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☆ The world’s most powerful passports for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —In a big shakeup of a quarterly ranking of the world’s most powerful passports, an unprecedented six countries are tied in the top spot for the hottest travel documents for 2024. The United States and Canada, meanwhile, are tied in seventh place, along with Hungary, with visa-free access to 188 destinations. “The average number of destinations travelers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024,” says Kaelin. Portugal is at No.4 on the Henley Passport Index and Arton Capital's Passport Index. Arton’s Global Passport Power Rank 2024 puts the United Arab Emirates in the top spot, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 180.

Persons: Christian, Kaelin, ”, Tamas Gabor, iStockphoto, It’s, Arton Capital’s, Armand Arton, that’s, Arton Organizations: CNN, Henley & Partners, International Air Transport Association, South Korea, United, United Arab Emirates, Henley, United Nations Locations: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, London, Europe, Finland, Sweden, –, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, Greece, Malta, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Czechia, Poland, United States, Canada, Hungary, United Arab, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Palestinian, Territories, Monaco, Albania, South Korea, Czech Republic , New Zealand, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Iceland

☆ Oil prices rise on Middle East tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices gained on Friday, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepared to visit the Middle East to try and prevent the Israel-Gaza conflict from widening. The price rebound serves as "a reminder of the risk that is rooted in ever-growing tension in the Middle East," PVM analyst Tamas Varga said in a note. As the threat of the conflict expanding persists, Blinken was set to travel to the Middle East for a week of diplomacy, the State Department said. "There is still plenty of tension in the Middle East with Houthi rebels launching a sea drone in the Red Sea, a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad," ING analysts said in a report on Friday. Euro zone inflation rose in December and could continue rising in early 2024, which would ease pressure on the European Central Bank to start cutting rates.

Persons: pumpjack, Antony Blinken, Tamas Varga, Blinken, Investors Organizations: Brent, U.S, West Texas, State Department, ING, European Central Bank, Federal Locations: Bakersfield, Kern County , California, USA, Israel, Gaza, Red, U.S, Baghdad

☆ U.S. crude oil falls below $70 a barrel, closing at the lowest level since June
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-06 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. crude declined 4% on Wednesday, closing at the lowest level since late June with retail gasoline prices hitting the lowest point since January just ahead of the holiday shopping and travel season. Meanwhile, U.S. data on Wednesday sent a mixed picture on demand with crude inventories falling while gasoline stocks rose. U.S. crude inventories fell by 4.6 million barrels for the week ending Dec. 1 but gasoline inventories rose by 5.4 million barrels, according to the Energy Information Administration. Several OPEC+ members announced the voluntary cuts last week after the group failed to reach a unanimous agreement on production targets. Tamas Varga, an analyst with PVM Oil Associates, said those reassurances have "fallen to deaf ears."

Persons: Brent, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Alexander Novak, Tamas Varga Organizations: West Texas Intermediate, AAA, Hamas, Wednesday, Energy Information Administration, Saudi Energy, PVM Oil Associates Locations: Washington , DC, U.S, OPEC, Moody's, Israel, Russia, Russian

☆ Oil rises, Brent tops $80 ahead of OPEC+ meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Alex Lawler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A person puts gas in a vehicle at a gas station in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., August 11, 2022. OPEC+, comprising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, is due to hold an online ministerial meeting on Thursday to discuss production targets for 2024. The market tumbled last week when OPEC+ pushed back the original date for its meeting to iron out differences on production targets for African producers. Oil also found support from a weak dollar, an expected decline in U.S. crude inventories and the drop in Kazakh output. Four analysts polled by Reuters estimated that the latest round of weekly U.S. supply reports will show crude inventories fell by about 2 million barrels.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Tamas Varga, Alex Lawler, Sudarshan, Kim Coghill, David Goodman Organizations: REUTERS, of, Petroleum, Brent, . West Texas, Reuters, American Petroleum Institute, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, OPEC, Russia, Saudi Arabia

☆ Oil slips 2% on growing angst over delayed OPEC+ meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude slid $1.37, also about 1.4%, to $75.73 after dropping as much as 5% in the previous session. In a surprise move on Wednesday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia delayed to Nov. 30 a ministerial meeting at which they were expected to discuss oil output cuts. Angola, Congo and Nigeria are seeking to raise their 2024 supply quotas above the provisional levels agreed at the June meeting of the OPEC+ producer group. The questions over OPEC+ supply come as data showed that U.S. crude stocks jumped by 8.7 million barrels last week, much more than the 1.16 million build analysts had expected.

