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Brent crude closed 37 cents, or 0.5%, lower at $78.28 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude fell 23 cents, or 0.3%, to $72.97. On the supply side, worries of tightness after an unexpected draw in U.S. oil stockpiles and a halt to some Iraqi Kurdistan oil exports were partially offset by a smaller-than-expected output cut in Russia. U.S. crude oil stockpiles fell unexpectedly last week, the Energy Information Administration said, as refineries ramped up operations after maintenance season and U.S. imports fell to a two-year low. Supply concern were, however, eased by reports that Russian oil production fell by around 300,000 bpd in the first three weeks of March, less than the targeted cuts of 500,000 bpd. A stronger greenback hurts oil demand as crude becomes more expensive for buyers who hold foreign currencies.
Energy stocks push TSX higher, Dollarama climbs
  + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
SummarySummary Companies Enbridge gains on rating upgradeDollarama climbs on quarterly sales beatTSX up 0.8%March 29 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index extended gains on Wednesday, helped by energy stocks, while discount store chain Dollarama advanced after posting quarterly revenue above estimates. Dollarama Inc (DOL.TO) rose 1.2% and hit a two-month high after the discount store chain also reported a surge in same-store sales. The consumer discretionary sector index (.GSPTTCD), housing the stock, added 0.9%. Archibald added that renewable names like Northland Power (NPI.TO) and Ballard Power Systems (BLDP.TO) would stand to benefit from the credits provided to encourage more investment in green technology. Northland Power (NPI.TO) was down 0.2%, while Ballard Power Systems (BLDP.TO) surged 2.6%.
Shares rise as bank support emboldens investors
  + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Amanda Cooper | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +5 min
The sale of assets in Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the regional lender that collapsed earlier this month, has helped prop up investor risk appetite. The MSCI All-World index (.MIWD00000PUS) rose 0.3% while European shares (.STOXX) gained 0.92%, thanks in part to a rise in bank shares after UBS (UBSG.S) said it would rehire Sergio Ermotti to lead the company after its takeover of Credit Suisse (CSGN.S). The U.S. regional KBW bank index (.BKX) has fallen 3.3% in the last week, but is still above its recent six-week lows. Worries over inflation have prompted investors to reassess their expectations for monetary policy from a number of major central banks, including the European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve. The dollar index, which measures the performance of the U.S. currency against six others, was roughly flat on the day at 102.46.
Crude exports of 450,000 barrels per day (bpd) from Iraq's semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan region were halted on Saturday following an arbitration decision that confirmed Baghdad's consent was needed to ship the oil. "The longer the stoppage continues, the tighter the supply outlook will become," said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM. On Wednesday, Norwegian oil firm DNO said it had begun shutting down production at its fields in Kurdistan. We can see that risk sentiment has recovered to some extent, which pushed (the) global stock markets and crude oil rebound," said CMC Markets analyst Leon Li. Attention will focus on official U.S. inventory data from the Energy Information Administration at 1430 GMT to see if it confirms the crude stock decline.
Alibaba's Hong Kong shares (9988.HK) shot up 15%, while the company's U.S.-listed shares closed 14.3% higher. The news lifted investor confidence in the wider Chinese tech sector, with shares of Alibaba's e-commerce rival JD.com Inc (9618.HK) 7% higher, and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) jumping 5%. "Alibaba's split may pave the way for other Chinese tech giants to do similar," CMC Markets analyst Tina Teng said. "This helps break down the monopolistic power of these conglomerates, which complies with the Chinese government's regulatory overhaul over antitrust issues." Futures indicated European stocks were set to open higher, with Eurostoxx 50 futures up 0.41%, German DAX futures up 0.38% and FTSE futures up 0.08%.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was 0.82% higher, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) advanced 0.49%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index surged over 2%, buoyed by Alibaba (9988.HK) after the Chinese e-commerce conglomerate announced its break-up plans. Alibaba's Hong Kong shares (9988.HK) shot up 15%, while the company's U.S.-listed shares closed 14.3% higher. Worries over inflation have prompted investors to recalculate what they expect the Fed to do in its next meeting in May. In the foreign exchange markets, the dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six peers, was mostly flat, having eased 0.3% overnight on improving risk appetite.
UK stocks climb as banks, export-focused companies rise
  + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +1 min
SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 up 0.3%, FTSE 250 adds 0.3%March 29 (Reuters) - UK stocks edged higher on Wednesday, supported by gains in banks amid easing fears of a financial sector meltdown, while shares of export-focused energy and materials companies gained as the pound weakened. The exporters-heavy FTSE 100 (.FTSE) rose 0.3% as the pound slipped 0.2% . Industrial metals (.FTNMX551020) and precious metals (.FTNMX551030) miners rose 0.1% and 0.5%, respectively. Late on Tuesday, John Glen, chief secretary to the UK Treasury, told Reuters that Britain's banks had not seen deposit outflows in reaction to the failures of U.S. regional lenders. Shares of UK lenders (.FTNMX301010) gained 0.7%.
