LNG: Aramco Eyes Long-Term LNG Deal with Bangladesh: Platts

Mar-05 14:31

Aramco aims to supply LNG to Bangladesh under a long-term contract, as confirmed by Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, adviser for Bangladesh's Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources., cited by Platts.

  • Aramco has proposed this to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, with volume and price to be negotiated.
  • Aramco plans to become a leading global LNG player and is securing US LNG offtake deals.
  • Khan recently met with top Saudi energy policymakers. Another Bangladeshi adviser, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, mentioned that Aramco agreed to supply LNG at a price below the current market rate.
  • A long-term deal with Aramco would reduce Bangladesh's reliance on the volatile spot LNG market, where prices are high.
  • Bangladesh currently imports LNG from QatarEnergy and Oman's OQ Trading under long-term deals and buys spot market LNG.
  • The country's gas supply is around 2.85 Bcf/d, including 982 mcf/d of regasified LNG, against a demand of over 4 Bcf/d.

Historical bullets

GILTS: /SWAPS: BofA Tweak Recommendations Ahead Of BoE

Feb-03 14:11

Bank of America outline a couple of trades “for those keen to continue the curve steepening theme - perhaps wishing to position for the possibility that the market focuses on the BoE's 2y- and 3y-ahead inflation forecasts next week (which we expect to be lowered).” 

  • They maintain their 3s5s7s swap fly position (targeting a move to 10bp, stop set at -21bp).
  • Elsewhere, they still “think 5-Year real rates need to be higher than priced to combat inflation but now see that being delivered via lower-than-priced inflation.” As a result, they have switched their “bearish real rate bias into a bearish RPI view in the 5-Year area.”

USD: Grassely 'Pleads' For Potash Exemption From Canada Tariffs

Feb-03 14:09

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), one of the senior-most members of the Senate Republican conference, has "pleaded" with President Donald Trump to exempt potash from tariffs levied on imports from Canada. 

  • Grassley said in a message on X: "Biden inflation increase the input cost to farming by 20% incl particularly high prices on fertilizer. So I plead w President Trump to exempt potash from the tariff because family farmers get most of our potash from Canada"
  • The message is a sign that Trump's tariff agenda may burn significant political capital with Republicans from agricultural and manufacturing states, likely to bear the brunt of Trump's tariffs and retaliatory actions from targetted countries.  
  • Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a regular adversary of Trump, said on Sunday: “[Tariffs] will drive the cost of everything up. In other words, it will be paid for by American consumers. Why would you want to get in a fight with your allies over this?”
  • Axios notes that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said in August that he is against "across-the-board tariffs” but is open to the selective use of tariffs.
  • As a reminder, the power of the executive is limited. For durable legislative change, Trump needs to keep Republican lawmakers onside. Any major revolt from agricultural state Republicans will put the entire GOP agenda at risk.

STIR: Effective Fed Funds Rate

Feb-03 14:07
  • FRBNY EFFR for prior session:
    • Daily Effective Fed Funds Rate: 4.33% (+0.00), volume: $83B
    • Daily Overnight Bank Funding Rate: 4.33% (+0.00), volume: $227B
  • Earlier Repo Reference Rates
    • Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR): 4.38% (+0.02), volume: $2.533T
    • Broad General Collateral Rate (BGCR): 4.34% (+0.00), volume: $918B
    • Tri-Party General Collateral Rate (TCR): 4.34% (+0.00), volume: $892B
    • (rate, volume levels reflect prior session)