Now what for the Opec deal?
Opec has brought global crude stocks to heel. But its job is far from over
Opec and other willing producers are engaged in a delicate balancing act and their task is not complete. The producer group seeks to remove excess inventories in the hopes of regaining more control and fostering more stability in the oil market. Yet demand growth is fluctuating by 1m barrels a day. Venezuela stands on the brink of collapse and other Opec countries could witness significant disruptions in 2018. Though market signals in the closing months of 2017 show that its task might be complete, heightened geopolitical uncertainty and a desire for price stability are likely to keep Opec at the market-management table, in some form at least, beyond March 2018. So what is Opec to do? Di
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