Oil Inches Up on Supply Concerns and Weaker Dollar

FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks pump oil at an oil field on the shores of the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, October 5, 2017. Picture taken October 5, 2017. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks pump oil at an oil field on the shores of the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, October 5, 2017. Picture taken October 5, 2017. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor/File Photo
TT

Oil Inches Up on Supply Concerns and Weaker Dollar

FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks pump oil at an oil field on the shores of the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, October 5, 2017. Picture taken October 5, 2017. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks pump oil at an oil field on the shores of the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, October 5, 2017. Picture taken October 5, 2017. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor/File Photo

Oil prices ticked up on Tuesday on concerns about supply, with Iran set to reject a US nuclear deal proposal that would be key to easing sanctions on the major oil producer, while weakness in the dollar also supported prices.

Brent crude futures gained 21 cents, or 0.32%, to $64.84 a barrel by 0437 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 27 cents, or 0.43%, to $62.79 a barrel, after rising about 1% earlier in the session.

The oil market surged higher on Monday as rising geopolitical risks and a supply hike from OPEC+ that fell short of expectations provided a boost, said ING analysts in a note.

"The strength continued into early morning trading today," ING said on Tuesday.

Both contracts gained nearly 3% in the previous session after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, agreed to keep output increases in July at 411,000 barrels per day, which was less than some in the market had feared and the same hike as the previous two months.

"With the worst fears not panning out, investors unwound their bearish positions they had built prior to the weekend’s meeting," ANZ analysts said in a note.

Meanwhile, the dollar index, which measures its performance against six other major currencies, held near six-week lows as markets weighed the outlook for President Donald Trump's tariff policy and its potential to hurt growth and stoke inflation.

A weaker US currency makes dollar-priced commodities such as oil less expensive for holders of other currencies.

"Crude oil prices continue to rise, supported by the weakening dollar," said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova.

Geopolitical tensions also supported prices. Iran was poised to reject a US proposal to end a decades-old nuclear dispute, an Iranian diplomat said on Monday, saying it fails to address Tehran's interests or soften Washington's stance on uranium enrichment.

If nuclear talks between the US and Iran fail, it could mean continued sanctions on Iran, which would limit Iranian supply and be supportive of oil prices.

Adding to supply worries, a wildfire in the province of Alberta in Canada has prompted a temporary shutdown of some oil and gas production, which could reduce supply.

According to Reuters calculations, wildfires in Canada have affected more than 344,000 bpd of oil sands production, or about 7% of the country's overall crude oil output.



Indian Refiners Avoid Russian Oil in Push for US Trade Deal

An employee walks inside the premises of an oil refinery of Essar Oil in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo
An employee walks inside the premises of an oil refinery of Essar Oil in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo
TT

Indian Refiners Avoid Russian Oil in Push for US Trade Deal

An employee walks inside the premises of an oil refinery of Essar Oil in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo
An employee walks inside the premises of an oil refinery of Essar Oil in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo

Indian refiners are avoiding Russian oil purchases for delivery in April and are expected to stay away from such trades for longer, refining and trade sources said, a move that could help New Delhi seal a trade pact with Washington, according to Reuters.

The US and India moved closer to a trade pact on Friday, announcing a framework for a deal they hope to conclude by March that would lower tariffs and deepen economic cooperation.

Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Reliance Industries are not accepting offers from traders for Russian oil loading in March and April, said a trader who approached the refiners.

These refiners, however, had already scheduled some deliveries of Russian oil in March, refining sources said. Most other refiners have stopped buying Russian crude.

A foreign ministry spokesperson said: “Diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy” to ensure energy security for the world's most-populous nation.

Although a US-India statement on the trade framework did not mention Russian oil, President Donald Trump rescinded his 25% tariffs on Indian goods, imposed over Russian oil purchases, because, he said, New Delhi had “committed to stop directly or indirectly” importing Russian oil.

New Delhi has not announced plans to halt Russian oil imports.

India became the top buyer of discounted Russian seaborne crude after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, spurring a backlash from Western nations that had targeted Russia's energy sector with sanctions aimed at curtailing Moscow's revenue and making it harder to fund the war.

One regular Indian buyer is Russia-backed private refiner Nayara, which relies solely on Russian oil for its 400,000-barrel-per-day refinery. Sources said Nayara may be allowed to keep buying Russian oil because other crude sellers pulled back after the European Union sanctioned the refiner in July.

Nayara also does not plan to import Russian crude in April due to a month-long refinery maintenance shutdown, a source familiar with its operations said.

Nayara did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Indian refiners may change their plan and place orders for Russian oil only if advised by the government, sources said.

Trump's order said US officials would monitor and recommend reinstating the tariffs if India resumed oil procurement from Russia.

Sources said last month that India was preparing to cut Russian oil imports below 1 million bpd by March, with volumes eventually falling to 500,000–600,000 bpd, compared with an average 1.7 million bpd last year. India's Russian oil imports topped 2 million bpd in mid-2025.

The intake of Russian oil by India, the world's third-biggest oil consumer and importer, declined to its lowest level in two years in December, data from trade and industry sources show.

 


IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
TT

IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies (EME) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions.

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki, SPA reported.

The agreement aims to strengthen coordination in economic and financial policy areas, including surveillance and lending activities, data and analytical exchange, capacity building, and the provision of technical assistance, in support of regional financial and economic stability.

Both sides affirmed that the MoU represents an important step toward deepening their strategic partnership and strengthening the regional financial safety net, serving member countries and enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.


Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
TT

Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The Federation of Saudi Chambers announced the formation of the first joint Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council for its inaugural term (1447–1451 AH) and the election of Salman bin Hassan Al-Oqayel as its chairman.

Al-Oqayel said the council’s formation marks a pivotal milestone in economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, reflecting a practical approach to enabling the business sectors in both countries to capitalize on promising investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade and investment partnerships, SPA reported.

He noted that trade between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reached approximately SAR9.5 billion by the end of November 2025, including SAR8 billion in Saudi exports and SAR1.5 billion in Kuwaiti imports.