When OPEC+ takes decisions, markets move. Many analysts were surprised that OPEC+ stayed the course at last Thursday’s ministerial meetings and continued increasing output by 400,000 bpd according to its schedule.

Saudi Aramco provided a master class of what it takes to steer a large corporation and national champion through troubled waters and what it takes to come out on the other side unscathed — even stronger in terms of market access for its future incremental barrels. 

If you live in the Middle East, you may think that the Pacific Ocean is far away. Please, think again.

All’s well that ends well: After two weeks of tussle between OPEC stalwarts and long-time allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE over whether Abu Dhabi should be permitted to increase its baseline from which production cuts are calculated, a pre-Eid grand bargain was reached.

The visit by Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to Saudi Arabia was a double first. It was the first visit to the Kingdom by an Omani leader in more than a decade, and the sultan’s first foreign trip since he ascended the throne on Jan. 11 last year.