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☆ Chinese blockade of Taiwan would likely fail, Pentagon official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - A Chinese blockade of Taiwan would likely fail and a direct military invasion of the self-ruled island would be extremely difficult for Beijing to carry out successfully, senior Pentagon officials told Congress on Tuesday. China's military in recent years has stepped up activity around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. However, whether Xi would order taking Taiwan by force, either through military options like a blockade or an invasion is unclear. "I think it is an option but probably not a highly likely option, when you start looking at the military options - much easier to talk about a blockade than actually do a blockade," McGee told lawmakers. He added flatly: "There is absolutely nothing easy about a PLA invasion of Taiwan."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, William Burns, Xi Jinping, Xi, Ely Ratner, Ratner, General Joseph McGee, McGee, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Michael Martina, Patricia Zengerle, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Pentagon, CIA, Affairs, House Armed Services, People's Republic of China . Army, Pentagon's Joint Staff, People's Liberation Army, PLA, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, U.S, People's Republic of China, China

REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Orsted A/S FollowSept 18 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's plan to deploy 30,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind by 2030 is still possible, although not easy, the CEO of Orsted (ORSTED.CO), the world's largest offshore wind developer, said on Monday at the Climate Week NYC event in New York. The Biden administration has passed lucrative subsidies aimed at helping companies build new offshore wind power capacity to help decarbonize the power sector and revitalize domestic manufacturing. But offshore wind developers have said that certain tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden's landmark climate change law, are insufficient and are lobbying for less stringent rules around qualifying for the credits. Last week, the governors of six Northeastern states urged Biden to direct his administration to take actions to support struggling offshore wind projects. Offshore wind is crucial to the targets of Northeast states who want to move away from fossil fuel-fired electricity.

Persons: Brian Snyder, Joe Biden's, Mads Nipper, Nipper, Biden, Scott DiSavino, Nichola Groom, Shariq Khan, Mark Porter, Marguerita Choy Organizations: U.S . Coast Guard, REUTERS, Biden, Rhode, Thomson Locations: Rhode, New York, Danish, Maryland , Connecticut , Massachusetts , New Jersey , New York, U.S, Los Angeles

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The CEOs of top Saudi Arabian and U.S. oil producers Aramco (2222.SE) and Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) on Monday pushed back against forecasts that oil demand will peak, and said the transition to cleaner energy to fight climate change would require continuing investment in conventional oil and gas. Speaking at the World Petroleum Congress in Calgary, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said talk of peak oil demand had come up often before. Current demand is around 100 million bpd. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which has also dismissed the IEA peak oil estimate, is more upbeat about demand, expecting growth of 2.44 million bpd this year to 102.1 million bpd, compared with the IEA's forecast of 2.2 million bpd of growth. This year's conference theme is the energy transition.

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Prince Abdulaziz, Julia Levin, Darren Woods, Woods, Nia Williams, Rod Nickel, Christina Fincher, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Saudi Arabian, Aramco, Exxon Mobil, Monday, International Energy Agency, World Petroleum Congress, of, Petroleum, Congress, Saudi Arabia's Energy, IEA, Environmental Defence, Exxon, Thomson Locations: CALGARY, Alberta, Saudi, U.S, Calgary, Environmental Defence Canada

☆ US, UK issue Iran sanctions ahead of anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Demonstrators at a Freedom Rally for Iran, protesting in support of Iranian women and against the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, outside City Hall in Los Angeles, California, U.S., October 1, 2022. Amini, 22, died on Sept. 16 last year after being arrested for allegedly flouting the Islamic Republic's mandatory dress code. Her death sparked months of anti-government protests that marked the biggest show of opposition to Iranian authorities in years. The U.S. States and Britain, along with the European Union, have announced multiple rounds of sanctions against Iran, citing the widespread and often violent crackdown on protests after the death of Amini. The sanctions target LEF spokesperson Saeed Montazerolmehdi, multiple LEF and IRGC commanders, and Iran’s Prisons Organization chief Gholamali Mohammadi.

