Morocco's Economy Grows by 2.3%

The Moroccan flag is seen in front of a destroyed building following the devastating earthquake in Marrakesh last month. (Reuters)
The Moroccan flag is seen in front of a destroyed building following the devastating earthquake in Marrakesh last month. (Reuters)
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Morocco's Economy Grows by 2.3%

The Moroccan flag is seen in front of a destroyed building following the devastating earthquake in Marrakesh last month. (Reuters)
The Moroccan flag is seen in front of a destroyed building following the devastating earthquake in Marrakesh last month. (Reuters)

Morocco's national economy grew by 2.3 percent in the second quarter of 2023, compared with 2.2 percent in the same quarter of 2022.

Driven by external demand, this growth was achieved against a backdrop of high inflation and an improvement in the national economy's financing capacity.

According to the Higher Planning Commission (HCP), the country's leading statistics institution, non-agricultural activities recorded a 2.1 percent volume increase, compared to a rise in agricultural activities by 6.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the added value of the primary sector increased in terms of volume, recording an increase of 6 percent during the second quarter of 2023.

It was due to an increase in agricultural sector activities by 6.3 percent, paired with a slower 0.5 percent growth in fishing.

Furthermore, the added value of the secondary sector recorded a 2.8 percent drop compared to 1 percent during the second quarter of last year.

The decrease is due to a decline in the added values of each extraction industry by 9.4 percent compared to a 7.5 percent decrease.

Public works and construction increased by 2.8 percent instead of a 1.8 percent decrease. Manufacturing industries saw a 2.1 percent rise compared to a 1.8 percent increase.

Electricity and water activities increased by 1.4 percent compared to a 1.5 decrease during the same period.

At the same time, the added value in the tertiary sector slowed to 4.4 percent, marked by a rise in real estate services and a slowdown in accommodation and catering.

Services such as the transport and warehousing sectors slowed by 5.3 percent, while education, health, and social services dropped by 5.1 percent.

General public administration and social security services also fell by 4.8 percent.

Other services experienced a slowdown, including research and development and business services, information and communication, financial services and insurance, and trade and repair of vehicles.

In the first quarter of 2023, the Moroccan economy recorded a rise of 3.5 percent.



BP Raises Dividend as $2.8 billion Quarterly Profit Beats Forecasts

Logo of British Petrol BP is seen e at petrol station in Pienkow, Poland, June 8, 2022. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Logo of British Petrol BP is seen e at petrol station in Pienkow, Poland, June 8, 2022. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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BP Raises Dividend as $2.8 billion Quarterly Profit Beats Forecasts

Logo of British Petrol BP is seen e at petrol station in Pienkow, Poland, June 8, 2022. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Logo of British Petrol BP is seen e at petrol station in Pienkow, Poland, June 8, 2022. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

BP (BP.L), increased its dividend and extended its share repurchasing program on Tuesday as it reported a forecast beating second-quarter profit of nearly $2.8 billion, with weak refining offset by stronger oil prices and retail earnings.

The result, which topped analysts' estimates by 9%, is likely to ease pressure on CEO Murray Auchincloss after BP fell short of profit expectations in the previous two quarters.

The 53-year-old Canadian, who took office in January, has vowed to revamp BP's operations and focus on the most profitable ones, mostly in oil and gas, Reuters reported.

In a sign of change from his predecessor Bernard Looney's strategy to grow renewables and reduce fossil fuel output, BP said it had given a green light to the development of the Kaskida oilfield in the US Gulf of Mexico, a highly complex project in deep geological formations.

The field is expected to start production in 2029 and have a capacity of 80,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd).

The company also announced it would go ahead with the development of a low-carbon hydrogen project at its Castellon refinery in Spain.

BP shares closed 0.3% down, after being up most of the day, compared with a flat performance for the broader European energy index (.SXEP).

The stock has underperformed rivals this year amid investor concern over the British company's energy transition strategy and doubts that it will meet its 2025 earnings targets.

BP is working to exceed its target to reduce annual costs by $2 billion by the end of 2026, Auchincloss said in an analyst presentation posted online. Reuters reported in June that the company had imposed a hiring freeze and suspended investments in new offshore wind projects.

"We are driving focus across the business and reducing costs, all while building momentum in our drive to 2025," Auchincloss said in a statement.