US presses refiners to boost diesel output as distillate costs surge on datacentre and Asia boom

The United States is pressing domestic refiners to ramp up diesel production as fuel prices continue to climb. Energy officials say the move aims to ease supply pressure after recent surges in distillate costs driven by stronger Asian growth, surging datacentre demand and oil prices running one-third above forecasts. After the U.S. close stock futures edged higher as investors digested another round of corporate earnings with SpaceX shares surging nearly eight percent in private trading. The Nikkei finished near 64,075. Oil is a touch higher at $98.38 a barrel. Gold is down slightly at $4,133 an ounce. Bitcoin has slipped to $82,942. And finally, SpaceX’s private stock is surging as investor enthusiasm grows over the company’s massive computing needs to power artificial intelligence initiatives. Its Starlink network and plans for a vast satellite constellation are driving unprecedented demand for high-performance infrastructure, lifting valuations across the broader AI ecosystem.
Condor Studio News · 7:00 PM Central · Oct 20, 2026.