P homebuilding. Conclusión: Bajar la calificación del índice S&P homebuilding a infraponderado, hoy. Los símbolos bursátiles de las acciones de este índice son: BLBG – S5HOME – DHI, LEN, PHM, NVR. Mantenerse con las refinerías Aunque nuestra visión alcista sobre las refinerías tuvo un comienzo resbaladizo, ha recuperado todas las pérdidas y esta posición ahora está en positivo. Los factores están alineándose para ganancias adicionales en los próximos meses y recomendamos que los inversores mantengan esta recomendación de sobreponderar en acciones puras del downstream. De manera alentadora, las acciones de refino han estado superando al índice energético general últimamente y han reanudado su tendencia relativa alcista de varios años (panel superior, Gráfico 10). En cuanto a la válvula de alivio de las exportaciones, las exportaciones netas de productos refinados de EE. UU. están en una tendencia secular al alza y sorprendentemente no se ven afectadas por los movimientos del dólar (panel inferior, Gráfico 10). Sume las regulaciones de la Organización Marítima Internacional (IMO) Sulfur 2020 que pronto se adoptarán en el combustible de transporte marítimo, y las refinerías de EE. UU. que producen fuelóleo de menor azufre están bien posicionadas para superar en rentabilidad al SPX. Gráfico 10 Reanudada la tendencia alcista Tendencia alcista reanudada Tendencia alcista reanudada El consumo doméstico de productos refinados se mantiene vigoroso y debería servir como catalizador para desbloquear un excelente valor en este subgrupo energético nicho (panel medio, Gráfico 11). De hecho, el consumo de gasolina está volviendo a expandirse por el aumento de los kilómetros recorridos por vehículo (panel inferior, Gráfico 11). Gráfico 11 Demanda sólida... Demanda sólida... Demanda sólida... La dinámica de oferta de productos de refinería también se está moviendo en la dirección correcta. Los inventarios de gasolina se están reduciendo y deberían impulsar las expectativas de beneficios relativos castigadas de las refinerías (inventarios mostrados invertidos, panel inferior, Gráfico 12). Es importante, este contexto de demanda/oferta más firme ha sido un impulso para los márgenes de refino y debería continuar sustentando el impulso relativo de los precios de las acciones (panel medio, Gráfico 12). En términos de lo que ya está descontado para esta industria, la barra esperada de crecimiento de beneficios es extremadamente baja y está cayendo, y el valor relativo se ha restaurado por completo. Primero, en términos de valoraciones relativas, la ratio precio/ventas relativa histórica se ha corregido un 35% desde el pico de mediados de 2018 (panel medio, Gráfico 11). En términos de PER a futuro, las refinerías son extremadamente atractivas comparadas con el SPX tras una casi reducción a la mitad en el PER futuro relativo en los últimos quince meses (segundo panel, Gráfico 13). Gráfico 12 ...El contexto de oferta está impulsando los 'crack spreads'  ...El entorno de la oferta está impulsando los crack spreads ...El entorno de la oferta está impulsando los crack spreads Gráfico 13 El umbral de beneficios es inusualmente bajo El umbral de ganancias está inusualmente bajo El umbral de ganancias está inusualmente bajo En segundo lugar, el crecimiento EPS relativo ha caído por debajo de la línea cero tanto a doce meses como a cinco años vista. Ese pesimismo está sobredimensionado y nos inclinaríamos a contradecir el pesimismo del sell-side (panel inferior, Gráfico 13). Incluso la ratio de revisiones de ganancias netas de la industria de refino se ha desplomado, lo cual es contrariamente positivo (tercer panel, Gráfico 13). Sumando todo, la firmeza de la dinámica demanda/oferta, las regulaciones IMO Sulfur 2020, y las expectativas de beneficios relativos hundidas indican que hay más ganancias por delante para las acciones puras de refino. Conclusión: Mantener sobreponderado el índice S&P oil & gas refining & marketing. Los símbolos bursátiles de las acciones de este índice son: BLBG – S5OILR – MPC, VLO, PSX, HFC.   Anastasios Avgeriou, Estratega de renta variable de EE. UU. anastasios@bcaresearch.com   Notas al pie 1      Consulte el Informe Especial de BCA U.S. Equity Strategy, “Peak Margins” de fecha 7 de octubre de 2019, disponible en uses.bcaresearch.com. Recomendaciones actuales Operaciones actuales Visión sobre tamaño y estilo Mantener neutral: cíclicos frente a defensivos   (alerta de degradación) Favorecer el valor sobre el crecimiento Favorecer las grandes capitalizaciones sobre las pequeñas (Stop 10%)

Overweight We upgraded the S&P oil & gas refining & marketing index last month all the way from underweight to overweight based on the dramatic divergence between improving fundamentals and a zealously pessimistic sell-side. While the index has moved sideways since we made the change, our thesis has been reinforced by industry dynamics. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that domestic gasoline prices have been rising uninterrupted for the past 69 days, a 15-year record. This is confirmed by rapidly declining gasoline inventories (inventories shown inverted, second panel) and, in combination with higher prices, are driving a surge in refiner crack spreads (second panel). Refining margins have historically defined the direction of relative profit growth and the current message is positive. However, sell-side estimates continue to point to relative earnings underperformance despite the brightening outlook (bottom panel). Bottom Line: A gap between fundamentals and estimates has opened in the S&P oil & gas refining & marketing index and has created a compelling buying opportunity. Stay overweight. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG: S5OILR – PSX, MPC, VLO, HFC.

