AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report for Friday, 4/7/23

American Dollar to Canadian Dollar = 0.748519; American Dollar to Chinese Yuan = 0.138257; American Dollar to Euro = 1.089425; American Dollar to Japanese Yen = 0.006980; American Dollar to Mexican Peso = 0.057970.

Retailers and manufacturers are seeking to mitigate a potentially multibillion-dollar hit if members of the International Longshoremen’s Association go on strike beginning Oct. 1 at 13 of the nation’s major East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. The contract between the ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance, which negotiates on behalf of management of the ports, terminals and shipping lines, is due to expire at midnight on Sept. 30. The contract covers 25,000 workers and ports stretching from Boston to Houston, the ILA said. Billions of dollars worth of imported goods, from cars and light trucks to electronics to food, clothing, jewelry and agricultural products come into the U.S. through East Coast and Gulf Coast ports.

Futures rose as much as 1.2 percent to a six-week high, after advancing 2.1 percent on Tuesday. Donald Trump hinted at withdrawal from a deal curbing Iran’s nuclear program as Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Bin Salman began a U.S. visit. Such a decision would raise the risk of the OPEC member’s oil exports being curtailed by sanctions. The specter of conflict involving giant producers is jolting prices, which have traded in a tight range since February. With the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies concluding that the market will rebalance by the end of September, Citigroup Inc. predicts oil’s recent “sideways” move is unlikely to last. Still, investors will be wary of growth in U.S. supply, which has threatened to undermine OPEC’s efforts to eliminate a global glut. Click Read More below for additional information.