Persons: Bing Guan, Mahsa Amini, Antony Blinken, Saeed Montazerolmehdi, Gholamali Mohammadi, Alireza Abedinejad, Brian Nelson, Rami Ayyub, Susan Heavey, Daphne Psaledakis, Chizu Nomiyama, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Hall, REUTERS, Rights, European Union, Iran, Police, U.S . Treasury Department, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Enforcement Forces, Iran's Prisons, Iran’s Prisons Organization, Douran Software, Press, Tasnim News Agency, Terrorism, Financial Intelligence, Thomson Locations: Iran, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Britain, States, Iran’s, Canada, Australia, Fars, United States, Tehran

☆ Argentina holds interest rate steady despite inflation spike
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Jorge Otaola | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The facade of Argentina's Central Bank is pictured in the financial district of Buenos Aires, Argentina December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUENOS AIRES, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Argentina's central bank (BCRA) decided to hold the benchmark interest rate steady at 118% during their last board meeting, despite the country's inflation rate hitting an over 30-year high in August. Reuters reported the decision earlier on Thursday, with an official source saying the political cost of raising the key rate would be too high. Analysts at J.P. Morgan said on Wednesday they expect double-digit monthly inflation through to the end of 2023, by which time they expect the annual figure to hit 190%. The outcome of the uncertain Oct. 22 elections and repressed inflation created from price freezes could further exacerbate inflation, they added.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Javier Milei, Morgan, Jorge Otaola, Valentine Hilaire, Sarah Morland, Marguerita Choy, Leslie Adler, Josie Kao Organizations: Central, REUTERS, Reuters, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, J.P

☆ Lula approval stable, rejection rate ticks up, poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a press conference at a hotel after the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, September 11, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis Acquire Licensing RightsSept 14 (Reuters) - Approval of Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government remained stable in September, although his rejection rate increased, according to a poll published on Thursday. The survey by Datafolha showed positive approval of the government rose slightly to 38% of respondents from 37% in June, while negative views rose from 27% to 31%. Approval of Lula's performance as president after the first eight months of his term is higher than former President Jair Bolsonaro's, who had a 29% approval rate at the same point in 2019. The poll has a margin of error of 2.0 percentage points.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Anushree, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's, Datafolha, Jair Bolsonaro's, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Carolina, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India

☆ US raises Mexico air safety rating in boost for country's airlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view shows an area of the Felipe Angeles International airport, in Zumpango, on the outskirts of Mexico City, Mexico August 25, 2022. Mexico was downgraded by the U.S. regulator in May 2021 after the agency found the country did not meet safety standards. The downgrade was a major blow to Mexico carriers, as U.S. airlines were able to scoop up market share. Mexico overhauled its civil aviation law, but faced several hurdles and spent years in recovering the Category 1 rating. The return of Mexico to the highest aviation safety rating followed "more than two years of close work between the countries' civil aviation authorities," the FAA said in a statement.

Persons: Henry Romero, Jorge Nuno, Aeromexico, David Shepardson, Valentine Hilaire, Kylie Madry, Aurora Ellis, Richard Chang, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Felipe Angeles International, REUTERS, Rights, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Reuters, Airlines, U.S, Mexico's, Local, Thomson Locations: Zumpango, Mexico City, Mexico, U.S, Canada

Crude oil storage tanks are seen in an aerial photograph at the Cushing oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, U.S. April 21, 2020. Crude inventories (USOILC=ECI) rose by 4 million barrels in the week to Sept. 8 to 420.6 million barrels, more than double analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.9 million-barrel drop. Crude production rose 100,000 bpd to 12.9 million bpd, a peak not seen since March 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic crushed demand and production. ET (1449 GMT), while U.S. crude rose 41 cents, or 0.5%, to $89.26. Gasoline stocks (USOILG=ECI) rose 5.6 million barrels - the most since July 2022 - to 220.3 million barrels, the EIA said, far exceeding expectations for a 200,000-barrel build.Distillate stockpiles (USOILD=ECI), which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 3.9 million barrels to 122.5 million barrels, triple the forecast for a 1.3 million-barrel build.

Persons: Matt Smith, Smith, Arathy Somasekhar, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Drone, Rights, Energy Information Administration, Cushing, Net, Brent, EIA, Thomson Locations: Cushing , Oklahoma, U.S, Oklahoma, Houston

Looney's surprise resignation came after allegations of personal relationships with company colleagues surfaced recently, prompting the company to launch an investigation. That followed allegations the board investigated in May 2022 relating to personal relationships with company employees. During that review, Looney disclosed "a small number of historical relationships with colleagues prior to becoming CEO." Looney informed BP's board on Tuesday that he did not fully disclose details of all relationships, prompting his resignation. BP shares ended up 1% before the FT earlier reported his resignation after trading closed in London.

