In the energy market Thursday, oil managed to gain a little ground, with crude for December delivery closing at $58.24/barrel, up $2.08 on its last day as the front-month contract.

Even I was stunned when I saw the Financial Times and the headline said, “Oil Futures Near $140 Amid Fears of Shortage.” As Robin used to say, “Holy smokes, Batman!”

Out in the field, the industry players are doing real work.

Rotten, no-good Members-of-Congress. In America, the Senators haul oil executives in front of Congress to insult and belittle them.

The IEA forecast for a daily increase in global oil production of 31 million barrels by 2030—a 37% jump—sounds like pure fantasy. Do the facts support it? Are big oil companies already searching for that future oil and finding it? Do they have plans to produce it?

Has oil hit its peak price or not? The answer to that question leads us to ask whether or not commodities are a bubble about to burst. Barron’s recent cover story on commodities came down on the side that the party was over.

The long-term bullish case for oil services is a no-brainer. Here’s why…

With earnings season starting to wind down, investors are not anticipating many new surprises.

52-Week T-Bill is Back; Sweet-Smelling Deal for FTD; First Family of Oil Calls for Environmental Focus; Garmin Losing Track; PepsiCo. Stocking up on Water; Bovespa Hits Record on S&P Rating; Kraft Profit Tumbles 13%; Kellogg Profit Sheds 2%.

Crisis, what crisis? An upbeat David Frost, director-general of the British Chamber of Commerce, reminds us there is commercial life beyond the hysterics of Canary Wharf trading screens.