
Russia's Gazprom Neft ready to raise oil output under OPEC+ deal, CEO says
MOSCOW, March 18 (Reuters) - Gazprom Neft (SIBN.MM), opens new tab is ready to raise oil output from April under the OPEC+ agreement, the head of the Russian oil producer said on Tuesday.
The company does not plan to reduce oil refining in 2025 after a record refining volume in 2024, Alexander Dyukov, the CEO, added.
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Gazprom Neft has been adapting to Western sanctions and plans to increase investments in 2025, Dyukov said.
The market price for Urals oil in roubles is "quite acceptable" for the company, he added.

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NBC News
34 minutes ago
- NBC News
Two weeks' notice: Trump's deadline on Iran is a familiar one
President Donald Trump's two-week timeline to decide on whether the U.S. will strike Iran's nuclear sites is a familiar one — it's one he's repeatedly used since his first term in office. 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' he said in a statement issued through White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. In the last two months, Trump has promised action on questions or decisions in 'two weeks' over a dozen times — and he used the same timeline repeatedly during his first term in office. 'We're going to be announcing something, I would say over the next two or three weeks, that will be phenomenal in terms of tax and developing our aviation infrastructure,' Trump said of tax overhaul plans on Feb. 9, 2017. He released a one-page outline of the plan 11 weeks later, according to a Bloomberg review that year. He went on to repeatedly cite the time frame for impending actions on health care and infrastructure that never materialized during his first four years in office. Trump's use of the timing prediction has accelerated in recent weeks — and he's used it on items ranging from trade deals and tariffs to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Much of what he's predicted hasn't come to pass, with questions he's said he'd answer remaining unanswered. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Two weeks to set rates on tariffs Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on April 23, Trump said the country was going to have "great deals" on trade. "And by the way, if we don't have a deal with a company or a country, we're going to set the tariff. We just set the tariff. It's something that we think — that will happen, I say, over the next couple of weeks, wouldn't you say? I think so," Trump said. "Over the next two, three weeks. We'll be setting the number. And we're going to pick — could be for China too." Two weeks to decide on continued aid for Ukraine During an April 24 Oval Office meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump was asked if he'd continued providing military intelligence and aid to Ukraine if there was no peace deal with Russia. "Let's see what happens. I think we're going to make a deal, and if we make a deal, it'll be wonderful. We won't have to worry about your question. You can ask that question in two weeks, and we'll see. But I think we're getting very close," Trump said. Two weeks to find out if Trump trusts Putin Asked by reporters on April 27 if he trusted Russian President Vladimir Putin, given the ramped-up attacks on Ukraine while Trump was calling for a ceasefire, the president said, 'We'll let you know in about two weeks.' Two weeks to determine Putin's path in Ukraine In an interview that aired May 4 on NBC's " Meet the Press," Trump was asked by moderator Kristen Welker if he'd misread Putin's position on Russia's war with Ukraine. "No, I'll tell you about in a month from now, or two weeks from now. I have no idea. I can tell you this, he's ... his ambition was stopped to a large extent when he saw that it was me that was now leading the charge," Trump said. Two weeks to set a trade deal with China Trump told reporters on May 4 on Air Force One that he'd be "setting" a trade deal with China. "At some point in the next two weeks or three weeks, I'm gonna be setting the deal. I'm gonna say that such and such a country has had a tremendous trade surplus, surplus their way, with us. They've taken advantage of us in various ways," Trump said. Two weeks to announce tariffs on pharmaceutical companies Asked on May 5 in the Oval Office if he'd made any determination on tariff rates and timing for pharmaceutical companies, Trump said, "I have. I'll announce it over the next two weeks." Asked about those same tariffs on Tuesday, Trump said, "We're going to be doing pharmaceuticals very soon." Two weeks to sign trade deals During a May 6 meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office, Trump suggested a number of trade deals were imminent. "We also have a situation, because everyone says, when, when? When are you going to sign deals? We don't have to sign deals. We could sign 25 deals right now, Howard [Lutnick, the commerce secretary], if we wanted. We don't have to sign deals. They have to sign deals with us. They want a piece of our market. We don't want a piece of their market," Trump said. "So we can just sit down, and I'll do this at some point over the next two weeks." Two weeks to meet Putin and end the war Trump was asked in Abu Dhabi on May 16 when he would meet with Putin to discuss ending the war. "As soon as we can set it up," Trump replied. "And I think in, uh, two or three weeks we could have it be a much, much safer place." Two weeks to set trade terms At a May 16 business roundtable in Abu Dhabi, Trump said he'd soon be setting the terms of the trade deals he wanted, and that Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would be notifying trading partners. "So at a certain point over the next two to three weeks, I think Scott and Howard will be sending letters out, essentially telling people it won't be very fair. But we'll be telling people what they'll be paying to do business in the United States. They'll essentially be paying to be doing business in the United States," the president said. Two weeks to determine if Zelenskyy is doing a good job Asked on May 19 in the Oval Office if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was doing enough to help end the war, Trump said, "I'd rather tell you in about two weeks from now because I can't say yes or no. "I think — look, he's a strong person, Zelenskyy, a strong guy and he's not the easiest person to deal with, but I think that he wants to stop. It's a very bad — it's a very bad thing that's happening over there. I think he wants to stop, but I could answer that question better in two weeks or four weeks from now." Two weeks to determine if Putin wants to end the war Trump was asked again if he believed Putin wanted to end the war while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office on May 28. "I can't tell you that, but I'll let you know in about two weeks, within two weeks. We're going to find out very soon. We're going to find out whether or not he's tapping us along or not. And if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently. But it will take about a week and a half, two weeks," Trump said. Two weeks to send out trade deal offers After touting a preliminary trade deal with China, Trump was asked at the Kennedy Center which country he expected to sign a deal with next. "Well, we're dealing with Japan. We're dealing with South Korea. We're dealing with a lot of them. We're dealing with about 15 countries. But as you know, we have about 150 plus and you can't do that. So we're going to be sending letters out in about a week and a half, two weeks, to countries and telling them what the deal is, like I did with E.U.," Trump responded. Two weeks to decide whether to attack Iran Press secretary Karoline Leavitt began her briefing on Thursday by discussing potential U.S. involvement in Israel's conflict with Iran. "Regarding the ongoing situation in Iran, I know there has been a lot of speculation amongst all of you in the media regarding the president's decision-making and whether or not the United States will be directly involved," she said. "In light of that news, I have a message directly from the president, and I quote, 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.' That's a quote directly from the president for all of you today."