Oil wells are seen at an oil facility by the Highway 5 near Bakersfield in California, United States on November 27, 2022. Brent crude futures rose 42 cents, or 0.5%, to $79.07 a barrel at 0046 GMT. A drawdown in U.S. crude oil inventories last week also lent support. U.S. crude oil inventories fell by about 6.1 million barrels in the week ended March 24, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Analysts had expected U.S. crude oil stockpiles to have risen last week, while distillate and gasoline inventories were seen down.
"But here it seems the market likes the deal and is giving a thumbs up with respect to the acquisition." ET (14:10 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) was up 61.34 points, or 0.31%, at 19,686.08. Energy stocks (.SPTTEN) added 0.8%, tracking oil prices amid supply disruption risks from Iraqi Kurdistan. Still, the bourse is up for the quarter underpinned by gains from January as equities bounced back from previous year's losses. Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Iraq's Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani, who took office in October, plans to update Iraq's oil production strategies to meet local needs while complying with the OPEC+ agreement, oil ministry spokesman Asim Jihad told Reuters. It is too early for the new government to talk about any significant increases in Iraq's oil production outside the OPEC+ agreement, Jihad said. 'HARD, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE'For the oil sector, the country has repeatedly delayed a target to reach 7-8 million bpd capacity, from the current 5 million bpd. The beneficiaries were not the international oil companies, but UAE firm Crescent Petroleum and two Chinese companies. Iraq's oil minister this month revived seven investment opportunities in Iraq's refining sector.
[1/2] The Iraqi- Turkish pipeline is seen in Zakho district of the Dohuk Governorate of the Iraqi Kurdistan province, Iraq, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Ari JalalMarch 27 (Reuters) - Oil production in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region (KRI) is at risk after a halt in northern exports has forced firms operating there to divert crude to storage, where capacity is limited. Oil firms operating in the region have been left in limbo as they await the outcome of ongoing discussions between Ankara, Baghdad and the KRG to find a way to resume exports. The two firms hold stakes in the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, which produced 107,000 bpd of oil last year. Production at the Khurmala oil field run by Kurdish group Kar is currently unaffected at around 135,000 bpd and heading into tank, a source familiar with the field operations told Reuters.
BEIRUT, March 25 (Reuters) - The death toll in U.S. air strikes on pro-Iran installations in eastern Syria has risen to 19 fighters, a Syrian war monitor said on Saturday, in one of the deadliest exchanges between the U.S. and Iran-aligned forces in years. The U.S. carried out strikes in eastern Syria in response to a drone attack on Thursday that left one American contractor dead, and another one wounded along with five U.S. troops. The war monitor said air raids killed three Syrian troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian fighters who were aligned with the government. Another U.S. service member was wounded, according to officials, and local sources said suspected U.S. rocket fire hit more locations in eastern Syria. Tehran's growing entrenchment in Syria has drawn regular Israeli air strikes but American aerial raids are more rare.
March 25 (Reuters) - Iraq halted crude exports from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and northern Kirkuk fields on Saturday, an oil official told Reuters, after the country won a longstanding arbitration case against Turkey. Turkey informed Iraq that it will respect the arbitration ruling, a source said. Turkey subsequently halted the pumping of Iraqi crude from the pipeline that leads to Ceyhan, a separate document seen by Reuters showed. "A delegation from the oil ministry will travel to Turkey soon to meet energy officials to agree on new mechanism to export Iraq's northern crude oil in line with the arbitration ruling," a second oil ministry official said. Turkey would need to source more crude from Iran and Russia to make up for the loss of northern Iraqi oil, the letter said.
Two former CIA officials spoke to Insider before the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. They gave a firsthand account of the George W. Bush administration's attempts to misrepresent intelligence and assert a connection between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda. The closest they came was this alleged, and apparently nonexistent, help that Iraq gave al-Qaeda [via Atta] in bringing about the attacks. Alice: Today, people say that Bush was looking to justify the invasion of Iraq. Pretty soon it became clear that the administration was focused on this alleged meeting between Atta and Iraqi intelligence in Prague.
March 20 (Reuters) - Louis Charbonneau covered the UN weapons inspections prior to the Iraq war and later became UN bureau chief. The U.S. was threatening to use military force to rid Iraq of WMD, which the administration of President George W. Bush insisted Iraq was developing in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. Reuters colleagues Evelyn Leopold and Irwin Arieff quickly cobbled together a story on doubts about the Niger uranium intel based on what I dictated. The next morning, I reached out to UN sources for more information on the Niger uranium. The IAEA experts had concluded they weren’t useful for a nuclear weapons program.
