by DantesPeak » Fri 12 Oct 2007, 17:51:21
We're addicted to oil and now oil exporters have lost control of prices, says Energy Secretary Bodman. Now "its in the hands of traders".
But, he says, higher prices will bring on new supplies. Haven't we heard that before?
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')odman Sees Traders, Not Suppliers, Driving Prices (Update1)
By Daniel Whitten
Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia and the world's other oil suppliers are no longer able to dictate prices as commodities traders wield greater influence, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said.
``The suppliers, to some degree, have lost control of the pricing,'' Bodman told reporters in Washington. As traders take greater control of prices, markets can move more on emotions than the fundamentals of supply and demand, he said.
The U.S. economy's recent strength has eased the impact of record oil prices, Bodman said. The future impact is difficult to predict, he said, because $80-a-barrel oil is a new phenomenon.
Suppliers will respond to rising demand by producing more oil, Bodman said in an interview.
``What the market is telling suppliers is that we need more supply, we've got higher prices,'' Bodman said. ``I am hopeful suppliers will respond. I think they are able to respond.''
Last Updated: October 12, 2007 12:54 EDT
Bloomberg$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '1')0/12/07 Oster Dow Jones 16:15:55
DJ UPDATE: US Energy Secy: Concerned About High Oil Price Impact
WASHINGTON, Oct 12, 2007 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) -- (Recasts top, updates throughout with comments from CNBC interview.)
U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said Friday that high crude prices are being driven by fundamentals, not speculators.
"It's clear we've got suppliers unable to keep up with demand," Bodman said, in an interview on CNBC. "That's what's driving prices."
Bodman added that tight oil output capacity means producers don't have the flexibility to easily increase supplies as they had in the past.
Bodman said the 500,000 barrels a day increase in global oil supply from OPEC producers was a welcome development but questioned whether it would be sufficient to temper high prices.
The suppliers of energy have "lost control" over how prices are set, he said. "Prices are now set in trading rooms of New York and London and Frankfurt and Tokyo."
Bodman told CNBC also that rising global demand shows other countries are "as addicted" to crude oil as the U.S. is.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires