The Political, Energy, And Market Page, T+236 -- September 13, 2017

Slam! US crude oil inventories surge by 5.9 million bbls, way more than expected. More on this later. I'll be out and about all day. 

Stock market stalls! -- pundits. Yes, after all three indices hit new records yesterday, Dow futures are down .... drum roll .... 16 points. Okay. [Later: all three major indices hit new records today, September 13, 2017.]

Red pill backlash. Link here.

Debt limit. Timed for midterm elections, DACA legislation.

Halt. US Supreme Court blocks lower-court rulings on Texas district.

EU agrees with Trump. EU looks to champion free trade in wake of Trump's "America First" policies.

OPEC in deep doo-doo. Saudi Arabia pushes OPEC on new tack to curb oil supplies. While the cartel has cut crude production, exports have barely budged, a factor behind the prolonged price slump.

EV revolution? Not so fast! Electric cars won't save European auto makers as diesel sales drop. Manufacturers are focused instead on making more gasoline-powered vehicles to offset the shortfall.

Pepper spray. UC-Berkeley to allow limited use of pepper spray at violent protests.

Boom! Target (the retail store) to hire 100,000 seasonal workers. 

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Back To The Bakken

$48.68↑	9/13/2017	09/13/2016	09/13/2015	09/13/2014	09/13/2013
Active Rigs	55	35	69	199	180

Oil prices rose (albeit slightly) yesterday: OPEC output falls, hurricane impact seen as "negligible."

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Later

I've corrected a minor typo in a CNN headline today: