All sources were on the same page Tuesday regarding what waspushing cash prices upward. “Blame the screen,” they chorused,because there weren’t any fundamentals around at which to point.Just about every point was up between 10 and 15 cents, except forintra-Alberta increases of a little over a nickel.

It was another roller-coaster ride, according to a Texasaggregator. Cash ran right up with futures, he said, and although aNymex sell-off that started around lunchtime was too late to havemuch effect on the physical market, some cash points were startingto tail off late.

One source thought the screen’s late tumble was a harbinger offalling cash quotes today. However, the other big topic in thetrading community-Hurricane Georges-remains the unknown variable inthat equation. A marketer called the futures rally Tuesday “a stormhype.” However, he acknowledged that if Georges moves into the Gulfof Mexico, “then you’ll see them run it up again.”

The hurricane weakened a bit while passing over Haiti and theDominican Republic Tuesday, according to the National WeatherService, but should regain much of its punch over water. Theeventual course of Georges will depend greatly on what happens witha high-pressure ridge to the north, NWS said. A slightstrengthening of the ridge could force the hurricane over SouthFlorida and into the Gulf, but a weaker ridge might keep itoffshore altogether.

Tropical Storm Jeanne already was beginning to follow TS Ivan inthe slow trudge westward across the Atlantic.

One trader said he had done an October deal at the SouthernCalifornia border for $2.29, about 4 cents above where he washearing incremental numbers Tuesday. A Calgary source reported theintra-Alberta market for October trading throughout the C$2.20s.

A Western source was hoping “this hurricane gets out of the wayso things can return to normal” before next Monday’s expiry of theOctober futures contract.

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