Oil bounces back on supply data hopes

Crude oil has been struggling to maintain its gains since the start of the year, nearing the lows that it has seen in early March. The rise we have seen in oil was from the OPEC members (and others) agreeing to output cuts to shore up prices. This has faded over time as inventory levels started to creep back up, but not all of this is to blame on the Cartels.

​The US onshore producers have increased production with the rise in oil prices making many of their fields profitable again. This spike in production can stop almost as easy as it started. Longer term, many oil companies are locking in contracts for oil, sacrificing price for stable cash flows. Should this trend continue it could be the start of major oil companies starting to put more of their revenues into longer term offshore projects and exploration.

​This could be a good thing for ETFs like the SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production (XOP), which have been underperforming along with the oil market. As oil contracts get locked in prices and we see a stabilization in prices from a lack of investing in replacement wells, the yield on this ETF could start to justify higher prices in the future.