Persons: Angus Mordant, Helima Croft, Tamas Varga, Natalie Grover, Arathy, Andrew Hayley, Mark Potter, David Goodman, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, . U.S . West Texas, Organization of, Petroleum, Producers, Capital Markets, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Loving County , Texas, U.S, ., Russia, OPEC, Angola, Congo, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, London, Houston, Beijing

☆ Oil slips 1% on growing angst over delayed OPEC+ meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude slid 86 cents, also about 1.1%, to $76.24 after dropping as much as 5% in the previous session. In a surprise move on Wednesday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia delayed to Nov. 30 a ministerial meeting at which they were expected to discuss oil output cuts. Angola, Congo and Nigeria were seeking to raise their 2024 supply quotas above the provisional levels agreed at the June meeting of the OPEC+ producer group, analysts said. The questions over OPEC+ supply come as data showed that U.S. crude stocks jumped by 8.7 million barrels last week, much more than the 1.16 million build analysts had expected.

Persons: Angus Mordant, Helima Croft, Tamas Varga, Natalie Grover, Arathy, Andrew Hayley, Mark Potter, David Goodman Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, . U.S . West Texas, Organization of, Petroleum, Producers, Capital Markets, Thomson Locations: Loving County , Texas, U.S, ., Russia, OPEC, Angola, Congo, Nigeria, Niger, Saudi Arabia, London, Houston, Beijing

☆ U.S. crude oil tumbles below $75 a barrel after OPEC delays meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. crude prices fell about 5% Wednesday after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries delayed a pivotal meeting on production cuts that was scheduled for the weekend. There was growing anticipation among traders that OPEC and its allies, called OPEC+, might implement additional production cuts, which pushed prices higher earlier in the week. Domestic crude inventories, excluding the strategic reserve, increased by 8.7 million barrels for the week ending Nov. 17. OPEC+, for its part, has already taken 5.16 million barrels per day off the market since 2022. OPEC has blamed speculators for the recent drop in crude prices, arguing that market fundamentals are strong.

Persons: Brent, Tamas Varga, " Varga, Goldman Sachs, Varga Organizations: New Harmony Oil, Organization of Petroleum, The West Texas Intermediate, Bloomberg, OPEC, PVM Oil Associates, Energy Information Agency, Hamas Locations: U.S, Saudi, Russia, Ukraine, China, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Gaza

☆ Brent crude futures climb over 2% to gain $2
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Erwin Seba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Brent crude futures were up $2.00 to $82.61 a barrel by 9:39 a.m. CDT (1539 GMT). Oil prices have dropped by almost 20% since late September while prompt inter-month spreads for Brent and WTI slipped into contango last week. "If additional cuts are agreed, a short-term price boost is expected, but its longer-term price impact seems dubious as enforcement and adherence will be the salient issue." Investors are also keeping an eye on Russian crude oil trade after Washington imposed sanctions on three ships that have sent Sokol crude to India. The number of oil and gas rigs operated by U.S. companies rose last week, the first gain in three weeks, energy services business Baker Hughes said on Friday.

Persons: Leonhard Foeger, WTI, Tamas Varga, Sokol, Baker Hughes, Erwin Seba, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Emily Chow, David Goodman, Ed Osmond Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, . West Texas, Reuters, of, Petroleum, Moscow, IIR Energy, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, HOUSTON, Russia, Brent, Washington, India, U.S, East, Gaza, Houston

Oil prices have dropped by almost 20% since late September while prompt inter-month spreads for Brent and WTI slipped into contango last week. "In light of last week's obliteration of oil bulls, some kind of response was forthcoming from the (OPEC) producer group," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. Investors are also keeping an eye on Russian crude oil trade after Washington imposed sanctions on three ships that have sent Sokol crude to India. U.S. energy companies last week added oil and gas rigs for the first time in three weeks, energy services business Baker Hughes said on Friday. The oil and gas rig count serves as an early indicator of future output.

