Daily Energy & Shipping Briefing — Aug 31, 2026
Energy markets saw significant upward movement on Monday, August 31, 2026, driven by renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which sent crude oil prices above $90 a barrel. This surge in energy costs contributed to a downturn in global equities, while natural gas markets presented a mixed picture with US prices falling and European LNG prices rising due to supply competition.
Energy Prices
Crude
| Instrument | Unit | Last | Δ Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brent ICE | $/bbl | 90.49 | +2.38 |
| WTI NYMEX | $/bbl | 86.25 | +2.84 |
Products
| Instrument | Unit | Last | Δ Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBOB Gasoline NYMEX | c/gal | 343.70 | -5.29 |
| ULSD Heating Oil NYMEX | c/gal | 320.50 | +4.10 |
Natural Gas
| Instrument | Unit | Last | Δ Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Henry Hub NYMEX | $/MMBtu | 2.93 | -0.14 |
| Europe TTF ICE | $/MMBtu | 23.73 | +0.91 |
Natural Gas Liquids
| Instrument | Unit | Last | Δ Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Mont Belvieu Propane NYMEX | $/mt | 388.43 | +9.13 |
| US Mont Belvieu Ethane NYMEX | $/gal | 0.35 | +0.01 |
Price Spreads
| Instrument | Unit | Last | Δ Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBOB Gasoline/Brent Crack Spread | $/bbl | 53.86 | -4.60 |
| ULSD/Brent Crack Spread | $/bbl | 48.20 | +1.50 |
Shipping Rates & Bunkers
Dirty Tanker (Spot TCE, $/day)
| Vessel | Route | Spot TCE | Avg YTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLCC, 270 | AG-FE | 41,500 | 40,000 |
| Suezmax, 130 | WAF-UKC | 32,000 | 31,500 |
| Aframax, 80 | Carib-USGC | 28,000 | 27,800 |
Clean Tanker (Spot TCE, $/day)
| Vessel | Route | Spot TCE | Avg YTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| LR2, 75 | AG-FE | 21,000 | 26,500 |
| LR1, 55 | AG-FE | 18,500 | 23,000 |
| MR, 37 | TC2 (UKC-USAC) | 22,000 | 21,500 |
Time Charter & Asset Values
| Vessel | 1yr ($/day) | Newbuild ($M) | 5yr ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLCC, 200+ | 49,500 | 127.5 | 112.5 |
| Suezmax, 130 | 38,000 | 85.0 | 75.0 |
LNG Vessels ($/day)
| Type | Spot | Sentiment | 52wk Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160M3 Tri-fuel diesel electric (East) | 15,000 | Bullish | 31,000 |
| 174M3 MEGI (Atlantic) | 18,000 | Bullish | 35,000 |
Bunkers ($/mt)
| Port | VLSFO | HSFO | MGO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 829.0 | 679.0 | 1,241.0 |
| Rotterdam | 665.0 | 550.0 | 1,275.0 |
LPG (Spot TCE, $/day)
| VLGC, 44 (AG-Japan) | 35,500 |
| VLGC, 44 (USGC-Japan) | 62,000 |
Carbon Markets
| Instrument | Unit | Bid | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union Allowances (Spot) | EUR/ton | 83.05 | 83.15 |
| California Carbon Allowances (Spot) | USD/ton | 38.10 | 38.20 |
Equities & Currencies
| Index | Region | Last | Δ Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | United States | 7,686.14 | -25.62 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | United States | 53,185.90 | -374.09 |
| Nasdaq Composite | United States | 26,370.89 | -31.53 |
| Pair | Region | Last | Δ Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/$ | European Union | 1.16 | +0.00 |
| $/JPY | Japan | 147.80 | -0.25 |
| GBP/$ | United Kingdom | 1.27 | 0.00 |
Developments
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Brent Oil Tops $90 After First U.S. and Iran Fighting in a Month
Oil prices jumped on Monday, August 31, 2026, after the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire for the first time in a month, renewing conflict near the Strait of Hormuz and raising oil supply disruption risks. Brent crude rose nearly 3.1% to $90.85 per barrel.
Morningstar · Aug 31, 2026
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China's August LNG Imports Set to Drop as High Prices Hit Demand
China's LNG imports are expected to fall by 18% in August 2026 from a year earlier, as high spot LNG prices, averaging around $21/MMBtu, deterred price-sensitive industrial consumers. This reverses a three-month trend of growing purchases.
Bloomberg · Aug 31, 2026
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S&P 500 Closes Lower as Dow Leads the Selling on August 31
U.S. stock markets closed lower on Monday, August 31, 2026, with the S&P 500 falling 0.3% to 7,686.14, as surging oil prices and heightened geopolitical instability dampened risk appetite and stoked inflation concerns.
24/7 Wall St. · Aug 31, 2026
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US Natural Gas Prices Drop Further Amid Prospect of Increased Supply
US natural gas prices fell to $2.85/MMBtu on Monday, August 31, 2026, extending their retreat from a five-week high as traders weighed the prospect of increased supply from Energy Transfer LP's Hugh Brinson Pipeline, set to begin service on September 1.
Trading Economics · Aug 31, 2026
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Europe's Fight for LNG Puts TTF Back on the Upswing
European LNG deliveries reached their highest level since April last week, with October TTF prices gaining 4% to close at $23.73/MMBtu on Monday, August 31, 2026, as Europe continued to outbid Asian buyers for supply amid tight global markets.
Natural Gas Intelligence · Aug 31, 2026
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EU Carbon Allowances Expected to Reach €90/t by Year-End 2026
EU carbon allowances closed at €82.87/t on August 28, 2026, with analysts expecting a rise to €90/t by year-end due to the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) intake beginning September 1, 2026, which will draw down the EU ETS surplus.
The Industry Spread · Aug 28, 2026
