Energy:
1. Trump says he will fill the US strategic reserves with Venezuelan oil.
2. Monitoring data shows the number of merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to five per day.
3. Qatar extends force majeure on LNG supplies to Eurasia.
4. The Russian government has extended its export ban on diesel producers until the end of September.
5. Goldman Sachs more than doubled its forecast for diesel production profits.
6. Asian refiners increase their purchases of Argentine crude oil.
7. Kazakhstan says oil production has stabilized.
8. US energy companies, including Chevron, plan to invest billions of dollars in Venezuelan oil fields.
9. Data shows that diesel exports from Asia to Africa surged in August, replacing supplies from the Middle East.
10. As the US tightens its control over Venezuela, Italian oil company Eni is partnering with Venezuela to promote energy recovery.
11. Iranian President Peschizian: Iran will raise gasoline prices. The war has exacerbated Iran's fuel shortage.
12. Venezuela's interim president: A 25-year oil agreement with the United States aims to increase production to 1.5 million barrels per day.
13. U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC): As of the week ending August 25, WTI crude oil speculators increased their net long positions by 804 contracts to 103,078 contracts.
14. Intercontinental Exchange (ICE): As of the week ending August 25, Brent crude oil speculators' net long positions decreased by 28,299 contracts to 223,598 contracts.
15. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA): U.S. oil production is expected to average 13.83 million barrels per day in August, slightly higher than July's 13.82 million barrels per day; September's average is expected to be 13.77 million barrels per day.
16. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA): U.S. natural gas production is projected to average 122.6 billion cubic feet per day (BFS) in August, up from 122 billion BFS in July; September production is expected to average 123.2 billion BFS.
17. Data from Colombia's National Petroleum Agency shows that market-based natural gas production in July fell 9.41% year-on-year to 722 million cubic feet per day. Oil production in July fell 2.46% year-on-year, averaging 727,920 barrels per day.
Agriculture/Mining:
1. Reports indicate that Japan's fourth-quarter aluminum premium has been lowered by 22%.
2. Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru signed a joint declaration on strategic minerals.
3. Valterra Platinum has approached rival South African mining company Northam; if the deal goes through, it could create the world's largest precious metals supplier to date.
4. U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC): As of the week ending August 25, COMEX gold speculators increased their net long positions by 5,393 contracts to 151,315 contracts. COMEX silver speculators increased their net long positions by 2,467 contracts to 13,235 contracts. COMEX copper speculators decreased their net long positions by 2,780 contracts to 76,446 contracts.
Iran Situation:
1. Iran claims oil tankers illegally crossing the Strait of Hormuz struck a mine and caught fire.
2. Iran claims to have destroyed U.S. military base facilities in Jordan.
3. Iran claims to have shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
4. The Iranian military claims to have launched drone attacks on U.S. targets at a UAE airbase.
5. The U.S. military claims to have taken "limited and precise" action against Iranian mine-laying facilities.
6. Trump posted an AI video showing the Iranian island of Kharg being "blown to pieces," with the caption: Kharg Island blown to pieces.
