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Bearish As of Aug 13, 2026 17:00 ET Download PDF

Daily Energy & Shipping Briefing — Aug 13, 2026

Global energy markets on Thursday, August 13, 2026, saw crude oil prices decline due to revised downward demand forecasts and a significant build in U.S. crude inventories, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 reached a new record high, buoyed by cooling inflation data and strong performance in the technology sector. Shipping markets experienced mixed signals, with some bunker prices falling, but high tanker asset values and disruptions in key waterwa...

Energy Prices

Crude

Instrument Unit Last Δ Day
Brent ICE $/bbl 87.14 -1.32
WTI NYMEX $/bbl 81.36 -1.28

Products

Instrument Unit Last Δ Day
RBOB Gasoline NYMEX c/gal 312.80 -2.57
Heating Oil NYMEX c/gal 280.00 -2.00

Natural Gas

Instrument Unit Last Δ Day
US Henry Hub NYMEX $/MMBtu 2.74 +0.02

Natural Gas Liquids

Instrument Unit Last Δ Day
US Mont Belvieu Propane NYMEX $/mt 400.00 +1.50

Price Spreads

Instrument Unit Last Δ Day
RBOB Gasoline/Brent Crack Spread $/bbl 44.24 +0.24

Shipping Rates & Bunkers

Dirty Tanker (Spot TCE, $/day)

Vessel Route Spot TCE Avg YTD
VLCC, 270 AG-FE 60,000 55,000
Suezmax, 130 WAF-UKC 45,000 42,000

Clean Tanker (Spot TCE, $/day)

Vessel Route Spot TCE Avg YTD
LR2, 75 AG-FE 30,000 28,000
MR, 37 TC2 (UKC-USAC) 25,000 23,000

Time Charter & Asset Values

Vessel 1yr ($/day) Newbuild ($M) 5yr ($M)
VLCC, 200+ 55,000 129.0 138.0
Suezmax, 130 40,000 88.0 88.0

LNG Vessels ($/day)

Type Spot Sentiment 52wk Avg
160M3 Tri-fuel diesel electric (East) 14,000 Firm 35,000
174M3 TFDE (Atlantic) 15,000 Firm 38,000

Bunkers ($/mt)

Port VLSFO HSFO MGO
Singapore 799.5 600.0 1,250.0
Rotterdam 615.0 470.0 1,200.0
Fujairah 775.0 620.0 1,300.0

LPG (Spot TCE, $/day)

VLGC, 44 (AG-Japan) 35,000
VLGC, 44 (USGC-Japan) 40,000

Carbon Markets

Instrument Unit Bid Offer
European Union Allowances (Spot) EUR/ton 75.00 75.05

Equities & Currencies

Index Region Last Δ Day
S&P 500 United States 7,798.99 +50.69
Dow Jones Industrial Average United States 53,839.99 +70.00
Pair Region Last Δ Day
EUR/$ European Union 1.15 0.00
USD/JPY Japan 145.50 +0.25

Developments

  • Oil Prices Drop as Global Energy Consumption Outlooks Slashed and US Inventories Build

    Major international forecasters, including OPEC, sharply lowered their 2026 global oil demand growth projections, while the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a significant build in crude stocks, leading to a decline in oil prices despite Middle East supply anxieties.

    Reuters/Bloomberg · Aug 13, 2026

  • S&P 500 Notches Record-High Close as PPI Cools and Tech Stocks Advance

    The S&P 500 climbed to a record close, fueled by strong performance in technology stocks and tame producer price inflation data, which eased concerns about interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.

    Reuters/Fidelity · Aug 13, 2026

  • Container Ship Pays $4 Million to Skip Panama Canal Queue Amid Iran War Congestion

    A container ship paid a near-record $4 million to bypass the growing queue at the Panama Canal, where wait times have stretched over a week, as the ongoing Iran war continues to force congestion and rerouting of vessels.

    Bloomberg/Rigzone · Aug 13, 2026

  • SK Shipping and H-Line Swap Tankers to Create LNG Shipping Giant

    South Korean shipping companies SK Shipping Co. and H-Line Shipping Co. agreed to swap vessels and contracts, with SK Shipping acquiring 16 LNG carriers and H-Line focusing on tankers and bulk shipping, a strategic move influenced by the reshaping of energy trade due to Persian Gulf conflict.

    Bloomberg/Transport Topics · Aug 13, 2026

  • Bunker Prices Decline in Key Hubs, Singapore VLSFO Availability Remains Tight

    Bunker prices in major ports such as Singapore, Rotterdam, and Fujairah saw declines, tracking the fall in Brent crude. However, VLSFO availability in Singapore remained tight, with extended lead times due to disrupted cargo inflows amid fragile US-Iran peace talks.

    engine.online/Integr8 Fuels · Aug 13, 2026