Propane shakes off growing list of headwinds
October 19, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Mark Rachal, director of research and publications at Cost Management Solutions, discusses propane pricing trends and the impact of heating-degree days.
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Price relief despite bad inventory report
October 12, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Despite last week’s inventory draw, propane prices moved lower. Mark Rachal of Cost Management Solutions explains what this means for price protection.
Read More No price relief despite good inventory report
October 5, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Mark Rachal of Cost Management Solutions offers steps propane buyers can take to protect themselves from rising propane prices this winter.
Read More Strategies for managing high propane prices
September 28, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Mark Rachal of Cost Management Solutions says propane fundamentals and crude price outlooks suggest high propane prices are here to stay this winter.
Read More 39 points to remember about using financial swaps for propane price management
June 29, 2021 By Mark Rachal
For future reference, use this list of key points about financial swaps and how they can be used with pre-buys and spot buying to manage price risks.
Read More Protecting gains when speculating with swaps
June 8, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Speculation requires vigilance in monitoring the position. If it isn’t performing as expected, then the prudent step might be to close the position.
Read More How hedging and speculating with financial swaps differ
June 2, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Hedging is the easiest way to use financial swaps, but we can also use swaps to capture an opportunity that may be present in the market, says Mark Rachal of Cost Management Solutions.
Read More Financial swaps provide predictable results
May 25, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Financial swaps are risk management tools. When used properly, they are true hedges that provide predictable results for supply purchases.
Read More Settling a financial swap to achieve desired results
May 19, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Mark Rachal explains the process of delivering physical supply to the customer and settling financial swaps to show how the two work together.
Read More Financial swaps enable quick, accurate price quotes
May 11, 2021 By Mark Rachal
Learn how a propane retailer can use a financial swap to provide a fixed price to a customer for months or even years in advance.
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