Far-out thoughts on buying propane
April 7, 2025 By Mark Rachal
This week, Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, discusses the historical averages and the future of buying propane.
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It’s actually good when price protection doesn’t pay off
March 11, 2025 By Mark Rachal
Mark Rachal, director of research and publications, shares a lesson about price protection he learned from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
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A look back at 2024 propane pricing
January 13, 2025 By Mark Rachal
Mark Rachal looks back at propane prices in 2024 to get a baseline for decisions on 2025-26 price protection.
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Opportunities in propane prices
December 30, 2024 By Mark Rachal
Mark Rachal looks ahead at propane prices in the new year and beyond, and explains the relationship between propane and crude oil.
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Make cleaner propane swaps
October 28, 2024 By Mark Rachal
A current anomaly in Mont Belvieu will force us to fine-tune our propane swaps in the future to make them cleaner.
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How to minimize the unknowns when pricing propane
September 30, 2024 By Mark Rachal
In this Trader’s Corner, we will try and capture some things we know as propane buyers, some things we may not know now but could, thus reducing the number of unknowns to one.
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Comparing current propane market conditions to 2014
February 8, 2022 By Mark Rachal
Mark Rachal, director of research and publications for Cost Management Solutions, addresses propane prices and makes comparisons to conditions in 2014.
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Setting propane price expectations
February 1, 2022 By Mark Rachal
As things stand now, which is what we must base decisions upon, it is looking more like an entry point to hedge winter propane anywhere sub-dollar is feasible.
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When to use swaps versus physicals
January 25, 2022 By Mark Rachal
Amid volatility in propane prices, Mark Rachal of Cost Management Solutions explains the difference between two financial tools: swaps and physicals.
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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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