Abu Dhabi's Chimera, Partners Launch alt investor Lunate

Abu Dhabi's Chimera, Partners Launch alt investor Lunate
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Abu Dhabi's Chimera, Partners Launch alt investor Lunate

Abu Dhabi's Chimera, Partners Launch alt investor Lunate

Lunate, a newly set up Abu Dhabi-based alternative investment manager, said on Thursday it was launching with over $50 billion in assets under management (AUM) and a focus on private markets.

Lunate is led by Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Murtaza Hussain and Seif Fikry, its co-managing partners.

"The creation of Lunate follows a multi-party effort to establish an independent investment manager of scale and breadth, headquartered in Abu Dhabi and serving global markets," Lunate said in a statement.

"Lunate will invest globally through a combination of Limited Partner (LP) commitments, coinvestments and direct investments across private equity, venture capital, private credit, real assets, public equities, and public credit."

It has 150 employees and aims to expand globally and set up offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Reuters reported.

Lunate will also invest in public markets alongside its focus on the private space and will target institutional investors and family offices, it said, adding it was one of the Middle East and North Africa's largest alternative investment managers.

Chimera is part of Sheikh Tahnoun's private investment firm Royal Group, which is majority owner of the UAE's biggest listed firm, International Holding Company. Two of IHC's subsidiaries, Alpha Dhabi and Multiply Group, are the second- and third-largest listed firms on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.



Oil Gains Capped by Uncertainty over Sanctions Impact

FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
TT

Oil Gains Capped by Uncertainty over Sanctions Impact

FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo

Oil prices crept higher on Wednesday as the market focused on potential supply disruptions from sanctions on Russian tankers, though gains were tempered by a lack of clarity on their impact.

Brent crude futures rose 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $80.08 a barrel by 1250 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 26 cents, or 0.34%, at $77.76.

The latest round of US sanctions on Russian oil could disrupt Russian oil supply and distribution significantly, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its monthly oil market report on Wednesday, adding that "the full impact on the oil market and on access to Russian supply is uncertain".

A fresh round of sanctions angst seems to be supporting prices, along with the prospect of a weekly US stockpile draw, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, Reuters reported.

"Tankers carrying Russian crude seems to be struggling offloading their cargoes around the world, potentially driving some short-term tightness," he added.

The key question remains how much Russian supply will be lost in the global market and whether alternative measures can offset the , shortfall, said IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong.

OPEC, meanwhile, expects global oil demand to rise by 1.43 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2026, maintaining a similar growth rate to 2025, the producer group said on Wednesday.

The 2026 forecast aligns with OPEC's view that oil demand will keep rising for the next two decades. That is in contrast with the IEA, which expects demand to peak this decade as the world shifts to cleaner energy.

The market also found some support from a drop in US crude oil stocks last week, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute (API) figures on Tuesday.

Crude stocks fell by 2.6 million barrels last week while gasoline inventories rose by 5.4 million barrels and distillates climbed by 4.88 million barrels, API sources said.

A Reuters poll found that analysts expected US crude oil stockpiles to have fallen by about 1 million barrels in the week to Jan. 10. Stockpile data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) is due at 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT).

On Tuesday the EIA trimmed its outlook for global demand in 2025 to 104.1 million barrels per day (bpd) while expecting supply of oil and liquid fuel to average 104.4 million bpd.

It predicted that Brent crude will drop 8% to average $74 a barrel in 2025 and fall further to $66 in 2026 while WTI was projected to average $70 in 2025, dropping to $62 in 2026.