SCMP: Angola was the No. 2 exporter of oil to China in 2010, second only to Saudi Arabia, by last year, it had plummeted to No. 8.
Angola–and other African oil producers–have a hard time luring investors to further develop its oilfields and boost infrastructure.
China is pivoting heavily to the GCC, aggressively seeking energy tie-ups with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar.
A stronger dollar tends to lower oil prices as buyers using other currencies have to pay more for their dollar-denominated crude
Fitch Ratings has maintained most of its oil and gas price assumptions, reflecting broadly unchanged market fundamentals.
Our base-case oil price assumptions have not changed. While Brent crude oil prices reached USD90 a barrel in April due to increased tensions in the Middle East, prices declined once the concerns had abated.
The cost to use a drilling rig to explore for crude oil and natural gas in the Middle East may have bottomed out after dropping almost 20% since the end of 2023 after Saudi Aramco cancelled its long-planned crude output capacity expansion in late January.
Crude oil prices recovered lost territory today after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported an inventory draw of 1.4 million barrels for the week to May 3.
Oil prices fell for a third day on Wednesday amid increasing hopes of a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East and rising crude inventories and production in the U.S., the world’s biggest oil consumer.
Brent crude futures for July fell 70 cents, or 0.8%, to US$85.63 a barrel by 0456 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for June declined 75 cents, or 0.9%, to US$81.18 per barrel.
With no major outbreak in fighting in the Middle East, investors seem less concerned about any impact on the flow of oil out of the region. As a result, prices fell in Wednesday’s trading.
At the same time, crude inventories across the U.S. tumbled and it stopped a further fall in oil prices.
In the UK, anxiety over the crisis after Iran’s missile strike on Israel drives down UK shares
Oil prices fell in early Monday trading, after Israel withdrew some soldiers from Gaza amid renewed ceasefire talks, defusing some tension in the Middle East ahead of the Eid Al Fitr holiday.
Oil prices slid more than $1 a barrel on Monday, with Brent falling below $90, as Middle East tensions eased after Israel withdrew more soldiers from southern Gaza and committed to fresh talks on a potential ceasefire in the six-month conflict.