Overweight Last summer we took refiners down to a below benchmark allocation as all of the good news was perfectly reflected in soaring relative share prices (top panel), at a time when cracks were forming. Today, refiners paint a near exact opposite picture compared with last July. Relative share prices are no longer rising by 50%/annum. Instead, momentum has collapsed and is now contracting (middle panel). Accordingly, we were compelled to book gains of 21% yesterday and boost exposure all the way to overweight. Sell-side analyst exuberance has turned into outright pessimism: refiners’ profits are expected to trail the broad market in the coming year. By comparison, last summer they were penciled in to beat the market by 30 percentage points (bottom panel). Refiners’ riches move in tandem with crack spreads. When refining margins widen, profits excel and vice versa. Now that refining margins are in a slingshot recovery, refining ills will turn into fortunes (bottom panel). Bottom Line: Yesterday we lifted the S&P oil & gas refining & marketing index to overweight all the way from a below benchmark allocation, crystalizing 21% in relative profits since last summer’s inception. Please see Monday’s Weekly Report for more details. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG: S5OILR – PSX, MPC, VLO, HFC.  

Highlights Portfolio Strategy As growth becomes scarce, investors flock to sectors that are slated to outgrow the broad market and shy away from the ones that are forecast to trail the SPX’s growth rate. This week we rank sectors and subsectors by EPS growth in our universe of coverage, and identify sweet and trouble spots. Fired up crack spreads, firming refining industry operating metrics, reaccelerating exports along with washed out technicals and compelling valuations, all signal that the time is ripe to buy into refining weakness. The cable industry’s demand headwinds are reflected in depressed relative valuations at a time when industry pricing power is trying to stage a comeback and a drifting lower greenback may also provide positive profit offsets. Stick with a benchmark allocation. Recent Changes Boost the S&P Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing index to overweight all the way from underweight today, locking in relative profits of 21%. Table 1 Feature Equities broke out last week and surpassed the upper band of their recent trading range, despite economic data releases that continued to surprise to the downside. Two weeks ago, we cautioned investors not to put cash to work as a tactical indigestion period loomed, with the SPX facing stiff resistance near the 2,800 level. In addition, we posited that most of the good news related to the U.S./China trade spat front was reflected in the S&P 500’s V-shaped recovery (top panel, Chart 1). In relative terms, the bottom panel of Chart 1 confirms that the easy money has already been made on the assumption of a positive resolution to the U.S./China trade dispute. Chart 1Trade Deal Priced In Going forward, the earnings juggernaut will have to remain in place in order for stocks to vault to fresh all-time highs, likely in the back half of the year. The Trump administration’s massive fiscal stimulus artificially fueled profit growth last year both by lowering the corporate tax rate and by encouraging overseas cash repatriation. The latter boosted share buybacks to an all-time record. Despite 24% EPS growth and $1tn in equity retirement, the SPX ended 2018 6% lower. Why? It became clear that EPS growth was headed lower. In order to gauge trend EPS growth we opt to use EBITDA, a cash flow proxy measure that strips out the direct impact of last year’s fiscal easing. Chart 2 clearly shows that trend growth took a step down following the positive base effects of the GFC-induced collapse and averaged close to 5%/annum from 2012 to 2014. Subsequently, the late-2015/early-2016 manufacturing recession sunk EBITDA into contraction, but the euphoria surrounding the newly elected President pushed trend EBITDA growth to near 10%/annum for two full years in 2017 and 2018. Chart 2Return To 5% Growth? Since the late-2018 peak, 12-month forward EBITDA growth continues to drift lower and is now hovering just shy of 3%. Our sense is that 5% organic profit growth is consistent with nominal GDP printing 4%-4.5% at this stage of the business cycle, signaling that a return to the 2012-2014 growth backdrop is likely later in the year. As a reminder, positive profit growth in calendar 2019 remains one of the three pillars underpinning stocks that we have highlighted since the beginning of this year. Stocks have come full circle recovering all of last December’s losses, but in order to make fresh