Analysis Topic: Companies Analysis

The analysis published under this topic are as follows.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Hedge Fund loses billions betting on Natural Gas Futures / Companies / Natural Gas

By: Shahla_Walayat

The financial media is buzzing about the reports of "enormous losses" suffered by Amaranth Advisors, a Connecticut hedge fund that reported it had lost in excess of $4 billion in the collapse of natural gas prices during 2006.

Specifically, the fund claims that its losses were due to bets that the spread between the March and April 2007 natural gas contracts would widen. That spread, in fact, did not widen but instead grew tighter as natural gas prices fell. While the fund allegedly lost money on a number of natural gas–related bets, The New York Times is reporting that the spread bet was the most costly.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

SHELL's $20 billion problem with Sakhalin 2 / Companies / Oil Companies

By: Shahla_Walayat

After the Russian's shut down Yukos Oil, not it seems that it is Shells turn and the giant $20 billion Sakhalin Island oil project as the Russian government look to increase the states stake in Russia's energy projects.

State run Gazprom wants a 25 percent stake in Sakhalin-2. Talks have been suspended after development costs had doubled from $10 billion to $20 billion. Shell owns 55% of the project. The Natural Resources Ministry intensified probes of the venture's environmental safety standards and signed an order this week to cancel part of Shells licence on environmental grounds.