*Kirkuk exports had been halted since October 2017. *Iraq took over Kirkuk after failed Kurdish independence vote. LONDON/ BAGHDAD, Nov 16- Iraq on Friday restarted exports of Kirkuk oil, halted a year ago due to a standoff between the central government and Kurdistan's semi-autonomous region, after a new government in Baghdad agreed a tentative deal with Erbil.
WASHINGTON, Nov 16- U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley on Friday said he planned to relinquish the position next year, leaving a vacancy at the top of the panel, which is among those investigating alleged Russian political interference. In a statement, the Iowa Republican said he would instead seek to return as chair of the Senate Finance...
*OPEC could cut supply by 1.4 mln bpd to prevent glut. LONDON, Nov 16- Oil rose on Friday on expectations that OPEC and its allies would agree to cut output next month but prices were still down on the week on concerns that the global market was oversupplied. Ministers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries meet on Dec. 6 in Vienna to decide on...
*CEE units give up gains on UK politics turmoil. BUDAPEST/ WARSAW, Nov 16- Central European currencies reversed early gains on Friday as sterling and the euro retreated after a report that British lawmakers planned to bring a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May. That overshadowed speculation that Polish central bank Governor Adam Glapinski...
OSLO, Nov 15- Finland could in future receive gas from Norway via a network of pipes being planned through the Baltic countries and Poland, as part of an effort to reduce its dependency on gas imports from Russia. Helsinki and Tallinn are constructing a gas pipeline under the Gulf of Finland to Estonia, called Balticconnector and with a capacity to transport 7.2...
PRAGUE, Nov 14- The United States' message to other oil producing countries is that the world economy needs stable supplies of energy, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on Wednesday. "What is most important for the world economy... is a stable supply of energy," he told a televised news conference in Prague when asked about a potential supply cut by OPEC and allied...
*Budapest, Warsaw stocks reverse early falls. BUDAPEST/ WARSAW, Nov 14- Central European currencies eased on Wednesday as robust economic growth data from the region highlighted inflation concerns which central banks are unlikely to rush to tackle, given a contraction in Germany, the region's largest trade partner. Data from Hungary, Romania and Slovakia...
WASHINGTON, Nov 13- Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on Tuesday he supported a bill that would protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller from any politically motivated firings and would urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to allow a vote on it. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said he also supported the bill but would not...
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 JOHANNESBURG- World Bank officials to meet Zambia finance minister and government officials in the town of Livingston to discuss the economy of Africa's No. 2 copper producer, which is facing high levels of debt.. JAKARTA- Indonesia's Central Bank holds Board of Governors Meeting. ZAGREB- Croatia National Bank holds monetary policy...
BUDAPEST, Nov 13- Russia has historically used energy as a coercive weapon and that continues today, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on Tuesday during a visit to Budapest. Perry was speaking during a visit to east European countries as the administration of President Donald Trump seeks to encourage the purchase of gas from the United States or other...
The euro, the region's closely watched reference currency, held close to its lowest level since mid-2017, as Italy faced a deadline from the European Union to cut its budget deficit target. Regional currencies may face additional pressure if Italy does not cut its deficit goal and disagreements with Brussels lead to further euro weakness, traders said.
BRUSSELS, Nov 13- The United States could yet impose new sanctions to try to block construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea to the European Union, the U.S. ambassador to the EU said on Tuesday. "If that philosophy is not adopted and Nord Stream continues, then the president has many, many other tools at his disposal-- I'm not going to go...
*Currencies ease as euro falls on Italy's budget deadline. *Stocks tread water, but OTP Bank lifts Budapest index. BUDAPEST, Nov 13- Central European currencies eased on Tuesday amid dollar buying as the euro remained under pressure, with Italy facing a deadline from the European Union to cut its budget deficit target.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13 JOHANNESBURG- World Bank officials to meet Zambia finance ministers and government officials in the town of Livingston to discuss the economy of Africa's No. 2 copper producer, which is facing high levels of debt.. JAKARTA- Indonesia's Central Bank holds Board of Governors Meeting. MELBOURNE- Panel Participation by Guy Debelle, RBA Deputy...
MOSCOW, Nov 12- Russian state bank VTB on Monday challenged media to a legally-binding bet of 1 billion roubles over what it said were incorrect reports it provided a loan to finance the sale of a stake in Rosneft to Qatar's sovereign wealth fund. Citing nine sources, Reuters on Friday exclusively reported that VTB had provided around $6 billion to the Qatari fund...
MOSCOW, Nov 12- A Swiss court has issued an injunction barring the operators of the Nord Stream gas pipeline from making payments to Gazprom as part of a legal dispute between the Russian gas producer and Ukraine's Naftogaz, Gazprom said. All payments from Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG to Gazprom are to be directed to the Swiss bailiffs, Gazprom said in a...
BUDAPEST, Nov 12- The forint eased slightly on Monday as dollar buying amid worries over Britain's talks to quit the European Union weighed on Central European currencies. Investors bought the greenback versus European currencies including the euro amid doubts that Britain will be able to secure a deal on quitting the EU next year. The latest government debt...
ABU DHABI/ MOSCOW, Nov 12- Russia's Lukoil sees no need to cut crude output in 2019, CEO Vagit Alekperov said on Monday, as global producers discuss the situation in oil markets. Russia is part of a group of OPEC and non- OPEC oil-producing nations that teamed up two years ago in an effort to rebalance the market. On Monday, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said...
BUDAPEST, Nov 12- The leu bucked a dollar-driven weakening of Central European currencies on Monday after data showed Romanian inflation declined less than expected in October. They weakened because investors bought dollars amid doubts that Britain will be able to secure a deal on quitting the European Union next year. The impact in the region was muted...
The MSCI index of emerging market currencies fell 0.3 percent as the dollar built on last week's gains and hit a 16- month high, while oil prices rose by more than one percent on Monday as top exporter Saudi Arabia announced a December supply cut. "The recent rebound in oil prices is a reminder that it will become increasingly difficult for twin deficit currencies-...
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