The Middle East will again dominate front-page headlines in the coming days. Newly elected U.S. President Trump, as promised during his election campaign, is putting the already fragile security situation in the Middle East and North Africa at risk, as his statements regarding Gaza, Israel, and Iran are unlikely to support stability.
Two years ago, West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark crude blend, joined the most traded, most liquid contract in the world: Brent. The move was hailed as a watershed moment in oil trading. With the oil market constantly changing, there could come a time when a Middle East blend might come to rival the international benchmark.
West Texas Intermediate shed 3.2% to settle below $69 a barrel. The Israeli ambassador to the US said a cease-fire agreement between his country and Lebanon’s Hezbollah could happen “within days.” Brent slid 2.9% to settle near $73.
Mena Terminals will be expanded by approximately 93,000 square metres to house the plant, which is scheduled for completion in 2026.
Saudi Arabia raised its main oil prices for buyers in Asia amid heightened volatility in the crude market as traders watch developments in the Middle East conflict.
BP has scrapped a previous target to reduce its oil and gas production by the end of the decade as the UK-based supermajor is pivoting back to its core hydrocarbons business to lift investor returns, Reuters reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the plans.
Despite oil prices being high since 2021, most major African oil producers are not experiencing the trappings of an oil boom, Zainab Usman, a senior fellow and director of the Africa programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has said.
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.