UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that he has asked the Queen for permission to suspended the parliament from “the second sitting week in September”. MPs will then return on October 14, when there will also be a new Queen’s speech. Johnson insisted that MPs would still have “ample time” to debate Brexit, and there is a “bold and ambitious domestic legislative agenda for the renewal of our country after Brexit”. The net effect for the suspension will cut short the time for MPs to introduce legislations to block no-deal Brexit on October 31.
House Speaker John Bercow issued a strong statement, saying that Johnson’s move “represents a constitutional outrage”. He added, “however it is dressed up, it is blindingly obvious that the purpose of prorogation now would be to stop Parliament debating Brexit and performing its duty in shaping a course for the country”.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said “I have protested in the strongest possible terms on behalf of my party and all the other opposition parties that are going to join in with this in saying that suspending parliament is not acceptable, It’s not on.”
Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon also complained that “it’s absolutely outrageous”. And, “shutting down parliament in order to force through a no-deal Brexit which will do untold and lasting damage to the country against the wishes of MPs is not democracy. It’s a dictatorship.”
US oil inventory dropped -10m barrels, WTI rebounds in range
US commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) dropped -10m barrels in the week ending August 23. The decline was way larger than expectation of -2.8m barrels fall. At 427.8m barrels, crude oil inventories are at the five year average for this time of year.
WTI crude oil jumps sharply in response to the data release. Focus is now back on 57.32 resistance. Break will resume the rise from 50.43 to 100% projection of 50.43 to 57.32 from 52.84 at 59.73. Overall, WTI is staying in range of 50.64/60.93. Thus, we’d look for resistance from 60.93 to extend range trading.