Persons: Leonhard Foeger, Brent, WTI, Tamas Varga, Sokol, Baker Hughes, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Emily Chow, David Goodman Organizations: REUTERS, . West Texas, Reuters, of, Petroleum, Moscow, IIR Energy, Thomson Locations: Vienna, Austria, Israel, Russia, Brent, Washington, India, U.S, East, Gaza, London

Oil pump jacks are seen at the Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas deposit in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina, January 21, 2019. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Saudi Arabia and Russia supply cuts to remain until year-endChina's refinery throughput slows from record levelsEuro zone recession fears amplified by PMI dataHOUSTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Monday after top exporters Saudi Arabia and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to extra voluntary oil supply cuts until the end of the year. Russia also announced it would continue its additional voluntary cut of 300,000 bpd from its crude oil and petroleum product exports until the end of December. Oil prices rebounded after both benchmarks lost about 6% in the week to Nov. 3. Monday's oil price gains may have been capped by an easing of crude throughput at Chinese refineries.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Dennis Kissler, Giovanni Staunovo, Tamas Varga, Robert Harvey, Florence Tan, Colleen Howe, David Goodman, Kirsten Donovan, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, PMI, HOUSTON, Brent, U.S, West Texas, BOK Financial, Reuters, Saudi, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Saudi, OPEC, China’s, China, Europe

☆ Oil up 1.5% as Saudi Arabia and Russia stick to supply cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Robert Harvey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oil pump jacks are seen at the Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas deposit in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina, January 21, 2019. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Saudi Arabia and Russia supply cuts to remain until year-endChina's refinery throughput slows from record levelsEuro zone recession fears amplified by PMI dataLONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Monday after top exporters Saudi Arabia and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to extra voluntary oil supply cuts until the end of the year. Russia also announced it would continue its additional voluntary cut of 300,000 bpd from its crude oil and petroleum product exports until the end of December. Monday's oil price gains could have been capped by an easing of crude throughput at Chinese refineries. Macroeconomic concerns persist in Europe, where Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data showed the slowdown in euro zone manufacturing accelerated in October.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Giovanni Staunovo, Tamas Varga, Robert Harvey, Florence Tan, Colleen Howe, Louise Heavens, David Goodman Organizations: REUTERS, PMI, Brent, . West Texas, Oil, Reuters, Saudi, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Russia, OPEC, China, China’s, Europe

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — People younger than 18 have been barred from visiting this year's World Press Photo exhibition in Budapest, after Hungary's right-wing populist government determined that some of its photos violate a contentious law restricting LGBTQ+ content. The prestigious global photo exhibition, on display in Hungary's National Museum in Budapest, receives more than 4 million visitors from around the world every year. Showcasing outstanding photojournalism, its mission is to bring visual coverage of a range of important events to a global audience. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesJoumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of World Press Photo, called it worrisome that a photo series “that is so positive, so inclusive,” had been targeted by Hungary’s government. “How the LGBTQ minority lives is not the biggest problem in the world,” Duro told the AP.

Persons: Hannah Reyes Morales, El Zein Khoury, ”, Khoury, Viktor Orbán, Ursula von der, ” Dora Duro, ” Duro, ” Reyes Morales, “, Tamas Revesz, Morales, ” Revesz Organizations: —, World Press, Associated Press, European Union, AP, Press Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Budapest, Philippines, Europe, Ukraine

A person puts gas in a vehicle at a gas station in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., August 11, 2022. Brent crude futures rose $1.00, or 1.1%, to $93.26 a barrel by 11:24 a.m. EDT (1524 GMT). Both front-month contracts were headed for a second weekly gain on heightened fears of the Middle East conflict spreading. "The Middle East remains a big focus of the market because of fears of a region-wide conflict that would likely involve a disruption of oil supplies," said John Kilduff, a partner at New York-based Again Capital. "Venezuelan oil production will not be a significant factor in shaping the global oil balance in the foreseeable future," Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM wrote in a note.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Brent, John Kilduff, Kilduff, Yoav Gallant, Washington's, Phil Flynn, Tamas Varga, PVM, Shariq Khan, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Sudarshan, Shri Navaratnam, Jason Neely, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, . West Texas, Israeli, Pentagon, . Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Price Futures, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Gaza, Venezuela, BENGALURU, Israel, New York, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Russia, OPEC

