Opinion Economy Roubles, risks and rewards There are pros and cons to maintaining economic links with Russia despite Western sanctions June 13, 2023
Economy EU offers Tunisia $1bn loan – if it accepts IMF reforms The European Union has offered Tunisia a €1 billion ($1.07 billion) loan to prop up its economy and tighten border controls. Under the proposal, Tunis must agree to sweeping economic reforms, said European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. The International Monetary Fund agreed a $1.9 billion bailout for Tunisia last September, but it has […] June 12, 2023
Economy UAE and Italy elevate trade status in bid to grow $7bn relationship The UAE and Italy have elevated relations to the level of a strategic partnership as the countries aim to build on growing trade figures seen last year. The announcement came after a meeting held on Saturday between President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Abu Dhabi during her […] March 7, 2023
Banking & Finance ECB must be ready to take the heat and raise rates further The European Central Bank (ECB) must be prepared to take the heat and raise interest rates further, including by more than the market expects, if that is needed to bring down inflation, ECB policymaker Isabel Schnabel said in an interview published on Saturday. The ECB raised rates for a fourth straight time last week and […] December 25, 2022
Opinion Energy A new cap on Russian oil leaves world relying on the Gulf Middle East producers will be the main beneficiaries as markets look elsewhere for supply December 14, 2022
Energy G7 should opt for fuel tax cut over price cap, says Saudi-based analyst A proposal by the G7 group of leaders to look at the feasibility of introducing a price cap on energy imports was dismissed as “highly doubtful” by a top Saudi-based energy analyst. A report by the Financial Times on Tuesday claimed that the G7 leaders – which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK […] June 29, 2022
Russian oil dilemma may kickstart EU-GCC trade deal A new partnership adopted today between the European Commission and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) could kickstart stalled talks on a free trade agreement. The High Representative and the European Commission said in a joint communication that the strategic partnership would focus on areas such as energy security, climate change and the green transition, digitalisation, […] May 18, 2022
Energy Germany and Qatar ‘at odds over LNG deals’ Germany and Qatar’s talks over liquefied natural gas supply deals have run into difficulties, according to three sources familiar with the negotiations. Berlin needs to secure large volumes of LNG to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, but sources said the Germans were reluctant to accept Qatar’s condition that they sign deals lasting at least […] May 10, 2022
Energy EU ‘may offer sweeteners to get its ban on Russian oil’ The European Commission is considering offering landlocked eastern European Union states more money to upgrade oil infrastructure in a bid to convince them to agree to an embargo on Russian oil, according to an EU source. The measures are part of a package of new sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, but an […] May 9, 2022