Persons: Bernard Looney, Amr Abdallah Dalsh, Murray Auchincloss, Looney, Looney's, BP's, Bob Dudley, Anirudh, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Marguerita Choy Organizations: BP, Egypt's, Petroleum, REUTERS, BP Auchincloss, Shell, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Morningstar, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Cairo, Egypt, London, New York, COVID, Russia, Ukraine, Bengaluru, Shadia

☆ Factbox: US offshore wind projects facing inflation headwinds
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

One megawatt (MW) can power about 1,000 U.S. homes but since wind is an intermittent resource - 1 MW of offshore wind can power about 500 U.S. homes, according to offshore wind developers. SOUTH FORKDenmark's Orsted (ORSTED.CO), the world's largest offshore wind power developer, is building the 132-MW project off Rhode Island and Massachusetts. COMMONWEALTH WINDThe 1,232-MW project off Massachusetts, which was formerly a part of the larger New England Wind project, is also facing potential delays. ATLANTIC SHORES OFFSHORE WIND SOUTHThe joint venture between Shell and French EDF is developing a large offshore wind park off New Jersey. MARWINMaryland's first offshore wind project is expected to start operations in 2025-2026.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Joe Biden's, GW, Lazard, Vineyard, Orsted, Eversource, NYSERDA, Norway's Equinor, Avangrid, MARWIN, Nerijus Adomaitis, Nichola Groom, Scott DiSavino, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Federal, State, White, REUTERS, U.S, U.S . Department of Energy, Reuters, Washington , D.C, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Avangrid, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Public Service Enterprise, Orsted, Eversource Energy, Rhode Island Energy, Dominion Energy, Virginia Beach, Dominion, NYSERDA, COMMONWEALTH, Shell, EDF, US, Italy's Renexia SpA, US Wind, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington ,, Spanish, Copenhagen, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode, Connecticut, Orsted, VIRGINIA, Virginia, York, Long, Montauk, Massachusetts, French, ATLANTIC, Atlantic Shores, Italy's Renexia, Maryland

A pressure gauge and valves are seen at Storengy's natural gas storage site in Saint-Illiers-la-Ville, western France, September 20, 2022. Inventories across the European Union and the United Kingdom had climbed to 1,071 terawatt hours (TWh) by Sep. 6, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe (“Aggregated gas storage inventory”, GIE, Sep. 8). The risk of storage space running out has been reduced correspondingly. Nonetheless, it will be critically important for the refill season to end earlier than usual to ensure storage space does not run out. Related columns:- Europe's record gas inventories cap prices (Aug. 8, 2023)- Europe’s gas storage is filling too fast (July 6, 2023)- Europe’s gas prices stabilise as storage additions slow (June 8, 2023)- Europe only has space for a small gas refill in 2023 (April 14, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: Christian Hartmann, John Kemp, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Gas Infrastructure, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Saint, Ville, France, United Kingdom, GIE, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Australia

☆ Analysis: Potential US government shutdown could dent investor confidence
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( David Randall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Investors might be more sensitive to a shutdown this time around, however. With only weeks to go before the deadline, the Republican-led House of Representatives has approved only one of those 12 bills. 'LESS FRIENDLY POLICY'If it occurs, the shutdown would be the fourth over the last decade and would furlough roughly three of out five federal civilian workers. The White House last month said it was working with Congress to hammer out a short-term funding measure to avoid a shutdown while longer-term spending talks continue. Analysts at Ned Davis Research said a shutdown could add to factors threatening to roil the economy into next year.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Goldman Sachs, Fitch, ”, Jamie Cox, Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, Paul Christopher, Christopher, Ned Davis, David Randall, Ira Iosebashvili, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Goldman, Social, Federal, Harris Financial Group, Caucus, House Republican, Republican, Senate, Congressional, Office, Wells, Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Democrats, Ned, Ned Davis Research, CFRA Research, Thomson Locations: Wells Fargo