All three benchmarks had gained more than $1 in earlier trading, and both front-month contracts are set to record a second weekly gain as an explosion at a Gaza hospital this week and an anticipated ground invasion by Israeli troops heightened fears of the conflict spreading in the Middle East. "Signs that an Israeli ground offensive in the Gaza Strip is imminent have been pushing oil prices up significantly since yesterday. So far, however, the supply situation on the market has not changed," Commerzbank analysts wrote in a note on Friday. Oil prices are "likely to remain well supported, especially as the oil market is significantly undersupplied at present", they said. "Venezuelan oil production will not be a significant factor in shaping the global oil balance in the foreseeable future," Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM wrote in a note.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Brent, Yoav Gallant, Tamas Varga, PVM, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Sudarshan, Shri Navaratnam, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, . West Texas, Israeli, Pentagon, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, U.S . Department of Energy, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Gaza, Venezuela, Israel, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Russia, United States, Washington, OPEC, London

Both front-month contracts are set to record a second weekly gain as an explosion at a Gaza hospital this week and an anticipated ground invasion by Israeli troops heightened fears of the conflict spreading in the Middle East. "Signs that an Israeli ground offensive in the Gaza Strip is imminent have been pushing oil prices up significantly since yesterday. So far, however, the supply situation on the market has not changed," Commerzbank analysts wrote in a note on Friday. Oil prices are "likely to remain well supported, especially as the oil market is significantly undersupplied at present", they said. "Venezuelan oil production will not be a significant factor in shaping the global oil balance in the foreseeable future," Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM wrote in a note.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Brent, Yoav Gallant, Tamas Varga, PVM, Paul Carsten, Florence Tan, Sudarshan, Shri Navaratnam, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, Minister, Brent, . West Texas, Israeli, Pentagon, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, U.S . Department of Energy, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Gaza, Venezuela, Israel, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Russia, United States, Washington, OPEC, London

☆ Oil falls after Saudi pledge; investors keep wary eye on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Nicole Jao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Oil rigs are seen at Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas drilling, in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina January 21, 2019. Prices settled slightly lower on Tuesday after Saudi Arabia said it was working with regional and international partners to prevent an escalation, and reaffirmed its efforts to stabilise oil markets. Moreover, in the higher rates environment moving forward that “could put the brakes on the upside as far as crude oil,” Yawger said. Russia and Saudi Arabia met in Moscow on Wednesday, when Russian president Vladimir Putin said that OPEC+ coordination will continue "for the predictability of the oil market." Global energy consumption will likely increase through 2050 and outpace advances in energy efficiency, the U.S. EIA said in an outlook.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Brent, WTI, …, ”, Bob Yawger, ” Yawger, Tamas Varga, Magid Shenouda, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Janet Yellen, Nicole Jao, Robert Harvey, Laura Sanicola, Muyu Xu, Sharon Singleton, John Stonestreet Organizations: REUTERS, Saudi, . Federal Reserve, . West Texas, . Energy Information Administration, Mizuho, Exxon Mobil, Natural Resources, Organization of, Petroleum, U.S, U.S . Federal, Treasury, EIA, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Gaza, Moscow, Brent, Israel, Palestinian, Russia, OPEC, U.S ., U.S, Europe, New York

A strong dollar typically weighs on oil prices as it makes the commodity more expensive for holders of other currencies, dampening demand for crude. Oil prices in September hit 10-month highs as Saudi Arabia and Russia cut a combined 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of supply until the end of the year. Oil prices are currently high in part in response to the OPEC+ cuts. This supply shock is expected to dampen consumer purchasing power, weigh on economic growth and eventually depress oil demand, JP Morgan analysts said. And given high interest rates in key Western economies, the combination of relatively high oil prices and the strong dollar cannot last for a long time, said Saxobank analyst Ole Hansen.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Brent, Colin Asher, Francesco Pesole, Morgan, Ole Hansen, Tamas Varga, PVM, Simon Webb, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, U.S ., Reuters Graphics Reuters, U.S, Mizuho, U.S . Federal Reserve, ING, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, OPEC, Russia, Israel, Palestinian

