Industrial production declined 0.9 percent in August following six consecutive monthly gains. Hurricane Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast of Texas in late August, is estimated to have reduced the rate of change in total output by roughly 3/4 percentage point. The index for manufacturing decreased 0.3 percent; storm-related effects appear to have reduced the rate of change in factory output in August about 3/4 percentage point. The manufacturing industries with the largest estimated storm-related effects were petroleum refining, organic chemicals, and plastics materials and resins.

U.S. Rig Count is up 430 rigs from last year's count of 506, with oil rigs up 333, gas rigs up 97, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 1. Canada Rig Count is up 80 rigs from last year's count of 132, with oil rigs up 37, gas rigs up 44, and miscellaneous rigs down 1.

U.S. Rig Count is up 436 rigs from last year's count of 508, with oil rigs up 342, gas rigs up 95, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 1. Canada Rig Count is up 68 rigs from last year's count of 134, with oil rigs up 28 and gas rigs up 41, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 0.

In June 2017, for the first time in 15 months, dry natural gas production increased year-to-year from the same month a year ago. The preliminary level for dry natural gas production in June 2017 was 2,188 billion cubic feet (Bcf), or 72.9 Bcf/day. This level was a 1.3 Bcf/day (1.9%) increase from the June 2016 level of 71.6 Bcf/day.

U.S. Rig Count is up 446 rigs from last year's count of 497, with oil rigs up 352, gas rigs up 95, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 2. Canada Rig Count is up 64 rigs from last year's count of 137, with oil rigs up 25 and gas rigs up 39.

Last week, U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) made its way to the somewhat unlikely market of Lithuania. The former Soviet republic traditionally bought its gas from Russian state company Gazprom; this was its first shipment from the United States. For President Donald Trump, that must have been a gratifying sign of the success of his administration’s nascent energy diplomacy.

Norway’s $970-billion sovereign wealth fund, the world’s largest, should allocate a bigger share of its investments to renewable energy to boost returns, a U.S. energy policy think-tank said

U.S. Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 3.0 percent in the second quarter of 2017, according to the "second" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the first quarter, real GDP increased 1.2 percent.

The overall economy in the U.S. showed gains in July, adding 209,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The U.S. unemployment rate and the number of unemployed persons remained essentially unchanged at 4.3 percent and 7.0 million, respectively.

U.S. - The Trump administration imposed new sanctions prohibiting trading new debt and equity issued by the Venezuelan government and state oil company PDVSA.