all-time highs, profits will have to deliver. We deem that an earnings validation phase is transpiring and there are early signs that profit growth will trough sometime in the first half of the year. Not only has EBITDA breadth put in a bottom (Chart 2), but also economically hypersensitive indicators suggest that forward EBITDA growth will soon tick higher. Namely, the ISM manufacturing new orders component has perked up on a year-over-year basis. The trough in lumber futures momentum corroborates this message, as does the tick higher in the U.S. boom/bust indicator (Chart 3). Chart 3Growth Green-shoots Given the current macro backdrop and awaiting the profit validation, when growth becomes scarce investors flock to sectors that are outgrowing the broad market and shy away from ones that trail the SPX’s growth rate. Typically, in recessionary times that would equate to investors bidding up defensive sectors that command stable cash flow businesses and avoiding highly cyclical industries. But, BCA does not expect a recession in the coming year. Thus, in order to identify high growth sectors that should outperform during the current soft patch and growth laggards that should underperform, we compiled a table with the GICS1 sectors and all the subsectors we cover. First, we rank the GICS1 sectors and then within each sector we rank the subsectors, both times by absolute 12-month forward EPS growth using I/B/E/S/ data (see second columns, Table 2). We aim to reproduce this table once a quarter. Table 2Identifying S&P 500 Sector EPS Growth Leaders And Laggards The third columns in Table 2 show the sector growth rate relative to the SPX. The final columns in Table 2 highlight the trend in relative growth. In more detail, they compare the current relative growth rate to that of three months ago: a positive sign indicates an upgrade in analysts’ relative estimates and a negative sign a downgrade in analysts’ relative estimates. Industrials and financials (we are overweight both) are leading the pack outpacing the broad market by 410bps and 350bps, respectively, and enjoy a rising profit trend. On the flip side, energy (overweight) and real estate (underweight) trail the broad market by 490bps and 1480bps, respectively, and showcase a deteriorating EPS trend. With regard to energy, we first identified that analysts are really punishing this sector in the January 22 Weekly Report and the sector’s 2019 EPS contribution was and remains negative.1 Our overweight call will be offside if oil prices suffer a new setback, but our Commodity & Energy strategy service remains bullish on oil, implying relative EPS outperformance in 2019. Year-to-date, energy has bested the SPX by 170bps. This week, we make an energy sector subsurface tweak, and also update a communication services subgroup. Light My Fire Last summer we took refiners down to a below benchmark allocation as all of the good news was perfectly reflected in soaring relative share prices (top panel, Chart 4), at a time when cracks were forming. Now we are compelled to book gains of 21% and boost exposure all the way to overweight. Chart 4Crack Spreads Are On Fire Today, refiners paint a near exact opposite picture compared with last July. Relative share prices are no longer rising by 50%/annum. Instead, momentum has collapsed and is now contracting (middle panel, Chart 4). Sell-side analyst exuberance has turned into outright pessimism: refiners’ profits are expected to trail the broad market in the coming year. By comparison, last summer they were penciled in to beat the market by 30 percentage points (bottom panel, Chart 4). Granted M&A activity had also added fuel to the fire, but now all the hot air has come out of the refining industry, and then some. Refiners’ riches move in tandem with crack spreads. When refining margins widen, profits excel and vice versa. Now that refining margins are in a slingshot recovery, refining ills will turn into fortunes (bottom panel, Chart 4). Importantly, wide Brent-WTI spreads underpin crack spreads. Moreover, the crude oil versus refined product inventory backdrop currently reinforces a widening in refining margins. In absolute terms, gasoline stockpiles are being worked off (gasoline inventories shown inverted, bottom panel, Chart 5) and grinding higher demand for refined petroleum products (top panel, Chart 5) will further tighten the industry’s inventory outlook. Chart 5Healthy Supply/Demand Backdrop One way domestic refiners are taking advantage of the still wide Brent-WTI differential is via the export markets. Net refined products exports are running at over 3mn barrels/day (bottom panel, Chart 6), and the softening greenback since November will further