Oil Prices Soar After Saudi Arabia and Russia Agree to Prolong Production Cuts
Video Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories - Duration: 01:31s - Published
Oil Prices Soar After Saudi Arabia and Russia Agree to Prolong Production Cuts
Oil Prices Soar After, Saudi Arabia and Russia , Agree to Prolong Production Cuts.
On September 5, oil prices soared over
1.3% to reach their highest levels in 10 months.
.
On September 5, oil prices soared over
1.3% to reach their highest levels in 10 months.
.
Insider reports that Brent crude,
an international benchmark, broke $90 a barrel
for the first time since November of 2022.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil also reached
a 10-month high, trading at around $87 a barrel.
.
The price jump came after Saudi Press Agency
announced that Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed
to prolong production cuts until December.
The price jump came after Saudi Press Agency
announced that Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed
to prolong production cuts until December.
Insider reports that the move was more aggressive
than traders had expected, holding output
at roughly 9 million barrels a day, the lowest in years.
.
This voluntary cut decision
will be reviewed monthly to
consider deepening the cut
or increasing production, Saudi Press Agency statement, via 'Bloomberg'.
Supply cuts were first introduced in July, and
experts had predicted one additional month of cuts,
not the three that were announced on September 5.
With the production cut extended,
we anticipate a market deficit of
more than 1.5 million bpd in 4Q23, UBS strategist, note to clients, via CNBC.
So, with oil inventories set to fall
further over the coming months,
we expect Brent to rise to
$95/bbl (barrel) by year-end, UBS strategist, note to clients, via CNBC.
Brent futures have climbed more
than 25% since the end of June
when Riyadh made its first voluntary cuts
Walgreens Plans , ‘Significant’ Store Closures.
On June 27, Walgreens announced quarterly earnings
that were poorer than expected, NBC News reports.
The company's stock fell 15% in pre-market trading.
CEO Tim Wentworth issued a press release.
We continue to face a difficult operating
environment, including persistent
pressures on the U.S. consumer and the
impact of recent marketplace dynamics
which have eroded pharmacy margins, Tim Wentworth, Walgreens CEO, via press release.
Our results and outlook
reflect these headwinds, Tim Wentworth, Walgreens CEO, via press release.
Wentworth elaborated in an interview with CNBC.
The consumer is absolutely stunned by
the absolute prices of things, and the
fact that some of them may not be
inflating doesn’t actually change their
resistance to the current pricing, Tim Wentworth, Walgreens CEO, via CNBC.
On a call with analysts, Wentworth said that Walgreens' strategy will have to "include the closure of a significant portion of these underperforming stores.".
75% of our stores drive 100% of our
profitability today. What that means is
the others we take a hard look at, we are
going to finalize a number that we will close, Tim Wentworth, Walgreens CEO, via call with analysts.
The pharmacy chain currently
operates about 8,600 stores
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
US Water System May Be , Vulnerable to Cyberattack, by China, Russia and Iran.
CNBC reports that the United States
water system has been the target of a series
of cyberattacks over the past few years. .
In response, the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) has been forced to issue an alert warning
that 70% of water systems do not comply
with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
According to the EPA, some have “alarming
cybersecurity vulnerabilities,” including
unchanged default passwords and former
employees who retain access to vital systems.
In February, the FBI issued a warning to
Congress that Chinese hackers have embedded
themselves into the U.S. cyber infrastructure. .
Those hackers have targeted water treatment
plants, the electrical grid, transportation
systems and other vital infrastructure.
Those hackers have targeted water treatment
plants, the electrical grid, transportation
systems and other vital infrastructure.
Water is among
the least mature
in terms of security, Adam Isles, head of cybersecurity
practice for Chertoff Group, via CNBC.
Stuart Madnick, an MIT professor of engineering
systems and co-founder of Cybersecurity at
MIT Sloan, warns that an attack that shuts off
water to the population is the main concern.
We have demonstrated in our
lab how operations, such as
a water plant, could be shut
down not just for hours or
days, but for weeks, Adam Isles, head of cybersecurity
practice for Chertoff Group, via CNBC.
Recently, EPA Administrator Michael Regan and
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan sent a letter
to governors stressing the urgency of the threat. .
Recently, EPA Administrator Michael Regan and
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan sent a letter
to governors stressing the urgency of the threat. .
CNBC reports that budgets, outdated
infrastructure and an overall reluctance to take
action may prevent necessary fixes from
being made before a serious attack.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
European Union Announces , Higher Tariffs on Chinese EVs.
On June 12, the EU said it will
impose higher tariffs on imports of
Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), CNBC reports. .
The increase in tariffs is the result of a
probe launched by the EU in October.
According to the EU, the Chinese imports benefit "heavily from unfair subsidies" and threaten "economic injury" to European EV producers.
The influx of subsidized Chinese imports
at artificially low prices therefore
presents a threat of clearly foreseeable
and imminent injury to EU industry, European Commission, via statement.
