Christmas Eve -- December 24, 2015

Tweeting now (this is s a big story):

• Crude oil futures settle up as traders square books before holidays, dollar weakens; NYMEX Feb crude at $38.10/bbl, ICE Feb Brent at $37.89/bbl.

Posted earlier, from a Bloomberg article:

West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark crude, settled at $37.50 a barrel Wednesday, 14 cents higher than Brent, the international marker. Brent has been more expensive than WTI for most of the past five years, reaching a premium of $27.88 a barrel in 2011. 

Analysts suggest WTI needs to have a $4-premium to make it economical to export (transportation costs), but the Vitol story suggests "maybe not."

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Christmas Eve Dinner

I posted that so I could post this, Christmas Eve dinner.

My wife is in California. My charges -- our three granddaughters -- are in Colorado skiing with their parents. I have five glorious days to myself.

It began with dinner: Bitburger Pils, filet mignon (blackberry balsamic vinegar - olive oil - coffee - pepper marinade) and a huge pancake (secret recipe).

 I forgot the broccoli but I will do that tomorrow. The dinner needs a bit of color.