Morocco: External Debt Exceeds $35.3b

A Moroccan woman counts change at a vegetable market in Casablanca. (Reuters)
A Moroccan woman counts change at a vegetable market in Casablanca. (Reuters)
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Morocco: External Debt Exceeds $35.3b

A Moroccan woman counts change at a vegetable market in Casablanca. (Reuters)
A Moroccan woman counts change at a vegetable market in Casablanca. (Reuters)

Morocco’s external debt reached MD337.84 billion (USD35.3 billion) at the end of June, registering an increase of around 3.4 percent compared to the beginning of the year.

The distribution of this debt by hard currency shows the continued dominance of the euro despite the decline in its share during the past five years for the benefit of the American dollar.

The total indebtedness in Euro reached 60.2 percent end of June, followed by the American dollar with 28.4 percent then Japanese yen with 3.6 percent.

The dollar share saw a continuous rise in the past five years, from 17.9 percent in 2014 to 28.4 percent currently. However, the euro share has been on the opposite track, dropping from 68.8 percent in 2014 to 60.2 percent today.

According to the credit parties, the share of the IMF and commercial banks reached 23.9 percent. Remarkably, it hiked by 4.82 percent compared to the beginning of the year.

The funding received by Morocco from multilateral international institutions represents the lion’s share in the external debt (49.5 percent). Debt from bilateral sources totaled 26.6 percent.

Further, Morocco’s external debt distribution based on the borrowing parties shows that the government’s treasury registered 45.8 percent of this debt at the end of June, while the public institutions reached 53.5 percent.

However the share of other parties such as municipalities and banks registered 0.7 percent of the total external debt.



Oil Prices Set to End Week over 3% Lower as Supply Risks Ease

FILE PHOTO: An oil and gas industry worker walks during operations of a drilling rig at Zhetybay field in the Mangystau region, Kazakhstan, November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Turar Kazangapov/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil and gas industry worker walks during operations of a drilling rig at Zhetybay field in the Mangystau region, Kazakhstan, November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Turar Kazangapov/File Photo
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Oil Prices Set to End Week over 3% Lower as Supply Risks Ease

FILE PHOTO: An oil and gas industry worker walks during operations of a drilling rig at Zhetybay field in the Mangystau region, Kazakhstan, November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Turar Kazangapov/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil and gas industry worker walks during operations of a drilling rig at Zhetybay field in the Mangystau region, Kazakhstan, November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Turar Kazangapov/File Photo

Oil prices fell on Friday, heading for a weekly drop of more than 3%, as concerns over supply risks from the Israel-Hezbollah conflict eased, alleviating earlier disruption fears.
Brent crude futures fell 55 cents, or 0.8%, to $72.73 a barrel by 0758 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $69.52, down 20 cents, or 0.3%, compared with Wednesday's closing price.
On a weekly basis, Brent futures were down 3.3% and the U.S. WTI benchmark was trading 3.8% lower.
Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah traded accusations on Thursday over alleged violations of their ceasefire that came into effect the day before. The deal had at first appeared to alleviate the potential for supply disruption from a broader conflict that had led to a risk premium for oil.
Oil supplies from the Middle East, though, have been largely unaffected during Israel's parallel conflicts with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
OPEC+, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, delayed its next policy meeting to Dec. 5 from Dec. 1 to avoid a scheduling conflict. OPEC+ is expected to further extend its production cuts at the meeting.
BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, downgraded its Brent price forecast on Friday to $76/bbl in 2025 from $78/bbl previously, citing a "bearish fundamental outlook, ongoing weakness in oil market sentiment and the downside pressure on prices we expect to accrue under Trump."
"Although we expect the OPEC+ group will opt to roll-over the existing cuts into the new year, this will not be sufficient to fully erase the production glut we forecast for next year," BMI analysts said in a note.
Also on Thursday, Russia struck Ukrainian energy facilities for the second time this month. ANZ analysts said the attack risked retaliation that could affect Russian oil supply.
Iran told a UN nuclear watchdog it would install more than 6,000 additional uranium-enriching centrifuges at its enrichment plants, a confidential report by the watchdog said on Thursday.
Analysts at Goldman Sachs have said Iranian supply could drop by as much as 1 million barrels per day in the first half of next year if Western powers tighten sanctions enforcement on its crude oil output.