☆ Oil prices jump as Middle East turmoil roils markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oil rigs are seen at Vaca Muerta shale oil and gas drilling, in the Patagonian province of Neuquen, Argentina January 21, 2019. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices surged more than 3% on Monday as military clashes between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas ignited fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East. While the underlying supply-demand balance is unaffected, said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM, "any rise in tension in the Middle East usually leads to an increase in oil prices and it is no different this time around". "If the conflict envelopes Iran... up to 3% of global oil supply is at risk. And if a wider conflict eventuates that ends up impacting transit through the Strait of Hormuz, around 20% of global oil supply could be held hostage," energy analyst Saul Kavonic told Reuters.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Brent, WTI, Tamas Varga, Saul Kavonic, Natalie Grover, Andrew Hayley, Emily Chow, Miral Fahmy, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, West Texas, Saturday, Israel, White, Citi, Reuters, International Energy Agency, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Washington, Riyadh, Saudi, Moscow, Iran, Hormuz, London, Beijing, Singapore

☆ Ukrainian captain says 'deeply sorry' about Budapest boat accident that killed 27
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] The Mermaid, a Hungarian boat which sank in the Danube river near Margaret bridge, is moved away during a salvage operation in Budapest, Hungary, June 11, 2019. REUTERS/Tamas Kaszas/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUDAPEST, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian captain of a Swiss cruise liner told a Hungarian court on Tuesday that he was "deeply sorry" about a 2019 accident in which his boat hit and sank a much smaller boat on the Danube, killing 25 South Korean tourists and its two crew. The court is expected to deliver a sentence later on Tuesday. The smaller tourist boat Mermaid, with 35 people on board, sank under a bridge during heavy rain. Reporting by Boldizsar Gyori; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tamas Kaszas, Boldizsar Gyori, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, South, Thomson Locations: Hungarian, Margaret, Budapest, Hungary, Ukrainian, Swiss

☆ Ukrainian captain sentenced to 5 years over deadly Budapest boat accident
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The Mermaid, a Hungarian boat which sank in the Danube river near Margaret bridge, is moved away during a salvage operation in Budapest, Hungary, June 11, 2019. REUTERS/Tamas Kaszas/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUDAPEST, Sept 25 (Reuters) - A Ukrainian captain of a cruise liner was sentenced to five years in prison in Hungary on Tuesday for his role in a 2019 accident in which his boat hit and sank a smaller boat on the River Danube, killing 25 South Korean tourists and two crew. The Mermaid's captain and its crew member also died and one Korean is still unaccounted for. The Ukrainian man, who has been in custody since 2019, told the court that he was "deeply sorry" about the tragedy. The captain was acquitted by the court on the charge of failing to provide help.

Persons: Tamas Kaszas, Yuriy, Leona Nemeth, Boldizsar Gyori, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, South, Thomson Locations: Hungarian, Margaret, Budapest, Hungary, Ukrainian

Retail fuel prices in the U.S. and Europe have risen to multi-month highs as crude prices have rallied. "If energy prices increase and stay high, that'll have an effect on spending, and it may have an effect on consumer expectations for inflation, things like that. High interest rates are already curbing demand across Western economies, including for oil. The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday pressed pause on interest rates, but did not rule out one more hike this year. President Joe Biden has already promised to cut prices, though has not said how, and in the short term the impact of autumn refinery maintenance on supplies could keep prices high.