A 38.1% tariff will be imposed on battery electric vehicle producers who refused to cooperate with the bloc's investigation.
A 21% tariff will be implemented for carmakers in China who complied
but have yet to be "sampled.".
On June 11, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce called the higher
tariffs a "protectionist act.".
The findings disclosed in the EU
ruling lack factual and legal basis, Spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, via statement.
This is a naked protectionist act,
creating and escalating trade
frictions, and 'destroying fair
competition' in the name of
'maintaining fair competition.' , Spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, via statement.
This move by the EU not only damages the
legitimate rights and interests of China’s
electric vehicle industry, but will also disrupt
and distort the global automotive industry
chain supply chain, including the EU, Spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, via statement
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Elon Musk Drops Lawsuit , Against OpenAI.
In February of this year, Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and two of its co-founders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
In February of this year, Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and two of its co-founders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
In February of this year, Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and two of its co-founders, Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
The suit alleged that OpenAI initially worked
to develop artificial general intelligence
"for the benefit of humanity" but later strayed
from that goal to become a for-profit entity. .
Musk, who had a hand in launching
OpenAI, was suing "for breach of contract
and fiduciary duty," CNBC reports.
In March, experts told CNBC that the suit had a murky legal foundation because there was no formal written agreement signed by each party.
On June 11, Musk dropped the lawsuit.
It was dismissed without prejudice.
His decision to drop the lawsuit comes
one day after he threatened Apple over
its new partnership with OpenAI.
His decision to drop the lawsuit comes
one day after he threatened Apple over
its new partnership with OpenAI.
He called the partnership "an unacceptable security violation" since Apple has
"no clue what's actually going on.".
It’s patently absurd that Apple isn’t
smart enough to make their own
AI, yet is somehow capable of
ensuring that OpenAI will protect
your security & privacy!, Elon Musk, via X.
Musk went on to say that if Apple
"integrates OpenAI at the OS level," the company's devices will be banned at his businesses.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Apple Is Reportedly Building , a Dedicated Passwords App.
On June 6, Mark Gurman from 'Bloomberg' reported that Apple intends to build next-gen iPhones and Macs with a built-in password management app.
On June 6, Mark Gurman from 'Bloomberg' reported that Apple intends to build next-gen iPhones and Macs with a built-in password management app.
The new app will be called Passwords, Engadget reports.
The app will be revealed at the
Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
While Apple already offers password
services via the iCloud Keychain.
it can be tedious to find
or change passwords with it.
A dedicated passwords app would make the whole process easier and likely encourage some people to stick with Apple.
Similarly to subscription password managers 1Password and LastPass, Apple's app will
split passwords into categories.
Similarly to subscription password managers 1Password and LastPass, Apple's app will
split passwords into categories.
Such categories include "accounts, WiFi networks and Passkeys," CNBC reports. .
Users will be able to
import passwords from other apps.
Two-factor verification codes
will also be supported.
It's not clear if Passwords will let you
store files and images as its rivals do.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
European Central Bank , Cuts Interest Rates.
The action was confirmed on June 6 at
the central bank's meeting, CNBC reports. .
The European Central Bank's (ECB) key
rate will go from 4% down to 3.75%.
The ECB Governing Council issued a statement.
Based on an updated assessment of
the inflation outlook, the dynamics of
underlying inflation and the strength
of monetary policy transmission, , ECB Governing Council, via statement.
... it is now appropriate to
moderate the degree of monetary
policy restriction after nine months
of holding rates steady, ECB Governing Council, via statement.
This is the first time that interest rates
have been cut since September 2019. .
Updated macroeconomic projections indicate that 2024's "annual average headline inflation outlook" has been increased from 2.3% to 2.5%, CNBC reports.
For 2025, it was raised from 2% to 2.2%.
The projection for 2026 stayed at 1.9%.
The ECB's next meeting is in July, where another rate cut is unlikely, experts say.
The slight upgrade to the inflation forecast
was to be expected, inflation has been printing
a little bit hotter than markets were expecting,
but in terms of the timing of the next cut
I’d still be looking to September, Dean Turner, chief euro zone economist at
UBS Global Wealth Management, to CNBC.
Canada also cut interest rates on June 5, while Sweden and Switzerland cut rates earlier this year.
Canada also cut interest rates on June 5, while Sweden and Switzerland cut rates earlier this year.
Canada also cut interest rates on June 5, while Sweden and Switzerland cut rates earlier this year.
The U.S. Federal Reserve continues
to battle America's rate of inflation.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
The Group of Seven “likely” abandoned the US plan to expropriate Russia’s frozen central bank assets due to a “veiled threat” from Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg has reported. The US and UK had been pushing for outright seizure of around $280 billion in Russian sovereign funds, which the West had frozen in 2022 citing the Ukraine conflict. The EU, where most of the immobilised assets are held, was reluctant to see the euro endangered by the possible backlash.
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