Every cycle produces its own comforting myth, for 2026, that is the “inevitable oil glut.” The reasoning behind that is mainly that crude oil producers are pumping more, Iran is still exporting despite sanctions pressure, and the market expects OPEC+ to edge toward output hikes. The current story in the market still is that surplus is building and prices must eventually fall. When, however, looking at the physical market, the latter is bluntly refusing the script. There are no real signs, at least for a longer period, that the tanks…

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has unveiled a critical minerals agreement with Kazakhstan on Thursday as Western governments move to shift supply chains away from China, moving ahead on London's plans to diversify its critical mineral sourcing. This after the British government in its Critical Mineral Strategy published last year identified Kazakhstan as producing 22 of the 36 minerals identified in the report as vital and needed by Britain. Britain's top diplomat is hosting foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,…

Germany plans to abolish fixed feed-in tariffs for small rooftop solar installations as of 2027, saying that falling costs have made the technology economically sound without subsidies, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing a draft proposal for reforms it has seen. At present, rooftop solar installations of any kind are eligible for guaranteed tariffs. This could change in a few months, if the government approves the proposal of the German economy ministry to have subsidies abolished for projects of less than 25 kilowatts. The ministry argues that…

The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States fell this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday, bringing the total rig count in the US to 550 this week, down 43 from this same time last year. The number of active oil rigs fell to 407 during the latest reporting period, according to the data. This is 79 below this same time last year. The number of gas gained one, reaching 134, which is 32 more than this time last year. The miscellaneous rig count stayed the same at 9. The latest EIA data…

As U.S.-Iran tensions climb and talk of a potential strike refuses to fade, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are already behaving as if an oil supply disruption is a matter of when, not if. If they move more crude now, there is a chance there will be calm markets later. Abu Dhabi is set to export additional volumes of its flagship Murban crude in April, trade sources told Reuters on Friday. ADNOC has reportedly offered extra barrels to partners in its onshore concession, where companies including BP, TotalEnergies, CNPC, Inpex, Zhenhua Oil, and GS Energy…

As U.S.-Iran tensions climb and talk of a potential strike refuses to fade, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are already behaving as if an oil supply disruption is a matter of when, not if. If they move more crude now, there is a chance there will be calm markets later. Abu Dhabi is set to export additional volumes of its flagship Murban crude in April, trade sources told Reuters on Friday. ADNOC has reportedly offered extra barrels to partners in its onshore concession, where companies including BP, TotalEnergies, CNPC, Inpex, Zhenhua Oil, and GS Energy…

Central Asian states increasingly acknowledge a need to change the way they manage their rapidly dwindling water resources. But while all involved acknowledge that the current management framework is inadequate, Central Asian leaders are having trouble finding consensus on what needs to be done to match existing resources with economic development ambitions. Over the past year, Central Asian states have rolled out water-intensive economic development blueprints, outlining plans for the construction of nuclear power plants, data centers, IT hubs,…

Russia’s oil exports were essentially flat in 2025 compared to a year earlier, with most supplies – a massive 80% -- going to China and India, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday.  Last year, Russian oil exports were about 238 million tons, or around 4.8 million barrels per day (bpd), basically flat compared to the 240 million tons Russia exported in 2024, according to Russia’s top oil official representing Moscow at the OPEC+ meetings.   Today, Russia exports around 80% of its oil to India…

Oil ends the month on a firm footing as Iran tensions simmer, but muted attention on the upcoming OPEC+ meeting could set the stage for an unexpected production hike. Friday, February 27, 2026 Oil prices are finishing February on a high note, with the month’s last traded week posting a $1 per barrel gain as US-Iran tensions are mounting. Indirect talks held between Washington and Tehran this week in Geneva yielded no results, and Trump’s ’10- to 15-day’ deadline will be running out soon. Amidst all this, media attention…

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv is counting on a future trilateral meeting with the United States and Russia to take place in early March after Ukrainian and US negotiating teams wrapped up the latest round of peace talks in Switzerland. Zelenskyy said in a video address on Telegram after the February 26 meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, that "there is more readiness for the next trilateral format. "Most likely, the next meeting will be in the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi," he said. Urging the finalization of what Ukrainian and…

Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict Iran is now trying to shift tack, openly appealing to Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy as nuclear talks resume in Geneva. Tehran is talking about clear economic benefits for the United States. They have pointed to oil and gas field development, mining projects, and access to critical minerals as areas where American companies could invest if sanctions are eased. The Iranian Foreign Minister is meeting US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for a third round of negotiations, and an opportunity…

Wall Street spent the week staring at tariff percentages, but the real story went down at the Supreme Court. The Court struck down Trump’s previous global tariff program, ruling that emergency powers under IEEPA could not be used to impose sweeping import levies. That decision wiped out the legal foundation for the structure that had collected more than $175 billion in duties. Trump responded by invoking Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows temporary tariffs of up to 15% for 150 days in response to balance-of-payments or currency…

WTI crude oil posted a volatile and ultimately lower week as a record U.S. inventory build collided with an evolving diplomatic effort between Washington and Tehran. The April contract touched a seven-month high of $67.28 on Monday before reversing sharply, finishing near $65.31 by Thursday night, down $1.17 or 1.76% on the week. Iran-U.S. Negotiations: From War Premium to Cautious Optimism The dominant theme all week was the diplomatic standoff over Iran's nuclear program. Early in the week, crude was underpinned by a significant geopolitical…

Economists and oil market analysts have hiked their oil price forecasts for 2026 amid rising geopolitical tensions and heightened war premium due to the U.S.-Iran standoff.  Both crude oil benchmarks are now expected to average above $60 per barrel this year, with price forecasts higher by about $1.50 per barrel compared to a month ago, the monthly Reuters poll showed on Friday.  Despite ongoing concerns about an oversupplied market, the 34 analysts and economists surveyed by Reuters in February raised their projections in view of uncertainties…

Croatia can ensure crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, which haven’t received Russian oil for a month following damage on the Druzhba oil pipeline, the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, has said.  “Croatia is here as a neighbor, partner and friend to ensure the energy security and smooth functioning of the economies of both Hungary and Slovakia,” Croatian state media quoted Plenkovic as saying.  Hungary and Slovakia are releasing oil from their strategic petroleum reserves after Russian crude flows via…

Croatia can ensure crude oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, which haven’t received Russian oil for a month following damage on the Druzhba oil pipeline, the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, has said.  “Croatia is here as a neighbor, partner and friend to ensure the energy security and smooth functioning of the economies of both Hungary and Slovakia,” Croatian state media quoted Plenkovic as saying.  Hungary and Slovakia are releasing oil from their strategic petroleum reserves after Russian crude flows via…

The U.S. Department of Justice is siding with Argentina in a legal case of $18 billion relating to the 2012 nationalization of Argentinian oil company YPF.  In 2012, the Argentine government took control of the country’s largest oil and gas company, YPF S.A.   The legal fight stems from Argentina’s 2012 expropriation of YPF shares from Spain’s Repsol without extending a mandatory tender offer to YPF’s then minority shareholders—Petersen Energia and Eton Park Capital.  After the renationalization…

The U.S. Department of Justice is siding with Argentina in a legal case of $18 billion relating to the 2012 nationalization of Argentinian oil company YPF.  In 2012, the Argentine government took control of the country’s largest oil and gas company, YPF S.A.   The legal fight stems from Argentina’s 2012 expropriation of YPF shares from Spain’s Repsol without extending a mandatory tender offer to YPF’s then minority shareholders—Petersen Energia and Eton Park Capital.  After the renationalization…

India seeks to slash imports of thermal coal used in its power sector by 30% this year as it wants to use more of its domestic coal supply, industry and government sources have told Reuters. Last year, India’s power sector burned almost 50 million tons of imported thermal coal. This year, the country plans to slash that imported coal dependence by 15 million tons, according to Reuters’ sources with knowledge of the plans.   Yet, India will not use less coal overall—it will simply seek to replace the imported fuel with…

The struggle for geopolitical supremacy is rapidly becoming a struggle over one critical resource - rare earth magnets.They will determine whether the United States can build military equipment at scale, whether weapons can be replaced as fast as they are used, and whether industry can keep pace with demand across an economy measured in the tens of trillions of dollars. For the United States, winning this strategic competition hinges on a single, difficult capability: the domestic production of magnet materials at scale. While many other Western…