Reuters
40 minutes ago
- Reuters
Oil hedging volumes hit new records as US producers rush to lock in soaring prices
HOUSTON, June 20 (Reuters) - Israel's surprise attack on Iran last week had oil prices spiking which sent U.S. producers scrambling to lock in the price gain, driving record hedging volumes that will help shield them from future price swings. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose further this week, closing on Friday at around $75 a barrel. This prompted U.S. producers to secure additional price gains through 2026, having already driven hedging activity on the Aegis Hedging platform to a record high last Friday. Aegis Hedging, which handles hedging for roughly 25-30% of U.S. output, according to internal estimates, saw a record volume and greatest number of trades done on its trading platform on June 13. The U.S. produces some 13.56 million barrels per day of oil, according to the latest government figures. U.S. crude futures jumped 7% on June 13 to around $73 a barrel, after Israel struck Iran, the largest single day rise since July 2022. Prices had been hovering under where many producers would opt to hedge, hitting a four-year low of $57 a barrel in May as OPEC+ started hiking output while U.S. President Donald Trump waged a trade war. The jump on June 13 gave traders an opportunity to lock in prices for their barrels not seen in several weeks. When prices react to risk-related events - such as Israel's attack on Iran - as opposed to supply-and-demand fundamentals, the front of the oil futures curve rises more than later contracts, influencing whether producers opt for short- or long-term hedging strategies, according to Aegis Hedging. "In this case it was probably a six-month effect," said Matt Marshall, president of Aegis Hedging. Oil producers need a price of $65 a barrel on average to profitably drill, according to the first quarter 2025 Dallas Federal Reserve Survey. U.S. crude futures closed below $65 every day from April 4 to June 9, according to LSEG. "We stay disciplined and pay close attention to market volatility. We watch for accretive pricing to our existing hedges and layer in hedges to reduce risk to our asset revenue as well as meet our reserve-based lending covenants," said Rhett Bennett, chief executive at Black Mountain Energy, a producer with operations in the Permian Basin. A reserve-based lending covenant refers to a type of loan producers can obtain, based on the value of the company's oil and gas reserves. "Producers recognized that this could be a fleeting issue and so they saw a price that was above their budget for the first time in a few months, and instead of doing a structure that would give them a floor which is below market, they opted to be aggressive and lock in," said Aegis' Marshall. Aegis' customers often have hedging policies in which a certain amount of production must be hedged by a certain time in the year. "Producers had two months of hedges that they needed to catch up on," Aegis' Marshall said. Traders on June 13 exchanged the most $80 West Texas Intermediate crude oil call options since January on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, expecting more upside to prices. A total of 33,411 contracts of August-2025 $80 call options for WTI crude oil were traded that day on a total trading volume of 681,000 contracts, marking the highest volume for these options this year, according to CME Group data.


South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Putin boasts about Russia's economy despite recession fears
His optimistic account in a speech at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum contrasted with sombre statements by some members of his government, who warned at the same conference that Russia could face a recession. Economic Minister Maxim Reshetnikov had said that the country is 'on the brink of going into a recession'. Mr Putin mentioned the recession warnings, but emphasised that 'it mustn't be allowed'. He pointed out that manufacturing industries have posted steady growth, allowing the country to reduce its reliance on oil and gas exports. 'The perception of Russian economy as based on raw materials and dependent on hydrocarbons exports have clearly become outdated,' Mr Putin said, adding that the economy grew by 1.5% in the first four months of 2025 and inflation has dropped from double digits to 9.6%. Mr Putin has used the annual forum to highlight Russia's economic prowess and encourage foreign investment, but Western executives have shunned it after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, leaving it to business leaders from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The economy, hit with a slew of Western sanctions, has so far outperformed predictions. High defence spending has propelled growth and kept unemployment low despite fuelling inflation. Large recruiting bonuses for military enlistees and death benefits for those killed in Ukraine also have put more income into the country's poorer regions. But over the long term, inflation and a lack of foreign investments pose threats to the economy. Economists have warned of mounting pressure on the economy and the likelihood it would stagnate due to lack of investment in sectors other than the military. Mr Putin said the growth of military industries helped develop new technologies that have become available to the civilian sector. He vowed to continue military modernisation, relying on lessons learned during the fighting in Ukraine. 'We will raise the capability of the Russian armed forces, modernize military infrastructure and equip the troops with cutting-edge equipment,' Mr Putin said.