Mediaboss Marketing

A natural gas flare on an oil well pad burns as the sun sets outside Watford City, North Dakota January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Cullen

June 30 (Reuters) - Who of the traditional bulls predicted a rally that saw oil prices doubling in the last eight months? The short answer is no one.

Of more than 50 analysts polled by Reuters last October when Brent was hovering near $35 per barrel amid a second large wave of global lockdowns to slow the coronavirus pandemic, almost none dared to predict prices would approach $60.

U.S. bank Goldman Sachs saw second-quarter average prices hitting $57.50 a barrel and much smaller Houston-based consultancy Stratas Advisors had the boldest bet at $60.

As prices have exceeded $75 per barrel this June, the most accurate forecasters predict a further rally fuelled by recovering demand and tight OPEC supply albeit at a more modest pace.

Overall, the 44 analysts polled by Reuters this month forecast benchmark Brent prices to average about $67.48 a barrel this year, up from the $64.79 consensus in May.

Oil demand was seen growing by 5-7 million barrels per day (bpd) this year.

"The upward range of oil will be limited by the ability of OPEC to bring back supply to address unexpected upward movements in demand and prices," John Paisie, Stratas Advisors president, told Reuters.

Paisie predicts Brent will average around $75 a barrel in the third quarter and $78.50 in 2022, adding: "One reason that we think that increase in oil prices will be more moderate is the strength of the U.S. dollar."

A firmer greenback makes oil priced in dollars more expensive in other currencies, potentially weighing on demand.

Goldman Sachs was more bullish, seeing Brent averaging $80 a barrel in the third quarter "with potential spikes well above", with the global market facing "its deepest deficits since last summer." read more

Most analysts expect the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, or OPEC+, to gradually unwind record output cuts this year, with discussions over easing likely to start in August. read more

Oil's rally could also face headwinds from a potential U.S-Iran deal that could boost global supplies and a spike in COVID-19 cases, which could undermine demand recovery, participants said.

Analysts saw Iran potentially adding about 1-2 million bpd of output into the global market over the next six months or so.

"The main question is whether Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers are ready to accommodate Iranian volumes while maintaining a tight control on their cumulative supply under the OPEC+ deal," said Intesa Sanpaolo analyst Daniela Corsini.

Reporting by Nakul Iyer in Bengaluru; Editing by Arpan Varghese, Noah Browning and Louise Heavens

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

More here:
Oil to sustain surprise rally despite Iran, third COVID-19 wave threat: Reuters poll - Reuters

England's captain Harry Kane broke his goalscoring drought as England overcame Germany 2-0 in the Euro 2020 round of 16 at Wembley.

England eventually made the breakthrough when substitute Jack Grealish fired the ball into the feet of Harry Kane who passed outwards to Luke Shaw.

Advertisement

The hosts then doubled their lead with four minutes of time to go, as Grealish crossed to find the head of Kane. The Tottenham Hotspur striker headed into the net past a helpless Manuel Neuer.

England's captain Harry Kane missed a golden opportunity in the final seconds of the first half when the ball bounced kindly to him in the Germany box. A poor first touch allowed the German defense to clear.

The second half started in the same manner before Sterling scored allowing England to control the game.

Speaking to the BBC after the game, goalscorer Sterling said: "We knew we needed to put a big performance in against a good side and we did that today.

"Doing it for your country will always be special and it is a special moment for me."

More here:
England finally beat Germany in a major tournament knockout game after a 55-year wait, moving on to the Euro 2 - Business Insider India

LONDONThe brutal efficiency, the defensive rigor, the cold-eyed finishes. England had seen them all over decades of heartbreaking clashes with Germany. And it knew that Tuesdays Euro 2020 knockout game against its historically punishing opponent would only bring more.

What the Three Lions couldnt predictbecauseyears of frustration had taught them not towas that all those killer qualities would belong to England for a night.

In its most significant victory since the 1966 World Cup final, England not only beat Germany 2-0 to cap a wild 72 hours of tournament soccer. It also opened up the most promising path to the Wembley Stadium final of any team left in the Euros.

Englands road now runs through Ukraine, in Saturdays quarterfinal, and then the winner of Denmark vs. Czech Republic. The other half of the draw, meanwhile, still contains Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, all ranked in the top 13 teams in the world.

Englands players resisted the urge to get carried away. Forty-five thousand fans were inside Wembley Stadium on Tuesday to do that for them. They had stewed over defeats to Germany at Euro 1996 and the 1990 and 2010 World Cups. Entire generations of England supporters had come and gone without experiencing a single knockout-round win over their bitter rival.

Go here to see the original:
England Opens a Lane to the Euro 2020 Final - The Wall Street Journal

Mike Pence's role in the Trump administration

Mike Pence's role in the Trump administration has been forced more into the spotlight with the president's illness from coronavirus. Here's a look back at Pence's career.

Dwight Adams, dwight.adams@indystar.com

At a Thursdayevening event in Simi Valley, California, former Vice President Mike Pence appeared to use his strongest language yet on the deadly U.S. Capitol riot that endangered his life and the lives of fellow lawmakers and Hill staff.

"There's almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American President. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone." Pence said, reasserting that he had no authority to rejectany electoral votes certified by states, as insisted by former President Donald Trump.

