• Middle East tensions weigh on markets as oil and gold prices shoot up

    London, United Kingdom -- Wall Street stocks slid on Friday despite banks beating expectations at the start of earnings season as oil and gold prices shot up amid worries about the conflict in the Middle East widening. "Geopolitical worries have triggered some risk aversion, but worries about a growth slowdown have...
  • Barclays bank to stop financing new oil, gas projects

    London, United Kingdom -- British bank Barclays said Friday it would stop directly financing its energy clients' new oil and gas projects, but still ran into fierce criticism from campaigners who said the moves don't far enough. As part of its updated climate strategy, the bank added it would scale back...
  • UAE real GDP to grow 5.3 percent in 2024: S&P Global

    Abu Dhabi, UAE-- The UAE's real GDP will grow 5.3 percent in 2024, compared to 3.4 percent in 2023, according to S&P Global Ratings, the world's leading credit rating agency. The credit rating agency in a new report said that UAE banks reported exceptional profits for the full year 2023...
  • Equinor reports 59% fall in net profit

    Its earnings were US$36.2bn, half of what is was in 2022.
  • Djokovic and Nadal to play 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will headline a new exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia, organizers said. The Serb and the Spaniard, with 46 major titles between them, will be joined by Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner at the 6 Kings Slam. World...
  • BP posts US$15.2bn net annual profit

    It will deliver US$1.75bn in buybacks for Q4 of last year.
  • Exxon Mobil posts bumper profit

    The company profit vaulted to US$36bn during the year 2023.
  • OPEC+ panel reaffirms cartel’s current output reduction strategy

    In an effort to shore up prices, the OPEC+ oil alliance of 23 nations has implemented supply cuts of more than five million barrels per day (bpd) since the end of 2022. Oil prices were up slightly on Thursday and hovering around $80 per barrel.
  • Borouge full-year net profit $1bn

    The firm posted third consecutive rise in quarterly earnings.
  • Qatar awards $6bn in contracts for Al-Shaheen oilfield expansion

    The four engineering, installation and procurement contracts will increase production at the Al-Shaheen oilfield -- the country's largest -- by 100,000 barrels per day, according to QatarEnergy. "By awarding these contracts, we are taking an important step towards realizing the full potential of Al-Shaheen field, which produces around half of...
  • Saudi Aramco halts plan to raise production capacity

    Tuesday's announcement was not expected to have an immediate effect on production or exports. After a series of oil supply cuts dating back to October 2022, Saudi Arabia's daily output stands at approximately nine million bpd, far below its capacity of 12 million bpd.
  • WHO urges limiting trans fat across the world

    Geneva, Switzerland - The World Health Organization said on Monday that nearly half the world's population was now covered by solid rules limiting trans fat in foods and urged lagging countries to catch up. The WHO appealed in 2018 for industrially produced fatty acids in foods to be eliminated worldwide by...
  • Oil rises on fresh Middle East fears after attack on US base

    "The news of three US troops being killed by a drone attack, and President Biden saying 'we shall respond', will likely dial up the market’s focus on the region," Andrew Ticehurst, at Nomura, said. The news comes as Israel presses on with its war against Hamas, adding to investor concerns...
  • Egypt’s wheat and oil reserves sufficient for several months, says minister

    Cairo, Egypt-- Egypt has enough reserves of wheat to last it for many months, according to Dr. Ali Al-Moselhi, the Egyptian Minister of Supply and Internal Trade. The minister said the country's reserves of wheat are sufficient for 4.2 months, oil for 5.3 months, and sugar for 5.4 months. He...
  • US troops destroy Houthi’s anti-ship missile in Yemen

    US forces struck an anti-ship missile in Houthi-held Yemen that they said was ready to fire, hours after the Iran-backed rebels caused a fire on a British tanker in the Gulf of Aden. US and British forces have launched joint strikes aimed at reducing the Houthis' ability to target vessels...
  • UAE-Hong Kong non-oil foreign trade surges to US$16.23 billion

    Hong Kong--Non-oil foreign trade value between the UAE and Hong Kong expanded in the past year, reaching $16.2 billion in the first 11 months of 2023. According to Dr. Patrick Lau, Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the United Arab Emirates has solidified its position...
  • IPT Energy floats new firm in Sharjah

    It will engage in the import and trading of oil products.
  • European market up on record-busting Wall Street

    A surge in tech titans including Apple, Amazon, Nvidia and Facebook parent Meta on Friday pushed New York's S&P 500 index to its first new all-time high since early 2022 thanks to bets on lower borrowing costs this year.
  • Middle East needs strong Saudi Arabia, says kingdom’s finance minister

