IMF - Hungary has achieved several years of strong growth and substantially reduced its external debt. Growth is expected to be around 4 percent in 2018, similar to last year. This strong expansion has been supported by private consumption and EU funds-related investments.

IMF - The Mozambican economy is recovering gradually. Real GDP growth reached 3¾ percent in 2017—¾ percentage point higher than projected by Fund staff in the last Article IV consultation—supported by a stronger-than-expected recovery in agriculture and significantly higher mining production.

IMF - Kenya’s economy has continued to perform well, with real GDP growth accelerating to 5.7 percent in the first quarter of 2018, from 4.9 percent in 2017.

NGW - Commercial conditions for the Southern Corridor’s success have deteriorated as political support for it has grown. Up to 2030, the corridor will most likely remain an insubstantial contributor to Europe’s gas balance.

WBG - China, with 1.4 billion people, is the most populous country in the world in 2017. However, India, the second most populous country with 1.3 billion people, is projected to surpass China’s population by 2022. China’s total fertility rate (the number of children per woman) has also declined sharply since the 1970s.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is down 4 rigs from last week to 1,044, with oil rigs down 2 to 859, gas rigs down 3 to 183, and miscellaneous rigs up 1 to 2. Canada Rig Count is unchanged from last week at 223 rigs, with oil rigs down 2 to 152 and gas rigs up 2 to 71.

REUTERS - U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at $68.87 per barrel at 0647 GMT, down 9 cents from their last settlement. Brent crude futures LCOc1 were at $73.40 per barrel, down 5 cents from their last close.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - Средняя цена нефти марки Urals по итогам января – июля 2018 года составила $ 69,43 за баррель. В 2017 году средняя цена на Urals в январе – июле составила $ 49,94 за баррель. Средняя цена на нефть марки Urals в июле 2018 года сложилась в размере $ 72,87 за баррель, что в 1,52 раза выше, чем в июле 2017 года ($ 47,85 за баррель).

PLATTS - Russia's July crude oil and condensate output rose 1.4% month on month to 11.215 million b/d, in line with Russia's pledge in late June to boost output under the deal with OPEC and other non-OPEC producers, preliminary data by the Central Dispatching Unit, the statistical arm of the energy ministry, showed Thursday.

REUTERS - The bill includes restrictions on new Russian sovereign debt transactions, energy and oil projects and Russian uranium imports, and new sanctions on Russian political figures and oligarchs.