By Jeffrey P. Snider The front end of the oil price complex continues to get all the attention because it seems to further the more optimistic narrative. It is the back end, however, that is most significant. The nearer maturities of the futures curve reflect more the funding environment than the fundamental view of oil and … Continue reading
Germany’s Siemens has expressed an interest in cooperating with Russia and China to produce rolling stock for the high-speed rail route from Moscow to Kazan. “We may consider a trilateral partnership. We have a joint venture with the Russian Sinara group and excellent relations with China in the area of train production. We have also … Continue reading
By Mark Esposito, Amit Kapoor, Deepti Mathur The BRICS club (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), which used to be known for its tremendous growth potential, is today in the midst of severe economic and political woes. Apart from the Federal rate increase which has contributed to the mounting debt burden for these economies; falling … Continue reading
Rising oil prices ahead of the production freeze talks in Doha added $3.7 billion to the value of Russian output, according to Bloomberg based on data from the International Energy Agency. Saudi Arabia got a $3.3 billion boost. Even the countries not involved in the talks have benefited from the freeze fuss. The US got … Continue reading
The failure of the world’s leading oil producers to reach an agreement on capping production has been aggravated by the threat of more sparring between Saudi Arabia and Iran over market share. The talks failed after Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates said they wouldn’t agree to a deal unless Iran joined in. … Continue reading
By Mark Mobius, Templeton Emerging Markets Group The Templeton Emerging Markets Group has a wide investment universe to cover—tens of thousands of companies in markets on nearly every continent! While we are bottom-up investors, it helps to have some big-picture context. Here, I outline what’s happened in the emerging markets universe in the first three months of … Continue reading
In a new economic outlook for 2016-2018, the Russian Economic Development Ministry says recession this year won’t be as significant, as previously forecast. The economy is due to return to growth in 2017, provided the oil price is above $45 a barrel. Previously, the ministry expected Russian GDP to contract 0.8 percent this year. In … Continue reading
By Ben Aris Megastar investor and notorious Russia bear Jim Rogers says Russia is one of the best places in the world to invest into. That from a man who spent 47 years rubbishing the country. Predicting that there will be serious economic problems in the next few years as the commodity cycle turns further … Continue reading
Crude prices have rebounded 50 percent since February. At the same time, since the beginning of February the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has seen the biggest liquidation of short positions on record. Short positions on US benchmark WTI crude, or in other words, bets that prices will go down, have fallen by 131,617 contracts, … Continue reading
By Jeffrey P. Snider, Alhambra Investment Partners The fundamentals for crude oil continue to be atrocious. Production remains relatively stable if slightly reduced, which is about the only factor in favor of oil prices since the February 11 low. On the other side of the ledger, you don’t hear as much about how it’s all oil … Continue reading