Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi economy to contract on back of oil output cuts Saudi Arabia pushed through another oil production cut at the OPEC+ meeting, but, it will come at the cost of slower economic growth and we now think the economy will contract by 0.5% this year. The... 5th June 2023 · 3 mins read
OPEC Watch Five key takeaways from Sunday’s OPEC+ meeting Oil output will be more constrained in the second half of this year if the OPEC+ members stick to their recently-announced production quotas. However, we have also raised our forecast of Russian... 5th June 2023 · 4 mins read
Commodities Weekly OPEC+ likely to stand pat It was a week of two halves, with prices initially falling before the passage of the US debt ceiling bill and a strong US May employment report saw prices recoup some of those losses later in the week... 2nd June 2023 · 6 mins read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report Oil prices surged on the back of this week’s report, which managed to successfully tear investors’ attention away from the upcoming OPEC+ meeting this weekend. In isolation, there was little to... 1st June 2023 · 2 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly OPEC+ meeting, Saudi mortgages and 2022 census This weekend’s OPEC+ meeting will be closely watched. We expect that the group will stand pat on Sunday, but OPEC+ has a history of springing surprises. Meanwhile, the Kingdom’s 2022 Census revealed... 1st June 2023 · 8 mins read
OPEC Watch OPEC+ unlikely to change output targets OPEC+ is unlikely to change its output target at the meeting this Sunday. After all, crude supply is already constrained, but prices have fallen on demand concerns. Accordingly, it is unlikely that... 1st June 2023 · 2 mins read
Commodities Update China’s PMIs point to solid, if unexciting, demand China’s PMI surveys suggest that the economic recovery is ongoing, but the pace of growth has slowed. While a lower reading for construction activity is a negative for metals prices, the persistent... 1st June 2023 · 2 mins read
Commodities Weekly Data and debt ceiling to move prices next week Commodity prices generally fell this week, as investors’ expectations for the Federal Reserve’s policy rate rose on concern about the persistence of high inflation. The dollar also strengthened... 26th May 2023 · 6 mins read
Energy Update China’s oil recovery not over yet China’s refineries pumped out more oil products than at any point in their history in the first four months of this year. This is perhaps not too surprising given that the removal of COVID-19... 25th May 2023 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly BCT independence, Saudi-OPEC+, Egypt reforms The independence of Tunisia’s central bank has come under threat this week, which will only diminish any remaining hopes that the country’s IMF deal will be approved. Elsewhere, comments from Saudi... 25th May 2023 · 6 mins read
Event Energy Drop-In: Is OPEC+ gearing up for another cut? 1685624400 Speculation is building that, after its surprise April cut failed to lift oil prices for very long, OPEC+ could use its 3rd-4th June meeting to announce further production cuts.
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Gulf growth slowing The flash Q1 GDP figures for Saudi Arabia showed the economy grew at its weakest pace in two years at the start of 2023, reflecting the cut in oil production in line with the OPEC+ decision in October... 24th May 2023 · 12 mins read
Energy Update Brent-WTI price spread to widen on US weakness The long-awaited inclusion of WTI Midland into Dated Brent is now taking place in a gradual month-long process that started on 2nd May. The inclusion of Midland could be a factor weighing on the Brent... 24th May 2023 · 4 mins read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report Commercial stocks slumped as imports fell sharply. Meanwhile, implied product demand rose, but we think the usual summer boost to demand may be more subdued this year as economic growth slows. 24th May 2023 · 2 mins read
Commodities Weekly US data the key driver of prices next week Dealmaking was a major driver of commodity prices this week. The 11th hour extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative alleviated fears of Ukraine’s grain exports being cut off from world markets... 19th May 2023 · 6 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly Egypt reform progress, Saudi public finances Egypt’s government laid out fresh efforts this week to attract greater foreign investment into the country which also coincided with the first state asset sale in nearly a year. But, unless the... 18th May 2023 · 6 mins read
