AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report for Friday, 8/21/20

American Dollar to Canadian Dollar = 0.745208; American Dollar to Chinese Yuan = 0.143390; American Dollar to Euro = 1.184912; American Dollar to Japanese Yen = 0.009532; American Dollar to Mexican Peso = 0.045105.

Oil is losing steam after rising more than 5 percent last month as Trump repeatedly raises the stakes against China, rattling markets. Along with other risky assets, oil took a blow on concern the escalating tension will threaten growth that drives energy demand amid record U.S. output. That could hinder the efforts of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies to curb a global glut and prop up prices. “The market is currently concerned for the escalating China-U.S. trade war tensions,” said Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB AB. “And with good reason, since this will be bad for global growth and oil demand growth further down the road.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Futures lost as much as 1.3 percent in New York after falling 1.9 percent on Tuesday. U.S. inventories rose by 6.51 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to report. That would be the biggest gain since March if confirmed in government data on Wednesday. “The API data showed an inventory build, in contrast to expectations of a draw, which is weighing on the market,” said Giovanni Staunovo, a commodity analyst at UBS Group AG. “The Russian news doesn’t help either.” Gasoline inventories rose by 2.4 million barrels last week, the API said Tuesday, according to people familiar with the data. While the institute also reported a gain in crude stockpiles, a Bloomberg survey showed they may have shrunk by 2.4 million barrels. The U.S. Energy Information Administration will release the data at 10:30 a.m. New York time on Wednesday. Click Read More below for additional information.