Rising Oil Prices: A Pre-Inauguration Frenzy or Market Reality?

Oil prices have been on the rise just 10 days before the inauguration of the second Trump administration.  The energy markets that thrive on speculations and sentiments usually fail to gauge the combination of the latter in order to come up with a reliable forecast in the long run; in this context, …

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Energy policies in second Trump term: a palpable sense of anxieties in the markets!

With less than 3 weeks to go before the inauguration of the second Trump administration in the US, analysts in the energy sector are eagerly looking forward to hearing what the president-elect Trump will spell out with regard to his energy policies. During the campaign, President Trump, time and aga…

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China's $411 Billion Stimulus: A Band-Aid for a Multi-Pronged Crisis?

China, facing a confluence of economic headwinds, including sluggish growth, rising youth unemployment, and a struggling property market, recently unveiled a $411 billion stimulus package. While hailed as a potential lifeline, the focus appears to be more on debt management, particularly for local …

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Steady as She Goes: Oil Prices Hold Firm Amid Syrian Skirmishes and Iran's Deepening Energy Crisis

The price of crude oil remained remarkably stable throughout the week, despite ongoing volatility in Syria and a deepening energy crisis in Iran, which holds the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves. Analysts had anticipated a modest surge in oil prices due to the swift military advancemen…

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Iran's Deepening Energy Crisis: Cold Snap Meets Economic Woes

The energy crisis in Iran is escalating, with many Iranians openly acknowledging its severity. A severe cold spell has hit the country at a particularly inopportune time for the Islamic Republic. In recent weeks, the Iranian government has implemented drastic measures in an attempt to manage the sit…

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Oil on Edge: Iran's Waning Influence and the Tenuous Peace in the Middle East

The price of crude oil slightly increased last week, perhaps due to the lingering anxieties over the handling of Syria by fractured opposition, consisting of various rebel groups. Even a minor incident in the Middle East usually affects the sentiments of both analysts and investors that in turn refl…

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Latest OPEC+ move: the insignificant impact on oil market dynamics

The OPEC+ meeting that took place on December 5, 2024, did not lead to a master plan in order to address the pressing needs of its members. Nor did it boldly declare that the measures that they adopted would achieve their most cherished goal, ‘stabilizing’ the markets, the code word of the OPEC +fo…

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The road to Damascus...

Unlike his charismatic father, the eye-doctor-turned, current Syrian leader, Bashar al Assad, has been very unfortunate, when it comes to holding his country with a rich history in the realm of civilization, together, for well over a decade. It became a playing field for numerous actors on his wa…

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OPEC+ Meeting in December: quota busting could wident the existing rifts!

The meeting of the members of the OPEC+, scheduled to be held on December 1, had been postponed at the eleventh hour, citing the participation of some members at the GCC, Gulf Corporation Council that was held on the same day in Kuwait. The next meeting, along with that of the JMMC, Joint Ministeri…

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Israel and Hezbollah Agree to Ceasefire, easing volatility in Middle East

A tense standoff between Israel and Hezbollah has concluded with a brokered ceasefire. The deal, facilitated by the US, France, and Lebanon, marks a significant de-escalation in the volatility in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under immense pressure from the US, reluctan…

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