Middle East Economic Survey

VOL. XLVII

No 51/52

20/27-December-2004

OIL PRICES

Crude Prices Boosted By US Heating Oil Tightness

Crude oil prices began last week with support from the 10 December OPEC meeting, at which ministers opted to reduce production in excess of quotas by 1mn b/d. Prices rose in technical trading as Saudi Arabia informed customers of an 8% reduction in deliveries in January. However, traders did not see the cuts as impacting crude availability too much, with reports citing a...