boost profits with a slight lag as U.S. refining exports will grab an even larger slice of the global pie (U.S. dollar shown inverted and advanced, middle panel, Chart 6). Chart 6U.S. Dollar Softness Is A Boon To Refining Profits On the valuation front, both the relative forward P/E and P/S have undershot their respective historical means and EPS breadth is as bad as it gets, offering investors an excellent entry point in the pure-play oil & gas refining industry (Chart 7). Chart 7Extreme Analyst Pessimism Reigns In sum, fired up crack spreads, firming refining industry operating metrics, reaccelerating exports along with washed out technicals and compelling valuations, all signal that the time is ripe to buy into refining weakness. Bottom Line: Lift the S&P oil & gas refining & marketing index to overweight all the way from a below benchmark allocation, crystalizing 21% in relative profits since last summer’s inception. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG: S5OILR – PSX, MPC, VLO, HFC. Cable’s Down But Not Out Cable & satellite stocks had been in an uninterrupted run from the depths of the Great Recession until the peak in relative share prices in August 2017. Since then, cord cutting news and the proliferation of on demand streaming services have wreaked havoc on the industry and cable stocks have trailed the market by over 33% from peak to the most recent trough (top panel, Chart 8). Chart 8Cable Signals Are… This deteriorating demand backdrop more than offset the industry’s reaction function, which has been intra and inter-industry M&A. Now that the M&A dust has settled, what is next in store for the industry? We reckon that leading profit indicators are a mixed bag and we continue to recommend a benchmark allocation in this niche communications services subgroup. The top panel of Chart 8 shows that relative outlays on cable are on a slippery slope, and will continue to weigh heavily on relative share prices for the coming quarters. Nevertheless, the ISM services survey ticked higher recently and is on the cusp of making fresh recovery highs, unlike its sibling the ISM manufacturing survey. This is encouraging news for cable executives and suggests that demand for cable services may not be as moribund as the PCE release is projecting (second panel, Chart 9). Chart 9..A Mixed… While the cable demand backdrop is unclear, industry pricing power has managed to exit deflation. Cable selling prices have been positive for the better part of the past decade, but starting in late-2017 they collapsed by roughly 600bps relative to overall inflation. True, this deflationary impulse dented profit margins, but currently the industry’s selling prices – and to a much lesser extent profit margins – are in a V-shaped recovery mostly courtesy of base effects (middle & bottom panels, Chart 8). Absent a sustained hook up in cable demand, selling price inflation will prove fleeting and the recent margin expansion phase will also lose steam. Meanwhile, cable stocks and the U.S. dollar enjoy a positive correlation as most of the constituents’ earnings are derived domestically (Chart 10). The recent U.S. dollar softness will, at the margin, weigh on relative profits and thus relative share prices, especially if the Fed stays pat and refrains from raising rates for the rest of the year as the bond market currently expects. Chart 10…Bag Finally, earnings breadth continues to fall, but relative valuations are still well below the historical mean (third & bottom panels, Chart 9). Netting it all out, cable’s demand headwinds are well reflected in depressed relative valuations at a time when industry pricing power is trying to stage a comeback and a drifting lower greenback may both provide positive profit offsets. Bottom Line: Remain on the sidelines in the S&P cable & satellite index. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG: S5CBST – CMCSA, CHTR, DISH.   Anastasios Avgeriou, U.S. Equity Strategist anastasios@bcaresearch.com   Footnotes 1      Please see BCA U.S. Equity Strategy Weekly Report, “Dissecting 2019 Earnings” dated January 22, 2019, available at uses.bcaresearch.com. Current Recommendations Current Trades Size And Style Views Favor value over growth Favor large over small caps