[1/2] Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro gestures during a meeting with Chile's Ambassador to Venezuela Jaime Gazmuri, at Miraflores Palace, in Caracas, Venezuela August 16, 2023. Energy trade, debt repayment and new financing likely are the main focus of the Sept. 8-14 visit, officials and sources said. Beijing's decision to host Maduro coincides with a G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, which Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend. In 2020, the Maduro administration and Chinese banks again agreed to a grace period on some $19 billion of Chinese debt, according to Reuters reporting. Despite sanctions on Venezuela, China imported around 390,000 barrels per day of crude from the country between January and August this year, totalling roughly 12.9 million metric tons, data from commodities consultancy Vortexa showed.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela Jaime Gazmuri, Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Han Zheng, Wang Yi, hegemonism, Han, Pedro Tellechea, Tellechea, Xi Jinping, Maduro, Hugo Chavez's, Joe Biden's, PDVSA, CNPC, Donald Trump, Andrew Hayley, Liz Lee, Joe Cash, Vivian Seuqera, Mayela, Marianna Parraga, Christopher Cushing, Frances Kerry, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, West, Energy, China National Petroleum Corp, Venezuelan, Venezuelan Oil, Shanghai International Energy Exchange, Shanghai Petroleum, Natural Gas Exchange, South, Shanghai, Mayela Armas, Thomson Locations: Venezuela, Miraflores, Caracas, Rights BEIJING, CARACAS, China, OPEC, Beijing, Shanghai, Asia, New Delhi, Malaysia, South American, Houston

REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 7 (Reuters) - The private equity owners of EagleView Technologies are exploring a sale of the provider of aerial imagery and data analytics services that could value it at about $2 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter. EagleView generates about $300 million in revenue and 12-month earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $165 million, the sources said. In 2018, Clearlake bought a significant stake from Vista, becoming an equal owner in EagleView. Bellevue, Washington-based EagleView Technologies is a provider of software that can be used to measure rooftops with satellite images from the sky, mainly used by insurance companies to make more accurate decisions. The company is utilizing a vast library of images and its patented 3-D measurement software to provide software tools to customers in industries such as insurance, construction, government and public utilities.

Persons: Lucas Jackson, William Blair, Rothschild, EagleView, Vista, Clearlake, Milana Vinn, Marguerita Choy Organizations: New York Fire Department, FDNY, FDNY's, Center, REUTERS, EagleView Technologies, Vista Equity Partners, Clearlake, Co, Vista, Technologies, Thomson Locations: New York, EagleView, Vista, EagleView . Bellevue , Washington

☆ Brent falls below $90/bbl, pausing rally, on weaker demand outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Erwin Seba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Brent crude futures settled 68 cents, or 0.8%, lower at $89.92 a barrel, after trading between $89.46 and $90.89. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) futures finished down 67 cents, or 0.8%, at $86.67 a barrel, after trading between $86.39 and $87.74. Thursday's fall came after nine straight sessions of gains in WTI and seven straight gains in Brent. But crude imports surged 30.9%. "The wind has been taken out of the bulls' sail overnight by rising Chinese product exports last month, albeit crude oil imports rose," PVM Oil analyst Tamas Varga said.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Thursday's, Prices, Dennis Kissler, John Kilduff, Tamas Varga, Leon Li, Erwin Seba, Arathy Somasekhar, Ahmad Ghaddar, Trixie Yap, Marguerita Choy, Frances Kerry, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, HOUSTON, Brent, . West Texas, U.S, BOK, Again, Markets, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Iran, Venezuela, WTI, Brent, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Saudi, U.S, Shanghai, Houston, London, Singapore

☆ Oil slips on weak China outlook despite US stock drawdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Erwin Seba | ) 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. Prices had spiked earlier in the week after Saudi Arabia and Russia, the world's top two oil exporters, extended voluntary supply cuts to the year-end. These were on top of the April cuts agreed by several OPEC+ producers running to the end of 2024. But crude imports surged 30.9%. "The wind has been taken out of the bulls' sail overnight by rising Chinese product exports last month albeit crude oil imports rose," PVM Oil analyst Tamas Varga said.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, we've, Jim Ritterbusch, Tamas Varga, Leon Li, Ahmad Ghaddar, Trixie Yap, Marguerita Choy, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Energy, Ritterbusch, Markets, Thomson Locations: Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Iran, Venezuela, HOUSTON, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Saudi, Shanghai, London, Singapore

