News

Bloomberg Soaring production in North America’s most prolific oil field helped propel Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. to bigger-than-expected fourth-quarter profits. Chevron surprised analysts and investors with a $25-billion stock buyback pledge and shares for both explorers were among the day’s best-performing energy stocks. Exxon surpassed analysts’ forecasts by almost one-third with the biggest refining bonanza in six years …

Bloomberg Venezuela’s oil production will likely fall 18 percent to around 900,000 barrels per day due to pressure from US sanctions and lack of materials for workers, compared to a current output estimate of 1.1 million barrels per day, according to Ann-Louise Hittle, an oil analyst at Wood Mackenzie.

Bloomberg Alberta is easing mandatory oil curtailments after prices for heavy crude from the Canadian province surged while producers were getting exasperated. The new target for output next month will be 3.63 million barrels a day, up from 3.56 million in January, the provincial government said in a statement. Inventories have dropped by 5 million barrels, reducing a glut that …

Abu Dhabi / WAM Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) announced that Gulf Compound Blending (GCB), which is part of newly launched Kizad Polymers Park, will be establishing a new poly- mer facility within the industrial zone. Gulf Compound Blending, a newly-formed joint venture between Met T&S (Maire Tecnimont Group), M. Cecchi & Co and Arab Development Establishment, is set …

Bloomberg Oil rose in New York after jumping the most in more than a week on concerns that US sanctions on Venezuela will pose significant market disruption. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed as much as 1.3 percent after adding 2.5 percent. Venezuela is considering declaring force majeure on oil exports to the US, a signal it may halt shipments after …

Bloomberg Boeing Co soared after reporting a record cash gush for 2018 and cracking the $100 billion sales barrier for the first time in its 102-year history — and the US planemaker says the best is yet to come. Sales, earnings and cash are all poised to rise this year, building on fourth-quarter earnings that beat estimates, the company said …

Bloomberg TransCanada Corp. hired RBC Capital Markets LLC to sell a stake in the Coastal GasLink project, which would supply a Royal Dutch Shell Plc-led gas-export terminal, as the pipeline faces mounting opposition. If TransCanada moves forward with the sale, joint venture partners in the C$6.2 billion ($4.7 billion) project could end up owning as much as 75 percent of …

DUBAI / WAM Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) met with Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, Saudi’s Minister of Health, and Dr Basel Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Minister of Health, and discussed ways of boosting cooperation in the health sector between the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. During the meeting, which was held on the sidelines …

HADRAMAUT / WAM The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) has completed the digging of six artesian wells, connected them to the main water line, installed pumping units and ran extensions to their targeted locations, to benefit regions and villages in the edge of Hadramaut Desert. The construction of the wells is part of a project launched by the ERC to provide …

Bloomberg Saudi Arabian Oil Co is taking a nearly 20 percent stake in South Korean oil refiner Hyundai Oilbank Co for $1.6 billion (AED5.87 billion), tightening the grip of the world’s top crude exporter on the biggest oil consuming region. The Saudi state-owned giant, known as Aramco, is seeking to firm up its customer base and market share in Asia …