Saudi Arabia to Increase Oil Output in July to Record Rate

An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
TT

Saudi Arabia to Increase Oil Output in July to Record Rate

An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo

State oil company Saudi Aramco is aiming to boost production next month to about 10.8 million barrels a day, the people said, asking not be named discussing confidential information. That would surpass the previous high of 10.72 million barrels a day in November 2016.

OPEC and other producers, Russia in the lead, stroke a deal on Saturday to increase the output after being urged by consuming states, including US, to increase product. Saudi Arabia said that the agreement will result in an increase of around one million barrel per day, or 1 percent of the global crude supplies.

It seems clear that Riyadh has been preparing for raising the output in the beginning of this month, based on what has been stated by Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih in Vienna on Saturday when he said that Aramco received instructions to get ready to raise output.

Despite the deal, the US seems unsatisfied with the raise in which United States Secretary of Energy Richard Perry notified journalists on Monday that he sees the reached deal by OPEC and oil producing states in the beginning of the week might not be sufficient to alleviate pressures on the global oil markets resulting from supplies obstacles.

Perry stated that this deal might be a bit less than what the market needs.

The lion's share of the oil production increases agreed to by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC oil producers will come from Saudi Arabia and its exports likely will be biased toward light crude, Energy Aspects said in a note on Monday.

Saudi Arabia and Russia to compensate for any additional future supply declines elsewhere, adding up to another 400,000 bpd.

Saudi Arabia's production is expected to average about 10.5 million bpd in Q3, with some months possibly averaging close to record highs above 10.6 million bpd.



World Bank Raises China's GDP Forecast for 2024, 2025

World Bank Raises China's GDP Forecast for 2024, 2025
TT

World Bank Raises China's GDP Forecast for 2024, 2025

World Bank Raises China's GDP Forecast for 2024, 2025

The World Bank raised on Thursday its forecast for China's economic growth in 2024 and 2025, but warned that subdued household and business confidence, along with headwinds in the property sector, would keep weighing it down next year.
The world's second-biggest economy has struggled this year, mainly due to a property crisis and tepid domestic demand. An expected hike in US tariffs on its goods when US President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January may also hit growth.
"Addressing challenges in the property sector, strengthening social safety nets, and improving local government finances will be essential to unlocking a sustained recovery," Mara Warwick, the World Bank's country director for China, said.
"It is important to balance short-term support to growth with long-term structural reforms," she added in a statement.
Thanks to the effect of recent policy easing and near-term export strength, the World Bank sees China's gross domestic product growth at 4.9% this year, up from its June forecast of 4.8%.
Beijing set a growth target of "around 5%" this year, a goal it says it is confident of achieving.
Although growth for 2025 is also expected to fall to 4.5%, that is still higher than the World Bank's earlier forecast of 4.1%.
Slower household income growth and the negative wealth effect from lower home prices are expected to weigh on consumption into 2025, the Bank added.
To revive growth, Chinese authorities have agreed to issue a record 3 trillion yuan ($411 billion) in special treasury bonds next year, Reuters reported this week.
The figures will not be officially unveiled until the annual meeting of China's parliament, the National People's Congress, in March 2025, and could still change before then.
While the housing regulator will continue efforts to stem further declines in China's real estate market next year, the World Bank said a turnaround in the sector was not anticipated until late 2025.
China's middle class has expanded significantly since the 2010s, encompassing 32% of the population in 2021, but World Bank estimates suggest about 55% remain "economically insecure", underscoring the need to generate opportunities.