However, as government policies started to line up in the industry's favor in recent years, offshore wind developers unveiled a host of new project proposals, mostly off the U.S. East Coast. Many contracts for offshore wind projects have no mechanism for adjustment in the case of higher interest rates or costs. In New York, offshore wind developers also sought to boost the price of power produced at their projects. Norway's Equinor EQNR.OL and its partner BP (BP.L) are seeking a 54% increase for the power produced at three planned offshore wind farms - Empire Wind 1 and 2 and Beacon Wind. But the offshore wind industry is not fully satisfied.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Eli Rubin, Rubin, Equinor, France's, Scott DiSavino, Nerijus, Nichola Groom, Simon Webb, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Federal, State, White, REUTERS, U.S ., Dominion, EBW Analytics, Reuters, U.S . Federal Reserve, Commonwealth, BP, Nichola, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Europe, U.S . East Coast, Rhode, Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, Oslo, Culver City

☆ SLB to add $5 billion in revenue this year, sees similar growth in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SLB said it expects to add about $5 billion in revenue in 2023, compared with its previous estimate to increase revenue by 15%, which worked out to a $4.2 billion growth. It also expects to grow earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) by $1.5 billion this year. It had previously forecast adjusted EBITDA percentage growth in the mid-20s, which at its midpoint translated to $1.6 billion. "Directionally, we see the potential to repeat this by adding similar revenue and EBITDA dollar growth in 2024," Le Peuch said at a Barclays energy conference. International core revenue is projected to exceed $23 billion in 2023, representing growth in the high teens, Le Peuch added.

Persons: Olivier Le Peuch, SLB, Le Peuch, Arathy Somasekhar, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Schlumberger, Barclays, Thomson Locations: Houston , Texas, Handout, North America, Houston

☆ Polish central bank stuns with 75 bps rate cut, zloty plunges
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Anna Koper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WARSAW, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Poland's central bank cut its main interest rate by 75 basis points to 6.00% on Wednesday, in a shock decision ahead of October elections that sent the zloty currency tumbling against the euro. The National Bank of Poland (NBP) said it took the decision because it expects inflation to return to target faster than originally expected. It said that the adjustment to interest rates would be "conducive to meeting the NBP inflation target in the medium term". NBP Governor Adam Glapinski had previously signalled that a rate cut could come in September if inflation fell to single digits. "We have already said that it is too early for a rate cut, and certainly such an aggressive rate cut, when the prospects (of a slowdown) in inflation are still distant," said Piotr Bielski, director of the economic analysis department of Santander Bank Polska.

Persons: Adam Glapinski, Piotr Bielski, J.P, Morgan, Wojciech Paczos, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Anna Koper, Pawel Florkiewicz, Alan Charlish, Anna Wlodarczak, Karol Badohal, Marc Jones, Justyna Pawlak, Nick Macfie, Sharon Singleton, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Reuters, National Bank of Poland, Santander Bank Polska, Cardiff University, Justice, Thomson Locations: WARSAW, NBP, Poland, Pawel

☆ Pentagon expects to release its annual China report in mid-October
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S. October 8, 2020. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - The Pentagon expects to release its closely-watched annual report on China's military modernization and defense strategy in mid-October, although the timing could shift, a senior U.S. defense official said on Wednesday. The annual report offers a snapshot of everything from China's nuclear forces to its pressure on Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing sees as its own, and which receives sharp criticism from Beijing. Last year, the Pentagon report predicted China would likely have a stockpile of 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 if it continues with the current pace of its nuclear buildup. China's defence ministry responded by saying the U.S. was "gesticulating and absurdly guessing about the modernisation of China's nuclear forces."

Persons: Erin Scott, Ely Ratner, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Pentagon, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, Taiwan, Beijing, China

The logo of Calgary-based Enbridge, one of North America's largest energy infrastructure companies, is displayed during the LNG 2023 energy trade show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 12, 2023. Analysts, however, were surprised at the timing, the scale and impact such a deal would have on the company's already leveraged balance sheet. "I don't see how you can keep piling more issuance - debt and equity - on this company at these rates. Enbridge shares provisionally closed down 5.9% at C$45.31, while the benchmark Canadian share index was off 0.9%. "While Enbridge paid a reasonable price, high leverage and funding gap could act as overhang," Wells Fargo analysts said in a note.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Ryan Bushell, Enbridge, Greg Ebel, Morningstar, Stephen Ellis, Ellis, Wells, Alan Armstrong, Mrinalika Roy, Nia Williams, Denny Thomas, Anil D'Silva, Alexandra Hudson, Devika, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Dominion Energy, Ohio Gas, Public Service Co, Newhaven Asset Management, Management, TC Energy, Williams Companies, Barclays CEO Energy, Power Conference, Thomson Locations: Calgary, North, Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, North Carolina, North America, Newhaven, Enbridge, New York, Bengaluru

