Chariots On Fire -- Notes From All Over, Part 2 -- September 26, 2019

From the Elko Daily Free Press (which probably costs a dollar or two at the newsstand):

ELKO – A truck hauling electric vehicles caught fire Tuesday night on Interstate 80 near Carlin, forcing the Nevada Highway Patrol to close the freeway to eastbound traffic.

The incident was called in at about 9:10 p.m.

The tractor-trailer was hauling two trailers of vehicles, and the fire started in the rear trailer carrying five Tesla vehicles and one Subaru.

Carlin volunteer firefighters were the first on the scene, and they found multiple cars were fully engulfed in flames when they arrived.

The driver was able to separate the rear trailer and move the truck and first trailer out of harm’s way, but all five Tesla vehicles plus the Subaru were a total loss, as well as the trailer carrying them.

According to a Tesla spokesperson, the cause of the fire was related to the carrier truck, not to the vehicles on the truck.

**********************************

Sanctions On Iran

September 25, 2019, US State Department, statement.

Today, the United States is taking further action as part of our maximum economic pressure campaign against the Iranian regime and those who enable its destabilizing behavior.

We are imposing sanctions on certain Chinese firms for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the transport of oil from Iran, including knowledge of sanctionable conduct, contrary to U.S. sanctions.

This is one of the largest sanctions actions the United States has taken against entities and individuals identified as transporting Iranian oil since our sanctions were re-imposed in November 2018. This action is aimed to deny the Iranian regime critical income to engage in foreign conflicts, advance its ballistic missile development, and fund terror around the world. We are committed to fully administering our sanctions; the Iranian regime must cease these destabilizing activities or face greater economic pressure and diplomatic isolation.

Apparently this is a big, big deal. I wouldn't know. But Bloomberg says "oil traders are rattled by US sanctions on China tanker firms". Others are saying that traders are scrambling to find tankers to carry crude oil.

It appears the rooster will leave the US without meeting with President Trump. But who knows; stranger things have happened. 

Both Brent and WTI continue to show slight declines in pricing this morning.