Persons: Mike Segar, Brent, Jerome Powell, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, PVM's Tamas Varga, I'm, Craig Erlam, Ajay Parmar, Joe Biden, Gordon Balmer, Natalie Grover, Robert Harvey, Mark John, Balazs Koranyi, Dan Burns, Simon Webb, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Exxon, REUTERS, . West Texas Intermediate, Reuters, Retail, Federal, International Energy Agency, Organization of, Petroleum, U.S . Federal Reserve, HSBC, Energy Information Administration, U.S, Diesel, Energy, Petrol Retailers, Thomson Locations: Edgewater , New Jersey, U.S, OPEC, Europe, Brazil, Guyana, United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Britain, France, London, Frankfurt, New York

An aerial view shows oil tanks of Transneft oil pipeline operator at the crude oil terminal Kozmino on the shore of Nakhodka Bay near the port city of Nakhodka, Russia June 13, 2022. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) climbed 36 cents, or 0.4%, to $90.02. The Fed on Wednesday maintained interest rates, but stiffened its hawkish stance, projecting a quarter-percentage-point increase to 5.50-5.75% by year-end. "The Fed stance and a strong labor market has driven equities and commodities lower, pressuring oil," said Kilduff. Oil prices remained supported by concern about tight supply globally entering the fourth quarter.

Persons: Tatiana Meel, Brent, refiners, Tamas Varga, Vargas, John Kilduff, Paul Carsten, Natalie Grover, Laura Sanicola, Trixie Yap, Sonali Paul, Jane Merriman, Alexandra Hudson, David Gregorio Our Organizations: . West Texas, . Federal, Fed, U.S ., U.S . Labor Department, Bank of England, Organization of, Petroleum, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka, Russia, Russian, ., New York, Norway's, Cushing, London

☆ Oil falls ahead of Fed rate decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Robert Harvey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Federal Reserve interest rate decision due at 1800 GMTLONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Wednesday ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, with investors uncertain when peak rates will be hit and how much of an impact it will have on energy demand. Investors are awaiting the Fed's interest rate decision at 1800 GMT on Wednesday to assess the outlook for economic growth and fuel demand. The Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold, but the focus will be on its projected policy path, which is unclear. Prices fell despite U.S. crude oil stockpiles falling last week by about 5.25 million barrels, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Goldman Sachs said it expects the Bank of England to keep interest rates unchanged on Thursday as a result of the fall.

Persons: Pedro Nunes, Edward Moya, Tamas Varga, Brent, Goldman Sachs, Robert Harvey, Yuka Obayashi, Emily Chow, Kim Coghill, Jason Neely, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Brent, . U.S . West Texas, American Petroleum Institute, bbl, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, U.S . Federal, U.S, ., London, Tokyo, Singapore

Chevron Chief Executive Mike Wirth also said he thinks oil will cross $100 per barrel in a Bloomberg News interview. Saudi Arabia and Russia this month extended a combined 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of supply cuts to the end of the year. Saudi Arabia's energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Monday defended OPEC+ cuts to oil market supply, saying international energy markets need light-handed regulation to limit volatility. China, considered the engine of oil demand growth, is a key risk because of its sluggish post-pandemic economic recovery, though its oil imports have remained robust. "The high-for-longer mantra would ultimately have a negative impact on economic growth and would affect oil demand."

Persons: Tatiana Meel, Brent, WTI, Fiona Cincotta, Mike Wirth, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Callum Macpherson, Tamas Varga, PVM's Varga, Arathy Somasekhar, Natalie Grover, Florence Tan, Sudarshan, David Goodman, Timothy Gardner Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Citi, Monday, Chevron, Bloomberg, ANZ, XM, U.S . Federal, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, China, Saudi, Investec, Europe, Houston, London, Singapore

☆ Oil prices continue to rally on tight supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oil tankers sail along Nakhodka Bay near the port city of Nakhodka, Russia August 12, 2022. China, considered the engine of oil demand growth, remains possibly the biggest risk because of its sluggish post-pandemic economic recovery. "Lack of protracted progress, nonetheless, will be viewed as a major setback on the demand side," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. "The high-for-longer mantra would ultimately have a negative impact on economic growth and would affect oil demand." "The question is, will the Saudis continue to maintain the deficit given the risk that higher prices must surely, at some point, stimulate US shale (oil output)," Investec analyst Callum Macpherson said.

Persons: Tatiana Meel, Brent, WTI, Tamas Varga, PVM's Varga, Callum Macpherson, Natalie Grover, Florence Tan, Sudarshan, David Goodman Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, West Texas, XM, U.S . Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Europe, China, London, Singapore

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