More: How Mike Pence's new Carmel home compares to the last one he owned

"I understand the disappointment many feel about the last election I can relate," Pence said, to some chuckles in the room."I was on the ballot. But you know, there's more at stake than our party and our political fortunes in this moment."

His words emerged as a slow, but sharp, move away from how Pence has previouslytalked about the Capitol riot.

At his first post-vice presidencypublic address in late April, Pence remained silent on the traumatic events of Jan. 6, when rioters chanted "Hang Mike Pence" andBring out Pence."

Pence South Carolina speech:Praise for Trump, attacks on Biden, silence on Jan. 6

He spoke about the riot again in early June, in front of a crowd in New Hampshire, this time chalking up the ensuing tension withTrump as something where they might just never "see eye to eye."The former vice president did call it a "dark day" in American history, but he alsoblamedDemocrats and news media for what he called an outsized scrutiny over the day.

Former VP Mike Pence: Trump and I may never 'see eye to eye' on Jan. 6 Capitol attack

In another June speech,thoughhe was not speaking about the riot, some hecklers at the Faith & Freedom coalition in Floridabooed him and shouted "traitor" as he introduced himselfas he often does as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order."

Though Pence is trying to reassert and justify his actions to certify the results of the 2020election, as he was expected to do by the Constitution, the day remains the only signal of distance between him and Trump.

Other than not seeing "eye to eye" on Jan. 6, Pence has continued to praise Trump and his role in the administration throughout his recent public speeches. Thursday evening, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, Pence applauded the former president for being one of a kind and a disruptor.

"President Trump taught us what Republicans can accomplish when leaders stand firm on conservative principles and don't back down," Pence said, touting the administration's record on unemployment, trade deals and border security.

With the building momentum of the conservative movement, Pence says there is no going back."

IndyStar reporter Sarah Nelson contributed to this report.

Contact IndyStar reporter Rashika Jaipuriar atrjaipuriar@gannett.comandfollow her on Twitter@rashikajpr.

Here is the original post:
'Un-American': Mike Pence uses strongest language yet on refusal to deny election results - IndyStar

If Euro 2020 has taught us anything about football, it's that you cannot take anything for granted and on any given day anyone can beat anyone.

Prior to the Round of 16 commencing, we knew the tournament would lose two big guns. Portugal or Belgium and England or Germany would exit before the quarter-finals.

The reality has proved somewhat harsher for the favourites with soon-to-be-dethroned European champions, Portugal; reigning world champions, France; big-hitters Germany and Netherlands all eliminated.

The infamous Group F has no survivors, and you would have needed some crystal ball to foresee that.

Of the big movers, Belgium, Denmark, Spain and England were impressive.

Denmark are undoubtedly the story of the tournament so far. Having overcome the worst of days in their opening clash with Finland, they have grown and have built up some serious momentum in this tournament.

Their game against Wales was one of the tougher ones to call, but they completely dismantled Rob Pages side, as Kasper Dolberg, another player 'unproven at this level, took the game by the scruff of its neck after he got the nod to start in place of the injured Yussuf Poulsen.

The former Ajax striker became Denmarks second ever player to score twice in a knockout game at the Euros, since Henrik Larsen netted two against Netherlands in 1992. That year! And youd have to wonder

First though, before any such talk of another unlikely title win should start to snowball, they must advance past the Czech Republic, the side that eliminated Netherlands, in what was probably the first genuine shock of the tournament.

Despite having dominated the game, the Netherlands looked lost after going down to 10.

The meeting of Belgium and Portugal was destined to be decided by a moment of magic or a seismic error and in the end, it was a little bit of both as Thorgen Hazard sent the holders packing.

The Italians were perhaps the team that didnt quite live up to their fanfare billing in their 2-1 victory over Austria, and will undoubtedly face their toughest opponent of the tournament so far in Belgium, even though Roberto Martinez may well be without Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne.

If The Bangles had written Manic Monday about any day, it might have been the one jut gone as Spain and Switzerland advanced in drama-filled encounters that went to extra-time, the Swiss prevailing on penalties.

This Swiss team have a history with penalties.

I was working with Northern Ireland on that fateful November World Cup play-off night in 2017, when they were inexplicably awarded a penalty after the ball hit Corry Evans back. Ricardo Rodriguez scored in Belfast that night, but missed his spotter this night, when he could have put his side 2-0 up.

Instead, within two minutes, France were level as Benzema got on the end of Mbappes ball. When Les Bleus went 3-1 up, that appeared to be that, but the Swiss never gave up and fully deserved the victory.

England v Germany wasnt the open carnage of the Monday, but more tactical shadow-boxing, great to watch in its own right.

As it turned out, Gareth Southgates charges played a tense, cleverly-balanced game, matching up the German three-at-the-back system, nullifying the effectiveness of Kimmich and Gosens in the wide areas.

It was a win they deserved and earned, and they too now have a bit of momentum heading into their last-eight clash with Ukraine, another clash no-one foresaw. Least of all Sweden.

After what weve seen so far, youd be hard-pressed to predict what will come next.

The rest is here:
Knockout drama will have quarter-finalists on edge - RTE.ie