As unrest continues in Egypt, oil companies face the possibility of delays in the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal serves as a critical international trading route and with the turmoil in Egypt showing no signs of desisting, international shippers brace for a possible closing of the Canal.
Though the canal only carries about a million barrels of oil per day, it accounts for 2% of global oil output. Operations in the canal are currently running normally, but due to the communications network shutdowns, it is possible that delays will ensue.
After the turmoil and political unrest spread from Tunisia previously, the possibility that it may spread to other, more significant oil-producing countries is becoming more of a concern.
Egyptian markets have already taken a huge hit in result to protesters demands to end Hosni Mubarak's three decade rule, as Benzinga readers already know. The Egyptian stock market fell 20% last week as well as shares of the Egypt ETF (NYSE: EGPT), which has also taken a large hit.
While Benzinga has suggested some investments to consider in light of the Egyptian chaos, there may be other investments to consider besides simply hedging your capital for protection.
While investors may initially think of taking a short position in the oil markets, oil tankers which are tasked by energy companies to transport supplies are actually on the rise this morning. Why would these companies be on the rise with the current chaos? The reason may be that oil tankers can take advantage of the situation and charge higher shipping rates. With potential delays in the Suez Canal, the supply of oil is unchanged, yet the transportation process creates higher prices.
Companies to consider long positions are: Overseas Shipholding (NYSE: OSG), Teekay (NYSE: TK), or Frontline (NYSE: FRO). All of these companies have shown increases as a result of the turmoil in Egypt.
Neither Benzinga nor its staff recommends that you buy, sell, or hold any security. We do not offer investment advice, personalized or otherwise. Benzinga recommends that you conduct your own due diligence and consult a certified financial professional for personalized advice about your financial situation.