    Dubai, UAE-- Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the Middle East needs a strong Saudi Arabia to contribute and that the future outlook looked positive despite recent shocks. The minister was speaking at Davos in a session titled "Saudi Arabia: Continuing Efforts towards a More Sustainable Economy". Al-Jadaan said...
  • IEA says oil production to rise but demand to be halved in 2024

    Paris, France - World oil supply will continue to rise this year, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday, as it predicted that demand growth would continue a downward slide throughout 2024. The Paris-based IEA, which advises oil-consuming nations, said it expects increase in global oil demand to halve from 2.3...
  • Turkish strikes leaves hundreds of Syrian villages without electricity

    Qamishli, Syria - Hundreds of northeast Syrian villages and towns have lost power after Turkish strikes pounded electricity stations and infrastructure, the region's semi-autonomous Kurdish administration said on Monday. The Kurdish administration said Turkey launched a slew of strikes since Friday, mostly concentrated on infrastructure including power stations and oil refineries....
  • Saudi inflation rate declines slightly to 1.5 percent in Dec: GASTAT

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia’s inflation declined to 1.5 percent in December 2023, compared with 1.7 percent in November, according to recent data by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).  The cost-of-living index for December rose to 110.15 points, according to the base year 2018, from 108.53 points in the same month...
  • Biggest fuel refinery plant of Africa begins production

    Lagos, Nigeria - Africa's biggest diesel and aviation fuel refinery built by the continent's richest man has started production, the company said on Saturday, calling it a "big day for Nigeria". The 650,000 barrel-per-day Dangote refinery could be a game changer when fully operational by helping end Nigeria's reliance on fuel...
  • Oil prices rise on Red Sea escalation, corporate earnings season

    Crude prices spiked more than four percent before ebbing somewhat after the allies launched deadly strikes following weeks of disruptive rebel attacks on Red Sea shipping. An analyst at SEB bank said if the US-UK attacks were unsuccessful in destroying Houthi weapons, and oil tankers need to go around Africa,...
  • Oil prices rise after US, UK strike Houthi rebels

    Oil prices surged four percent after US and UK forces launched strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels after attacks on ships in the Red Sea, fueling worries about a wider conflict. Tokyo and European stock markets ended the week with gains as traders brushed off data showing US inflation rose more...
  • Iran’s navy seizes oil tanker off Oman in dispute with US

    The announcement came hours after a British-navy maritime security agency said armed men boarded the Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged St Nikolas off Oman and changed course towards Bandar-e-Jask in Iran. Four or five "unauthorized boarders are reported to be wearing military-style black uniforms with black masks", the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations...
  • India’s Russian oil imports fall to 11-month low as price cap rises

    Indian refiners bought 1.45 million barrels per day of Russian oil last month, their lowest amount since last January and down nearly 16 percent from November, according to global energy trade intelligence platform Kpler.
  • Oil prices slump but stock markets mostly higher

    Wall Street indices enjoyed solid gains, including the Dow, which mustered a 0.6 percent advance in spite of an eight percent dive in Boeing shares after an emergency landing on an Alaska Airlines aircraft revived safety worries. "We basically are having a little bit of a bargain hunting today," economist...
  • Dragon Oil, Turkmennebit ink MoU

    Aim is to expand Dragon Oil’s investments in Turkmenistan.
  • New PM announced by Kuwaiti ruler to end political stalemate

    Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, who was sworn in as emir last month, named Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem Al-Sabah, a popular ex-foreign minister, as the new premier. He replaces Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Sabah, son of the late emir whose death has raised hopes of a political shift in the country.
  • Oil prices jump, stocks slump after Iran blasts

    "Heightened tensions in the Middle East following a bomb blast at a ceremony honouring a slain general in Iran have led to further risk-off sentiment and rising US yields," said Axel Rudolph, senior market analyst at online trading platform IG.
  • Dragon Oil starts oil production

    The Al Wasl field is its first oil discovery in Egypt.
  • Europe stocks rise, Asia tepid as oil jumps and Bitcoin shines

    Following record highs in 2023 for the likes of Paris, Frankfurt and Tokyo, investors are predicting more gains as central banks prepare a series of interest-rate cuts as inflation cools. Oil prices rallied 2.5 percent on supply concerns after Iran dispatched a warship to the Red Sea in response to...
  • Qatar’s industrial sector PPI down in Nov on lower oil prices

    Doha, Qatar -- Qatar's Producer Price Index (PPI) of the industrial sector in the country for November was 118.65 points, a decrease of 1.95 percent compared to October 2023. On Y-o-Y basis, PPI of November 2023 showed a decrease of 17.36 percent. The main four industry sectors by weight are...
  • Gupco begins pumping oil in Egypt

