Ministry of Energy: Saudi Arabia to Extend Voluntary Oil Cut of 1 Mln bpd for Another Month to Include August 

Saudi Arabia will extend the voluntary oil cut of one million barrels per day, which had gone into effect in July, for another month to include August.
Saudi Arabia will extend the voluntary oil cut of one million barrels per day, which had gone into effect in July, for another month to include August.
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Ministry of Energy: Saudi Arabia to Extend Voluntary Oil Cut of 1 Mln bpd for Another Month to Include August 

Saudi Arabia will extend the voluntary oil cut of one million barrels per day, which had gone into effect in July, for another month to include August.
Saudi Arabia will extend the voluntary oil cut of one million barrels per day, which had gone into effect in July, for another month to include August.

An official source from the Ministry of Energy announced that Saudi Arabia will extend the voluntary oil cut of one million barrels per day, which had gone into effect in July, for another month to include August.

The Kingdom’s production for August 2023 will be approximately 9 million barrels per day, revealed the source according to the Saudi Press Agency.

It lso noted that the cut is in addition to the voluntary cut previously announced by the Kingdom in April 2023, which extends until the end of December 2024.

The source confirmed that the latest move reinforces the precautionary efforts by OPEC+ countries to support the stability and balance of oil markets.



Gold Drops Nearly 2% on Profit-booking, Trump's Treasury Secretary Pick

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
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Gold Drops Nearly 2% on Profit-booking, Trump's Treasury Secretary Pick

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold dropped nearly 2% on Monday, weighed down by profit-taking after a five-session rally, with further pressure from the announcement of fund manager Scott Bessent as the next US Treasury secretary.
Spot gold was down 1.8% at $2,664.53 per ounce, as of 0619 GMT, after declining more than 2% earlier in the session. Bullion had hit its highest since Nov. 6 earlier in the day.
US gold futures shed 1.7% to $2,666.40.
Gold's five-session rally has paused due to some profit-taking and Donald Trump's pick of Bessent as the next US Treasury secretary, hinting at tempered use of tariffs and easing US-China trade uncertainty, said IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong.
President-elect Trump has floated the idea of a 60% tariff on Chinese goods and at least a 10% levy on all other imports.
Gold is considered a safe investment during times of economic and political uncertainty.
Investors are also awaiting minutes of the Federal Reserve's November meeting, GDP data (first revision), and core PCE figures, all due this week.
Traders currently see a 56% chance of another 25-basis-point rate cut in December, compared to 62% last week, according to the CME Fedwatch tool.
Recent less dovish signals from US policymakers suggest any unexpected rise in inflation could strengthen expectations of a rate hold in December, Rong said.
Higher interest rates tend to make gold less appealing, as they yield no interest.
Some Fed policymakers last week expressed concerns that inflation progress may have stalled, advocating for caution, while others emphasized the need for continued rate cuts.
On the geopolitical front, Hezbollah fired heavy rockets at Israel on Sunday, following an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 29 in Beirut. There were reports of damage near Tel Aviv.
Spot silver fell 2.2% to $30.63 per ounce, platinum was down 1.2% to $952.00 and palladium slipped 1% to $998.88.