GLG News in Energy & Industrials

Energy from Diesel fuel is a key agent of growth in developing countries.  Increased demand has seen diesel outpace gasoline as prices hit record highs for both fuels.  US refinery capacity must be rebalanced to help correct price disparity for this key fuel.

By chance, excessive and extreme hospitality in Japan might make the new market as phoenix.  The number of people dying annually in Japan rose to 1.1 million in 2007, with nearly all of them cremated in accordance with Buddhist practices, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry.Japan, however, faces significant barriers to expanding the number of crematoria: high land costs and cultural...

Andrew E. Kramer in Moscow reported in the October 31 issue of the International Herald Tribune that the global financial crisis had reached Russia. Central bank reserves plummeted from $600 billion on August 8 to $484 billion today. With oil prices falling rapidly, Russia has used up reserves faster than imagined. Funds were used to support the ruble and maintain bank integrity. How long can Russia...

Should an event take place that could emulate that which happened on 9/11 would ruin our economy for many years and would be more catastrophic perhaps then the condition we find ourselves in today. Foreign Commerce would come to a virtual halt, seaports would be grid locked that would stop our nations rail system for many weeks. The domino effect would put it's financial finger print on every State...

Wood fiber costs for pulpmills in western US fell substantially in the 3Q/08 after having reached a 13-year record-high in the previous quarteras the result of lower demand and high inventories of wood chips and pulpwood. With the hurricane season more intensive than usual, wood raw-material supply flow for both pulpmills and sawmills in the US South were interrupted in the 3Q. Heavy rainfall that...

As a business leader, I see the change in consumer savings as a leading indicator for the retail industry.   

Syria is a declining oil producer under US Embargo. Sinopec is expanding their spheres in oil and gas production besides their core refining business. The Tanganyika acquisition is a difficult operation due to intense reservoir technology. If Tanganyika success continuous with this takeover, it will open a new opportunity for the heavy oil bearing Middle East carbonates.

Nordea and Lloyds TSB, which agreed the $170m deal in May on five bulkers, appear to have alleged that “certain events of default” have taken place, including its financial condition changing for the worse.   They are said to have provided cash for daily operations and requested vessels to be sold.

The International Energy Agency says a minimum of 5.5 mbd new production is required each year, just to maintain current production levels. They have issued a new draft report, which says depletion rates are much higher than previosuly believed. But the credit crunch, and ongoing oil price volatility, means this investment is unlikely to be made.

American OEM heavy industry is once more highlighting its worst shortcoming: A total lack of long term strategic planning to manage the risk of supply interruption of critical materials due to production limitations on natural resources. It's difficult to imagine just how urgent a company such as GM thinks it is to wean America off of dependence on foreign oil and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions...