Volatile market conditions
Saudi Arabia wants Opec to keep cutting, despite the steady tightening of the market. It's a risky strategy
Get ready for the oil-market rollercoaster of 2018. Having paused for breath near $70 a barrel, the oil price now seeks direction—but the arrows point different ways. Eighty-buck Brent now looks distinctly plausible. But so, if less compellingly, does $40. The market is at a crux. Every bullish cylinder is now firing at once. The global economy is roaring ahead. Oil demand is surging. Geopolitical tensions are building. Crude and products inventories are shrinking. Speculators are hoovering up paper barrels. Opec is jawboning. Even the weather in big consumer countries has been cooler than normal. Lingering in the background are two potentially bearish forces: a big supply reaction, especial
Also in this section
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic
