OIL: China’s Teapots Cut Iranian Crude on Limited Quotas
Oct-09 11:20
China’s independent refineries, concentrated in Shandong province, are sharply cutting Iranian crude imports due to exhausted 2025 import quotas and weak demand, Platts said.
- Analysts project September import arrivals will drop to around 1m b/d, a 46% decline from August’s 1.86m b/d.
- Platts’ data shows only 600,000 b/d discharged in September, down from the 1.37m b/d average between Jan-Aug—a period that saw a 19% year-on-year rise. The sudden contraction underscores the impact of quota exhaustion.
- Iranian cargoes often undergo STS transfers in Southeast Asia and are disguised as Malaysian or Indonesian origin in China’s customs data.
- With few refineries holding remaining quotas, demand has weakened, pushing Iranian Light and crude discounts wider to $6–$6.50/b against ICE Brent.
- Venezuelan crude prices have also softened amid unsold cargoes and sluggish demand.
- Most teapots may face feedstock shortages and cut operations until new quotas are issued.
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US TSYS: Off Yesterday’s Highs With Payroll Revisions and 3Y Supply Ahead
Sep-09 10:51
- Treasuries are mildly cheaper overnight, gently pushing back against yesterday’s bull flattening but comfortably within yesterday’s ranges.
- Today is highlighted by preliminary benchmark payrolls revisions at 1000ET (MNI Preview link), added attention on Trump administration BLS criticism, 3Y supply and then broader Trump comments. The docket will be seen in light of PPI and CPI coming on Wed and Thu respectively.
- Cash yields are 1.2-1.9bp higher on the day, with increases marginally led by 30s.
- Curves are marginally steeper but broadly consolidate yesterday's second day of flattening, including 5s30s at 113.9bp vs a briefly seen post-NFP high of 126.9bp (multi-year steeps).
- TYZ5 trades at 113-15+ (-02) off earlier lows of 113-11, on limited overnight volumes of 250k.
- Friday’s post-payrolls high of 113-21+ still carries weight having hit another fresh short-term cycle high. It marks the next resistance level after which lies 113-26+ (2.764 proj of Jul 15-22-28 price swing) whilst support is seen at 112-28+ (Sep 5 low).
- Data: Preliminary benchmark payrolls revision (1000ET).
- Coupon issuance: US Tsy $58B 3Y Note auction - 91282CNY3 (1300ET). Last month’s 3Y saw another small tail of 0.7bp although the bid-to-cover firmed a touch from 2.51 to 2.53.
- Bill issuance: US Tsy $85B 6W bill auction
- Politics: Press briefing with WH Press Sec Leavitt (1300ET), Trump participates in swearing-in ceremony for US Ambassador to Portugal (1600ET), Trump signs proclamation (1630ET)
STIR: 70bp Of Fed Cuts Seen To Year-End With Payroll Revision Estimate Eyed
Sep-09 10:31
- Fed Funds implied rates are 1.5bp higher on the day for end-2025 rates, pulling a little further away from fully pricing three consecutive rate cuts, but remain within post-NFP ranges ahead of payrolls benchmark revisions at 3pm.
- Cumulative cuts from 4.33% effective: 28bp Sep 17, 48bp Oct, 70bp Dec, 83.5bp Jan and 99bp Mar.
- The SOFR implied terminal yield of 2.86% (SFRH7) is 2bp higher on the day after yesterday saw a fresh lowest close since Sept 2024 (when it saw cycle lows in the high 2.7s), hovering just shy of 150bp of cuts ahead from current levels.
- Today’s US macro docket is headlined by the preliminary estimate for payrolls benchmark revisions at 1000ET. There’s a wide range of estimates here but we judge the median expectation to be circa -750k. MNI Preview: https://media.marketnews.com/US_Prelim_Benchmark2025_Preview_f1d718139b.pdf
- On a related note, the WSJ reports that advisers to President Trump are preparing a report laying out alleged shortcomings of the BLS’s jobs data including revisions.
- Tomorrow (Sep 10), the Senate banking committee will vote to approve CEA's Miran for the Fed Board of Governors at 1000ET. He would still have to be approved by the full Senate to be fully confirmed but this is moving quickly enough to assume that he will be at the FOMC table at the Sept 16-17 meeting.
LOOK AHEAD: Tuesday Data Calendar: BLS Survey Revision, 3Y Note Sale
Sep-09 10:28
- US Data/Speaker Calendar (prior, estimate)
- 09/09 0600 NFIB Small Business Optimism: reported 100.8 vs. 100.3 prior (100.5 est)
- 09/09 1000 BLS Prelim Benchmark Revision to Est Survey Data (-818k, -700k)
- 09/09 1130 US Tsy $85B 6W bill auction
- 09/09 1300 US Tsy $58B 3Y Note auction (91282CNY3)
