Bloomberg The world’s top oil companies are back in acquisition mode, targeting smaller exploration and development firms to boost oil and gas reserves rather than the mega-mergers that followed previous slumps in crude prices. Since late November, major oil companies have announced 11 deals worth more than $500 million each with a combined value of $31 billion, the clearest …

  Bloomberg Oil resumed gains after the biggest drop in more than a week as industry data showed US crude stockpiles declined, while OPEC and other producing nations trim production to ease a global glut. Futures rose as much as 1.4 percent in New York after sliding 2.7 percent on Wednesday amid a surge in the dollar. US crude supplies …

  Bloomberg Saudi Basic Industries Corp., the world’s largest petrochemicals maker by market value, is in talks with banks to raise as much as $2 billion of loans, according to two people familiar with the matter. At this stage, Sabic, as the company is known, has no plans to raise debt, Chief Executive Officer Yousef al Benyan told reporters in …