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Bloomberg Oil in New York capped its biggest annual increase since 2016, as Opec’s production cuts tempered supplies while a trade pact between the US and China buoyed the outlook for demand. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 1% yet climbed 34% this year as Opec and its allies cut production and a trade deal between Washington and Beijing neared. With …

Bloomberg China’s central bank will increase the supply of cheap funding to banks by cutting the amount of cash they need to hold as reserves, a move aimed at putting a floor under economic growth in 2020. The required reserve ratio for commercial lenders will be lowered by 50 basis points from January 6, unleashing about 800 billion yuan ($115 …

Bloomberg Oil rose for a fifth session, the longest run of gains since July, as a bigger-than-forecast decline in US crude stockpiles eased oversupply concerns. Futures climbed 0.6% in New York after closing at the highest level in three months. American crude supplies fell by 5.47 million barrels in the week ended December 20, more than three times the median …

Bloomberg The US merchandise-trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed for a third month in November to the smallest shortfall in three years as exports increased and imports declined, the latest sign that economic growth is holding up at the end of the year. The gap decreased to $63.2 billion from $66.8 billion the prior month, according to Commerce Department data released on …

Bloomberg Gulf borrowers raised more than $100 billion in bond placements this year, a record amount that marked a shift from the more private funding route offered by loans. Saudi Aramco was the biggest issuer, while Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia also tapped international bond markets. Syndicated loans dropped 39% this year as sovereigns and companies sold notes in dollars …

Bloomberg The Hinduja Group is preparing a bid to buy grounded carrier Jet Airways India Ltd., according to people familiar with the matter. The UK-based group, run by brothers Gopichand Hinduja and Ashok Hinduja, plans to submit an expression of interest by the January 15 deadline, signaling its intent to make a formal offer. Hinduja is seeking a partner to …

ABU DHABI / WAM The UAE has strongly condemned the terror attack by a car bomb on a security checkpoint in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, which resulted in death of numerous innocent civilians and the wounding of others. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stressed that UAE strongly condemns these criminal acts and fully rejects all forms of violence, …

Bloomberg The transitional government in Sudan is planning a set of economic and political reforms, including removing fuel subsidies gradually in 2020, Reuters reported, citing Finance Minster Ibrahim Elbadawi. The subsidies for wheat and cooking gas would be retained to help the poor, he told reporters, Reuters said. Subsidies are a major burden on the government’s finances, which have been …

Bloomberg Oil posted the longest run of weekly gains since April as prices followed equities higher and a government report showed US crude inventories falling to the lowest in two months. Futures in New York were little changed, clinging to a three-month high. The Energy Information Administration reported that oil inventories fell 5.47 million barrels while supplies at the key …

Bloomberg Iraq, Opec’s second-biggest producer, halted output from a southern oil field as protesters walked close to installations. Other southern fields will make up the amount from the shutdown, which won’t affect the country’s output. The halt is temporary until the Nasiriya field, which produces 80,000 to 85,000 barrels a day, is clear of protesters. The closure was a precautionary …