Highlights The global shipping-fuels market will tighten as UN-mandated fuel standards kick in next year. This will keep ship fuels, known as bunkers, and other distillate prices – e.g., diesel and jet fuel – elevated relative to other refined products like gasoline. In turn, this will boost demand for lighter, sweeter crudes – particularly Brent and similar grades – that allow refiners to raise distillate yields, as they scramble to meet higher demand for low-sulfur ship-fuel next year. After pipeline expansions in the Permian Basin come on line later this year, WTI exports should provide the marginal light-sweet barrel refiners will need to raise distillate output next year. Light-sweet exports from the U.S. will find a ready home in the Atlantic Basin and Asia, as demand for shipping fuels – along with other distillates– rises. Still, the ramp in WTI exports from the U.S. will be hampered by a lack of deep-water ports that can accommodate very large crude carriers (VLCCs) used to ship crude oil globally. As a result, we expect the light-sweet crude market ex-U.S. to tighten. Given this expectation, we are extending our long July 2019 Brent vs. short July 2020 Brent recommendation – up 240.2% since inception January 3 – to long 2H19 Brent vs. short 2H20 Brent. Highlights Energy: Overweight. In line with our expectation, OPEC is showing no sign of agreeing to raise production less than two months after initiating output cuts to drain inventories. Separately, Muhammadu Buhari was re-elected for a second four-year term as Nigeria’s president. The main opposition party rejected the results, following record-low voter turnout, after elections were unexpectedly delayed by one week, according to the BBC. Base Metals/Bulks: Neutral. The prompt March copper contract on the CME’s COMEX is attempting to fill a gap just above $2.95/lb, which opened in July 2018 as U.S. – China trade tensions rose. Positive signals from Sino – U.S. trade talks are supporting prices. Precious Metals: Neutral. Palladium traded to a record high of $1,536.50/oz Monday, pushing it more than $200/oz over gold. Platinum prices also rallied, as South African miners were notified by labor unions of intended strikes next week. Russia’s leading producer, Norilsk Nickel, which accounts for 40% of global palladium production, expects an 800k-ounce physical deficit in 2019, according to Reuters. Ags/Softs: Underweight. U.S. President Donald Trump said he would delay increasing U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports. Trump also said he expects to meet China’s President Xi Jinping to conclude the trade deal they’ve been negotiating if both sides continue to make progress. Feature Maritime shipping represents ~ 80% of international trade, and is responsible for roughly 90% of the total sulfur emissions from the transportation sector. In 2008, the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a new regulation to reduce the cap for sulfur content of ships’ fuel oil – known as bunker fuel – to 3.5% from 4.5% in 2012, and to 0.5% from 3.5% in 2020 (Chart 1).1 Chart of the WeekReducing Marine Sulfur Pollution Requires Higher-Priced Low-Sulfur Fuels Around 50% of the cost of shipping is fuel costs. This amounts to more than 4mm b/d of bunker fuel (~ 3.5mm b/d of High-Sulfur Fuel Oil, or HSFO, and ~ 0.8mm b/d of marine gasoil, known as MGO). Hence, the IMO 2020 regs threaten demand of ~ 3.5mm b/d of HSFO. As the January 1, 2020, IMO deadline approaches, uncertainty surrounding the new regs remains elevated. On the demand side, shippers have the option to install abatement technology (i.e., scrubbers); burn IMO 2020-compliant fuels like MGO; use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel on ships; or do nothing, i.e., not comply with the regulation. Refiners on the supply side have to adjust via a combination of increasing MGO and Low-Sulfur Fuel Oil (LSFO) production; modifying their crude slates, which will favor lighter, sweeter crudes like Brent and WTI; building additional refining capacity; or running their units harder – i.e., increase refinery utilization rates – to produce more fuel. Demand for bunkers is the only part of the HSFO market that is growing. IMO 2020 removes the all-important shipping consumer of residual fuel oil, which will have a major impact on simple refineries, and will force a dramatic reconfiguration of the shipping and refining industries. To date, shippers and refiners have been slow to implement required changes as market participants have an incentive to move last.2 We agree with a recent McKinsey analysis, which notes the simplest solution for shippers is to switch to MGO.3 We also could see an uptick in demand for LSFO with sulfur content below the 0.5% limit for blending purposes. This would push demand for the lower-sulfur fuels and prices up. It also would pressure HSFO prices lower over the short term, to the point where this fuel can compete in the utility sector as a fuel, or in the refining sector as a charging stock for complex refiners. The IEA expects MGO consumption to rise from 0.8mm b/d to 1.7mm b/d in 2020.4 Complex Refiners, Light-Sweet Crude Producers Benefit Moving