Oil Prices Rise as Gaza Deaths Complicate Ceasefire Talks

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
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Oil Prices Rise as Gaza Deaths Complicate Ceasefire Talks

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant

Oil prices rose on Friday and were set to end the week modestly higher as talks over a potential ceasefire in Gaza were further complicated by the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians waiting for an aid delivery.
Brent futures for May rose 29 cents, or 0.4%, to $82.20 a barrel by 0118 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 22 cents, or 0.3%, to $78.48, Reuters said.
WTI is on track for a 4% increase this week, while Brent is holding near last week's settlement price. Brent has hovered comfortably above the $80 mark for three weeks, with the Middle East conflict having only a modest impact on crude flows from attacks on shipping traffic in the Red Sea.
President Joe Biden said the US was checking reports of Israeli troops firing on people waiting for food aid in Gaza, saying he believed the deadly incident would complicate talks of a ceasefire. Israel has blamed the deaths on crowds surrounding the aid trucks, saying victims were trampled or run over.
Even before Thursday's incident, Israel and Hamas had said there was a big gulf between them in the talks in Qatar to hammer out details of a 40-day truce in the Gaza war. Qatari mediators have said there has been no breakthrough and the most contentious issues remain unresolved.
In other news, China's manufacturing activity in February contracted for a fifth straight month, an official factory survey showed on Friday, raising pressure on Beijing policymakers to roll out further stimulus measures as factory owners struggle for orders.
Also, the US Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, the US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, showed January inflation in line with economists' expectations, keeping a June interest rate cut on the table.
On the supply side, a Reuters survey showed the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) pumped 26.42 million barrels per day (bpd) this month, up 90,000 bpd from January. Libyan output rose month-on-month by 150,000 bpd.
A Reuters survey of 40 economists and analysts forecast an average price of $81.13 a barrel for the front-month contract this year.



Saudi Environment Ministry Launches Electronic Service for Agricultural Sector to Connect to Grid

Saudi Environment Ministry Launches Electronic Service for Agricultural Sector to Connect to Grid
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Saudi Environment Ministry Launches Electronic Service for Agricultural Sector to Connect to Grid

Saudi Environment Ministry Launches Electronic Service for Agricultural Sector to Connect to Grid

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture has launched an electronic service, as part of the Liquid Fuel Displacement Program, which aims to displace up to one million barrels of liquid fuels across the agriculture, industry and utilities sectors by 2030.
The new electronic service enables targeted farm owners to register their requests to connect their agricultural holdings to the electricity grid and reduce reliance on liquid fuel, SPA reported.
The ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy, the Saudi Electricity Regulatory Authority, the Saudi Electricity Company, and the Agricultural Development Fund, aims to reduce factors affecting the sustainability of the agricultural sector in the Kingdom, and contribute to preserving the environment, in line with the goals of the Kingdom Vision 2030.
The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture encourages targeted farm owners to register to connect to the grid through the electronic platform Naama.