Iraq, OPEC stress need to coordinate to stabilise prices
  + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: 1 min
CAIRO, March 19 (Reuters) - Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais stressed the need to coordinate among oil-exporting nations to ensure prices do not fluctuate and impact both exporter and consumer countries, the Iraqi government said in a statement. Iraq is one of the founding members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Reporting by Omar Abdel-Razek; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
March 19 (Reuters) - Talks between French oil major TotalEnergies(TTEF.PA) and Iraq to resolve sticking points in a long-delayed $27 billion energy deal "have reached advanced stages", Iraqi oil minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani said on Sunday. "We will activate the deal very soon," Abdel-Ghani said at an energy event. Iraq's demand for a 40% share in the project is a key sticking point while TotalEnergies wants a majority stake, sources told Reuters. "We obliged some oil companies operating in the south to cut production to come in line with OPEC+'s agreed rates," he added. Reporting by Moayed Kenany Writing by Ahmed Rasheed and Hatem Maher Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Katie Macleod has traveled to 79 countries as a digital nomad. The 28-year-old graphic designer wants to visit 100 countries before turning 30. I was in Sri Lanka when the pandemic struck, making my goal of visiting 100 countries before turning 30 a bit more of a challenge. Traveling gives me freedom and being a digital nomad means adapting your surroundings to suit you. I've also found that networking online and within digital nomad hotspots is also beneficial.
Iraq and Iran sign deal to tighten border security
  + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Ahmed Rasheed | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
[1/3] Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani looks on as Iraq's National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji and Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani sign the security agreement that includes coordination in protecting the common borders between the two countries, in Baghdad, Iraq, March 19, 2023. The joint security agreement includes coordination in "protecting the common borders between the two countries and consolidating cooperation in several security fields", a statement from the Iraqi prime minister's office said. Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani signed the deal with Iraq's National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji, in the presence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, the prime minister office said. "Under the signed security deal, Iraq pledges it would not allow armed groups to use its territory in the Iraqi Kurdish region to launch any border-crossing attacks on neighbour Iran," said an Iraqi security official who attended the signing. Iran has also accused Kurdish militants of working with its arch-enemy Israel and has often voices concern over the alleged presence of the Israeli spy agency Mossad in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdish region.
An Iraqi boy is taken away from a suspected militant, who has been accused of killing his father at the height of the sectarian slaughter in 2006-07, at the Interior Ministry in Baghdad, November 21, 2011. A total of 22 suspected militants were...moreAn Iraqi boy is taken away from a suspected militant, who has been accused of killing his father at the height of the sectarian slaughter in 2006-07, at the Interior Ministry in Baghdad, November 21, 2011. A total of 22 suspected militants were presented to the media as they awaited their trials. REUTERS/Saad ShalashClose
Saddam Hussein's yachts were once luxurious signs of the dictator's power. The 'Al Mansur,' Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's private yacht, lies at the dockside in central Basra April 10, 2003. Iraq stepped in and courts decided the "Bashrah Breeze" belonged to the government. In 2018, reports that "Bashrah Breeze" would be made into a hotel for pilots made international headlines. The 'Bashrah Breeze' superyacht owned by Saddam Hussein.
An Insider review found that his company has sold to foreign governments, including a $228 million dollar contract. What Mills didn't advertise was Pacem's munitions contracts with foreign governments. The company's chief legal officer Joseph Schmitz said all of Pacem's foreign munitions sales are approved by the Department of State. Mills's influence over American military spending while having ties to a munitions company poses the potential for conflicts of interest, an ethics watchdog said. In Congress, Mills sits on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, which oversee military spending and foreign weapons sales.
Factbox: Who has run Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion?
  + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +5 min
BAGHDAD, March 16 (Reuters) - The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was designed to pave the way for a thriving democracy but the mostly ineffective governments elected since 2003 have left many Iraqis disappointed. Sadr led an armed insurgency against the U.S. occupation of Iraq after American and international troops toppled Saddam. But the tables turned in 2003 with the U.S.-led invasion that ushered in Shi’ite dominance leaving Sunnis, vulnerable. Sunnis have been divided by clan and ideological rivalries since 2003, which Sunni voters complain makes them weak against Shi'ite rivals. Halbousi, an engineer from western Iraq, has formed good relations with Shi'ites and Kurds who helped him become speaker.
[1/5] FILE PHOTO: A U.S. soldier walks past Iraqi detainees standing behind a wired fence, at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, Iraq May 17, 2004. Arriving in the city an hour or so after the ambush on March 31, 2004, I was confronted by a crowd kicking the head of an incinerated body. I was taking notes, trying to make sense of the furore, when a boy, who was probably aged about nine, approached. HOTSPOTIn the two decades of turmoil since the invasion, Falluja repeatedly emerged as a hotspot. I saw an Iraqi douse one of the corpses with petrol, sending flames soaring into the air.
"I can’t believe that this belonged to Saddam and now I'm the one moving around it," he said. But it was targeted by U.S.-led forces, and later capsized in the Shatt al-Arab waterway as it fell into decay. In the turmoil that followed Saddam’s downfall, the yacht was stripped bare and looted, with everything from its chandeliers and furniture to parts of its metal structure removed. One of three yachts owned by Saddam, the yacht could accommodate up to 200 guests and was equipped with a helipad. U.S. officials estimated in 2003 that Saddam and his family may have amassed up to $40 billion in ill-gotten funds.
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