    The production started at the first well in the Gulf of Suez.
  • UAE announces reduction in fuel prices for January

    ABU DHABI, UAE - The prices of petrol and diesel are set to decrease in the country in January following fluctuations in the global oil market. This change reflects a continuous trend observed in the fuel prices over the past few months, with September and October witnessing increases and November...
  • Saudi EXIM Bank ink $51bn deal with Turkish firms

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi EXIM Bank signed line of credit agreements worth $51 million with Türkiye Finans Katılım Bankası A.Ş. and Albaraka Türk Katilim Bankasi A.S. The agreement is likely to help boost trade between the two countries and facilitate the flow of Saudi non-oil exports to the Turkish...
  • Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez supports Iraq’s sovereignty, stability

    "My country, always at the request of the Iraqi authorities, will support the unity, sovereignty and stability of Iraq," said Sanchez during a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani. Spain has deployed more than 300 soldiers as part of an international anti-jihadist coalition and NATO's mission in...
  • QatarEnergy, Shell sign agreement

    QatarEnergy will supply 18m barrels of crude oil per year to Shell.
  • Russia redirected most oil exports to China and India, says Novak

    After President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries hit Russia with a slew of sanctions including a European Union embargo on its seaborne oil deliveries. As it was losing much of its market share in Europe, Moscow pivoted to other buyers including China.
  • Bahrain economy posts 2.45% growth in third quarter of 2023

    Manama, Bahrain--National accounts estimates issued by the Information eGovernment Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain showed that the real GDP of the Kingdom increased by 2.45% at constant prices and by 1.09% at current prices during the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Bahrain News...
  • Qatar expects a decrease in inflation next year

    Doha, Qatar-- Inflation in Qatar is expected to fall in 2024, according to Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, the Minister of Finance. In a press conference on Thursday, the minister said that the inflation witnessed in Qatar in 2023 was temporary and associated with a specific period and reasons, such...
  • Angola departure a blow for OPEC+ as cartel tensions rise

    Despite slashing oil production for months on end and announcing new cuts in late November, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its ten allies have struggled to boost flagging prices. Moreover, the wider OPEC+ group faces pressure on multiple fronts, as rising US crude production, a looming transition...
  • UAE central bank raises 2024 economic growth forecast to 5.7%

    The bank stated in a report released today that the overall GDP for the country is expected to grow by 3.1 percent in 2023. The report anticipates a non-oil GDP growth of 5.9 percent in 2023 and 4.7 percent in the following year, while estimating the oil GDP growth at...
  • Qatar expects 11.4% revenue dip in 2024 budget on lower oil prices

    Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari attributed the decrease in revenues to the adoption of an average oil price of $60 per barrel for 2024 instead of $65 per barrel in 2023, based on the international institutions estimates for oil prices in 2024, and the conservative estimates for oil...
  • Waning influence of OPEC+ in spotlight as prices flag

    Founded in 1960, the 13-member OPEC cartel in 2016 partnered up with 10 other producers to form OPEC+ to gain more clout. But the group's enlargement has proven to be "a double-edged sword", noted Ozkardeskaya, with decision-making becoming more difficult.
  • Oil prices rise following Red Sea attacks

    Oil prices shot up three percent as more companies suspended shipping through the Red Sea following attacks on vessels by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. US stocks sought to continue last week's rally on expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next year, though it appears to have lost steam...
  • Qatar records 6 percent drop in Industrial Production Index in October

    Doha, Qatar-- Qatar has recorded a 9.3 percent drop in the Industrial Production index (IPI) in the month of October 2023 to 93.1 points, compared to the previous month (September 2023), and decreased by 6.0 percent, when compared to the corresponding month in 2022, according to the Planning and Statistics...
  • Kuwait emir Sheikh Al-Sabah dead at 86, says royal court

    "With great sadness and sorrow, we mourn... the death of Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait," said a statement aired on Kuwaiti state television. In November, Sheikh Nawaf was admitted to the hospital "due to an emergency health problem", according to the official KUNA news agency.
  • GCC region’s non-hydrocarbon growth momentum strong: IMF

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The GCC region’s non-hydrocarbon growth momentum remains strong, driven by higher domestic demand, increased gross capital inflows, and reform implementation, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. A comprehensive package of policies should be implemented to respond to near-term shocks and uncertainty and to firmly address...
  • UAE GDP set to double in 2024 from oil and non-oil boost: report

    Dubai, UAE - The UAE’s GDP is expected to double in 2024 to 4.8%, up from 2.4% year-on-year in 2023, according to the latest Economic Insight report commissioned by ICAEW and compiled by Oxford Economics. While near-term growth may face constraints due to OPEC+ production quotas, the UAE's higher reference...