Oil prices stabilized on Monday after one of the most bearish weeks in months, propped up by OPEC comments signaling the group and other producers may take further action to restore market balance in the long term. Oil production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico started returning to service after Hurricane Nate had forced the shutdown of more than 90 percent of crude output in the area. The prospective restarts kept price gains in check. “Oil is having trouble to find direction. Mixed signals keep investors busy changing their minds,” said Hans van Cleef, senior energy economist at ABN Amro. Click Read More below for more of the story.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has expressed support for the U.S. administration's recent efforts to address trade challenges with the European Union, particularly regarding non-tariff barriers affecting the paper and forest products industry. In a statement released following U.S.-EU trade negotiations, AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock welcomed the administration’s commitment to fostering fair and reciprocal trade. She emphasized the importance of tackling both tariff and non-tariff obstacles to safeguard U.S. exports. One of the AF&PA’s key concerns is the European Union’s Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR), which the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has classified as a non-tariff trade barrier. According to the association, the regulation could put at risk more than $3.5 billion in annual exports of U.S. forest products to the EU.

A group of transportation and trucking stakeholders is calling on Congress to repeal the Federal Excise Tax (FET) on heavy-duty commercial vehicles. This century-old tax is impeding the deployment of cleaner, more environmentally friendly trucks on our nation's roads, according to a letter from the American Trucking Associations, American Truck Dealers, and Zero Emission Transportation Association sent to Congressional leadership. The heavy-duty excise tax was established in 1917 to defray the costs of World War I and today adds 12% to the cost of a new truck, creating a major disincentive for trucking fleets small and large to modernize their equipment and replace older tractors with new, low-emission power units. The FET can add more than $50,000 to the price of the latest low- or zero-emission vehicle, making these investments cost-prohibitive for smaller fleets. Over 90% of U.S. motor carriers operate six or fewer trucks. “If Congress is serious about safety, the environment and jobs, then repealing the FET should be front-burner," said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. "It’s time to shelve this World War I era tax and starting putting the best equipment on our roads.”