to LSFO and MGO shifts the burden of IMO 2020 to the refining market. According to the IEA, around 80% of the sulfur content in crude is removed from the final product. Once IMO 2020 is implemented, this will rise to 90%. In the lead-up to the IMO 2020 deadline, refiners are adjusting their crude slates to minimize residual fuel and maximize distillate output. As a result, demand for light-sweet crudes like Brent and WTI – the crude being produced in ever-rising quantities in the U.S. shales – will increase. At the same time, heavier crudes exported by Venezuela and GCC states will see demand fall, which means the spread between these crudes will favor the lighter, sweeter barrel, all else equal.5 Simple refineries incapable of cracking the complex heavy-sour crudes favored by U.S. Gulf Coast refiners will either have to upgrade, close, or use low-sulfur crude as a charging-stock input. According to McKinsey, the switch to marine gasoil will lead to an increase of 1.5mm b/d of distillate demand. This represents ~ 2.2 to 2.7mm b/d of increased demand for light-sweet oil. The IEA estimates diesel prices could rise by 20 – 30%, as a result.6 This increased demand for low-sulfur bunkers – MGO in particular –will keep prices for distillates generally well supported over the next year or so at the expense of HSFO. S&P Global Platts reported this week the first physical trade for U.S. Gulf Coast 0.5% MGO was done in its official trading window at $67.70/bbl, a $3.75/bbl premium to HSFO.7 IMO 2020 will keep distillates the star performers for refiners. Distillate crack spreads – most visible in the ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) cracks employing the CME’s NY Harbor ULSD futures vs. WTI and Brent – recently were trading $16/bbl over gasoline cracks using the Exchange’s RBOB futures (Charts 2A and 2B). We expect these cracks to remain wide, to incentivize more distillate-production capacity. Chart 2ABrent Diesel And Gasoline Cracks Likely Trade > $14/bbl Wide Chart 2BBrent Diesel Cracks Will Remain Elevated Following IMO 2020 Prices for other distillates also will be supported by IMO 2020 – e.g., jet fuel – over the coming year, given the high correlation of products within this cut of the barrel. These distillate prices also are highly correlated with Brent and WTI prices, as can be seen in Chart 3, and in Tables 1 and 2. These high correlations likely will persist as IMO 2020 is implemented, and hedgers seek out liquid markets in which to shed their price risk.8 Chart 3Global Distillate Prices Will Be Supported by IMO 2020Table 1Distillate Fuels’ Correlations Remain High Around The WorldTable 2Percent Changes In Distillates Also Are Highly Correlated Baker & O’Brien, an energy consultancy based in Dallas, Texas, expects a number of factors – ranging from non-compliance with IMO 2020; increased use of scrubbers to capture sulfur-oxide emissions; blending to make IMO 2020-compliant marine fuel; upgrades by refiners and changes in their crude slates – will lead to lower prices once the market adjusts to the new regs.9 We do not disagree, but the timing on this likely hinges on how quickly U.S. light-sweet crude oil exports ramp up. Investment Implications WTI exports – actually LTO exports from U.S. shales – will provide the marginal light-sweet barrel refiners will need to raise distillate output next year. As a result, LTO exports from the U.S. will find a ready home in the Atlantic Basin and Asia, as demand for low-sulfur shipping fuels increases. However, this will not happen overnight. At present WTI exports from the U.S. are hampered by a lack of deep-water ports that can accommodate the VLCCs used to ship crude oil. The 2mm b/d of expanded pipeline capacity out of the Permian by the end of this year will move the U.S. crude-oil bottleneck from the Permian to the U.S. Gulf.10 So, as refiners prepare this year for the IMO 2020 regs effective January 1, 2020, the light-sweet crude market ex-U.S. – particularly Brent– will tighten. This already is visible in the backwardation we were expecting at the beginning of this year, when we recommended getting long July 2019 Brent vs. short July 2020 Brent, which is up 240.2% since inception on January 3. Given our expectation for a tighter light-sweet crude market ex-U.S., we are liquidating our existing Brent 2019 long position vs. a short position in July 2020 at tonight’s close, and replacing it with a long 2H19 Brent vs. a short 2H20 Brent position.11 Bottom Line: The implementation of IMO 2020 will tighten marine fuels markets globally, as refiners increase their demand for light-sweet crude oil and shippers most likely increase their demand for MGO and lower-sulfur fuels generally.     