VOL. XLVI

No 14

07-April-2003

OIL PRICES

Text Box: Contents Include:   ENERGY (A)   Iraq’s Ceyhan, Syria Exports Dwindle, 8 Jordan Gets Saudi/Kuwaiti Oil Aid, 8 Russia Determined On Iraqi Fields, 8 Shell Restarts Soroush Field, 11 Israel To Check Haifa Pipeline Status, 12 EU Welcomes OPEC Stabilizing Role, 13 Venezuela Opposition Oil Report, 13 Oil Prices Soften On War End Hopes, 14 QP/ExxonMobil In N Field Project, 19 BG Starts Up At Scarab/Saffron, 19 Saudi Aramco Makes New Oil Find, 21 Ratqa/Abdali Production Back Up, 22 Lundin To Resume Sudan Work, 22 Turkmenistan/Iran On Caspian, 22   FINANCE (B)   Jordan Announces Emergency Budget,1 Lebanon Mulls New Tax Measures, 3 Egypt Banking Under Pressure, 5 New FDI Rules In Kuwait, 7   POLITICS (C)   At The Gates Of Baghdad, 1 Rumsfeld Accuses Syria and Iran, 1 Powell Mends Fences With Turkey, 2   Arab Press Review, 3   OP ED & DOCUMENTS (D)   Fee On Russian Oil Firms In Iraq, 1 UN Resolution 1472 Text, 5    

Oil Prices Softer On Hopes For Swift End To Iraq Conflict

Renewed optimism about a straightforward end to the US-led invasion of Iraq was the main driver behind last weeks continued softening of crude prices. Added impetus came from Nigerian strikers decision to end their dispute and weekly US inventories data which reflected the arrival of large volumes of Middle East crude in the Gulf Coast market. Yet analysts concede there is scope for a price rebound...