The U.S. in January granted Venezuela's PDVSA, Shell and NGC a two-year authorization to revive the project, which could boost Trinidad and Tobago's gas processing and exports. Negotiations between the trio initially had progressed little over a U.S. demand that the proposed Dragon gas project exclude cash payments to Venezuela or its state companies. "Discussions on the Dragon project involving the governments of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago and Shell are ongoing and commercially confidential," Shell told Reuters. PDVSA, Venezuela's oil ministry and Trinidad's energy ministry did not reply to requests for comment. A second could connect to Shell's Hibiscus field on Trinidad's side, allowing gas to flow to Trinidad, the people said.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Venezuela's PDVSA, Biden, PDVSA, Shell, Stuart Young, Nicolas Maduro, Keith Rowley, Trinidad's, Curtis Williams, Marianna Parraga, Timothy Gardner, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Shell, REUTERS, Rights, Tobago's National Gas Company, NGC, Reuters, Trinidad's Energy, U.S . Treasury, U.S . State Department, Trinidad's, U.S, Washington, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Trinidad, U.S, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Maduro, Guiria, Point Fortin, Houston, Washington

File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 4 (Reuters) - Venezuela's oil exports in August fell 38% from a three-year high in July as state-run oil company PDVSA struggled to keep its heavy crude upgraders in service, according to vessel monitoring data and internal company documents. Venezuela's oil exports in August dropped to about 544,000 barrels per day (bpd) from more than 877,000 bpd in July, according to LSEG Eikon vessel tracking data. China remained the main destination for most of the OPEC member's crude and fuel exports, including cargoes transshipped through Malaysia. At the Petropiar crude upgrader, operated by PDVSA and Chevron and that processes extra heavy oil, maintenance affected a vacuum distillation unit. PDVSA boosted shipments of crude, fuel oil, gasoline blend stock and gas oil to ally Cuba to some 65,000 bpd, from 53,000 bpd in July.

Persons: PDVSA, Russia's Roszarubezhneft, Marianna Parraga, Marguerita Choy Organizations: American, Chevron, U.S, PDVSA, China National Petroleum Corp, Italy's Eni, Thomson Locations: Venezuela, U.S, China, Malaysia, Cuba, Houston, Maracay

Distillate inventories, which include diesel and heating oil, were by late August about 15% below the five-year average for this time of year, according to the Energy Information Administration. "We are living barrel to barrel and there is just no room for errors in the system," Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn said. Refiners have failed to build sizable stocks ahead of the seasonal surge in demand due to tight supplies of medium and heavy crude oil grades that are distillate-rich. Seasonal overhauls could take out around 2 million bpd of the country's 18.1 million bpd refining capacity, he said. "Even with soft demand, diesel inventories are stubbornly low, and cracks have rallied in search of supply or demand-side relief before winter," the analysts said.

Persons: Bing Guan, Phil Flynn, Refiners, Bjarne Schieldrop, SEB, Robert Yawger, Shariq Khan, Laura Sanicola, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Angeles Refinery, California Air Resources Board, Energy Information Administration, Futures, Organization Petroleum Exporting, Saudi, Bank of America, Thomson Locations: Angeles, California, Carson , California, U.S, Europe, OPEC, Ukraine, Garyville , Louisiana

Sept 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve is likely done raising interest rates, traders bet on Friday after a government report showed the unemployment rate rose last month and wage growth cooled. Futures that settle to the Fed's policy rate had already priced in only a slight chance of a rate hike this month. "This report is likely to put the Fed on hold in September, and if we get more positive inflation news in September and October, the Fed is likely done, and we’ve seen the end of the rate hikes," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities. "In the labor market, some progress is being made in bringing demand and supply into better balance, but the job market is still strong,” she told a European Central Bank conference shortly after the latest jobs report. Traders currently see the Fed likely on hold through April 2024, with rate cuts to start in May.

Persons: we’ve, Peter Cardillo, Loretta Mester, Ann Saphir, Stephen Culp, Michael S, Lucia Mutikani, Alex Richardson, Andrea Ricci, Marguerita Choy Organizations: U.S . Federal, Labor Department, Employers, Spartan Capital Securities, Fed, Cleveland Fed, European Central Bank, Traders, Derby, Thomson

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