OPEC - The OPEC Reference Basket increased for the fifth-straight month in January, gaining a sharp 7.7% to average $66.85/b, the highest monthly average since November 2014. Oil prices were supported by continuing efforts by OPEC and participating non-OPEC producers to balance the market and ten consecutive weeks of crude inventory draws amid healthy economic growth and improving oil demand.

EIA - Exports grew to 1.1 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2017, or 527,000 b/d (89%) more than exports in 2016, in the second full year of unrestricted U.S. crude oil exports. This is the largest single year-over-year increase of a petroleum (crude oil and petroleum products) export since 1920.

EXXONMOBIL - Aggressive Growth Plans to More than Double Earnings - Earnings and cash flow from operations projected to approximately double by 2025 - Strongest investment opportunities in two decades to drive results, improve returns - Profitable production growth with low-cost-of-supply tight oil, liquefied natural gas and deepwater

WNN - India is planning a tenfold increase in uranium production over the next 15 years, Minister of State Jitendra Singh told the country's parliament yesterday. State company Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) has outlined expansion plans to meet the Department of Atomic Energy's (DAE) vision of achieving self-sufficiency in uranium production.

WNN - Nuclear energy has faced serious challenges in recent years because of several factors: competition from low gas prices, subsidised renewables and slow growth in electricity demand in certain markets. But because of several powerful forces we are seeing signs that this year nuclear energy will come roaring back.

BEA - The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $56.6 billion in January, up $2.7 billion from $53.9 billion in December, revised.

REUTERS - Brent crude futures were at $65.37 per barrel at 0149 GMT, down 42 cents, or 0.6 percent from their previous close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $62.16 a barrel, down 44 cents, or 0.7 percent.

МИНЭКОНОМРАЗВИТИЯ РОССИИ - За первое полугодие 2017 г. в российскую экономику поступило в четыре раза больше немецких инвестиций, чем за весь 2016 год - 949 млн. долларов против 225 млн. долл. Также по итогам 2017 года двусторонний товарооборот увеличился на 23% и достиг 50 млрд. долл.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - Ожидаемый объем дополнительных нефтегазовых доходов федерального бюджета, связанный с превышением фактически сложившейся цены на нефть над базовым уровнем, прогнозируется в марте 2018 года в размере +238,0 млрд руб.

EIA - Nuclear electricity generation capacity in the Middle East is expected to increase from 3.6 gigawatts (GW) in 2018 to 14.1 GW by 2028 because of new construction starts and recent agreements between Middle East countries and nuclear vendors.

SAUDI ARAMCO - our industry needs more than 20 trillion dollars over the next quarter century to meet rising demand for oil and gas (including in ageing infrastructure).

IEA - Oil production growth from the United States, Brazil, Canada and Norway can keep the world well supplied, more than meeting global oil demand growth through 2020, but more investment will be needed to boost output after that.

IMF - The Qatari economy remains competitive, though there are certain areas that deserve attention. Qatar has fallen to 25th place (out of 137) in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index (2017–18), down from 18 th in 2016–17. Nonetheless, it still ranks ahead of most emerging markets, a reflection of a stronger infrastructure base.

EIA - North Sea Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $65 per barrel (b) in February, a decrease of $4/b from the January level and the first month-over-month average decrease since June 2017. EIA forecasts Brent spot prices will average about $62/b in both 2018 and 2019 compared with an average of $54/b in 2017.

REUTERS - International benchmark Brent crude was up 44 cents, or 0.68 percent, at $64.81 a barrel by 0135 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 41 cents, or 0.67 percent, to $61.66 per barrel.