Robert P. Ryan, Senior Vice President Commodity & Energy Strategy rryan@bcaresearch.com Hugo Bélanger, Senior Analyst Commodity & Energy Strategy HugoB@bcaresearch.com   Footnotes 1      The regulation is part of Annex VI to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). Following the adoption of the regulation in 2008, a provision was kept in order to review the compliant fuel availability and possibly push the implementation to 2025. In October 2016, the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee confirmed the final implementation date (January 1, 2020) following a positive assessment of the availability for shippers of compliant fuels. Any amendment to MARPOL needs to be circulated for a minimum of six months, and can only be implemented 16 months after adoption, therefore, no legal amendment to the current January 2020 date are possible. Please see https://www.iea.org/etp/tracking2017/internationalshipping/ 2      The slow response by refiners can be explained by: (1) the fact that a switch to LSFO or MGO prior to the actual deadline would lead to a financial loss due to the current high price of LSFO and MGO vs. HSFO; (2) abatement technology requires large upfront investments (i.e. capital cost of new processing units, storage tanks, loss of revenue from laying ships in dry dock while they are retrofitted, and a permanent loss of deck space and loading capacity to the new equipment); and (3) the unpredictability of fuel prices and the endogenous relationship between other shippers and the behavior of prices. In other words, trying to get out in front of the official implementation of IMO 2020 leads to unnecessary financial burdens and to competitive disadvantage. Please see Halff, Antoine, Lara Younes, Tim Boersma (2019), “The Likely Implications of the new IMO standards on the shipping industry.”  Energy Policy, 126: 277 - 286. 3      Please see “IMO 2020 and the outlook for marine fuels,” published by McKinsey & Company, September 2018.  S&P Global Platts reaches a similar conclusion in a report entitled “Turning tides, the future of fuel oil after IMO 2020,” which was released this month.  Platts notes, “The IMO’s lower sulphur cap is set to take away the bulk of marine fuel oil demand from the start of next year.  Most ship owners and operators will switch to burning new low-sulfur bunker blends, translating into an almost overnight shift of 3 million b/d of demand.” 4      The IEA expects 30% of the current HSFO bunker demand will switch to marine gasoil (MGO), 30% of the HSFO bunker demand will switch to the new ultra low 0.5% sulphur fuel (ULSFO), and 40% of HSFO bunker demand will remain.)  In the IEA’s modeling, this could push prices up by as much as 30%.  Please see “Oil 2018: Analysis and forecasts to 2023” published by the IEA. It is available at iea.org 5      Please see “IMO 2020 and the Brent – Dubai Spread,” published by The Oxford Institute For Energy Studies in September 2018.  Of course, reducing the export of heavy-sour crudes, as has been done by the Gulf Arab members of OPEC will keep the Brent – Dubai spread tighter than pure economics would dictate. 6      Please see sources in footnotes 3 and 4. 7      This trade was done in the Platts Market on Close assessment.  Please see “USGC Marine Fuel 0.5% has first physical trade in Platts MOC process,” published by S&P Global Platts February 26, 2019. 8      These are short-term correlations, which use daily data from 2017 to now. We present correlations in levels and in percent-changes, given these are cointegrated variables. Please see section 3.3 of “Correlation, regression, and cointegration of nonstationary economic time series,” by Soren Johansen, published November 6, 2007, by the Center for Research in Econometric Analysis of Time Series at the University of Aarhus. 9      Please see “The Thunder Rolls – IMO 2020 And The Need For Increased Global Oil Refinery Runs (Part 3)” published by Baker & O’Brien, December 11, 2018. 10     An additional 1mm b/d of new takeaway is scheduled for 1H21, following a final investment decision from an Exxon-led group that will move Permian Basin LTO to the U.S. Gulf.  This came one day after Exxon FID’d a 250k b/d buildout of its Beaumont refinery in Houston, which will increase capacity by more than 65%, Natural Gas Intelligence reported January 30. 11     Please see EIA’s This Week in Petroleum report titled “Upcoming changes in marine fuel sulfur limits will affect crude oil and petroleum product markets,” published January 16, 2019. Investment Views and Themes Recommendations Strategic Recommendations Tactical Trades Commodity Prices and Plays Reference Table   Trades Closed in Summary of Closed Trades