Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL) announced a loss from continuing operations of $32 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2017.

Schlumberger Announces First-Quarter 2017 Results: - Revenue of $6.9 billion decreased 3% sequentially - GAAP EPS, including Cameron integration charges of $0.05 per share, was $0.20 - EPS, excluding Cameron integration charges, was $0.25 - Cash flow from operations was $656 million - Quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share was approved

Aramco is gearing up for a share listing next year, aiming to get a valuation of up to $2 trillion in what could be the world's biggest initial public offering (IPO).

Lower hydrocarbon prices have adversely impacted macroeconomic performance. Growth has slowed despite still resilient non-hydrocarbon activity. Real GDP growth of 2.7 percent is estimated for 2016. Inflation remained low despite subsidy cuts, averaging about 2.7 percent in 2016.

“Consistent with its robust performance in recent years, once again economic growth in Kenya was solid in 2016, coming in at an estimated 5.9%—a five-year high. This has been supported by a stable macroeconomic environment, low oil prices, earlier favorable harvest, rebound in tourism, strong remittance inflows, and an ambitious public investment drive,” said Diarietou Gaye, World Bank Country Director for Kenya. “Nonetheless, Kenya is currently facing headwinds that are likely to dampen GDP growth in 2017.”

"Iran needs billions of dollars of investment to boost crude oil production and natural gas capacity," said Mehdi Varzi, a former official at state-run National Iranian Oil Company and now an independent consultant.

The World Bank’s current investment project portfolio in Ukraine amounts to about US$2.8 billion. Investments support improving basic public services that directly benefit ordinary people in areas such as water supply, sanitation, heating, power, roads, social protection and healthcare, as well as private sector development. Since Ukraine joined the World Bank in 1992, the Bank’s commitments to the country have totaled over US$10 billion in about 70 projects and programs.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. issued the following statement today on the release of the February 2017 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services monthly data. In February 2017, the trade deficit stood at $43.6 billion compared to $45.6 billion in February 2016. In February 2017, exports of goods and services stood at $192.9 billion, compared to $180.7 billion in February 2016. In February 2017, imports of goods and services stood at $236.4 billion, compared to $226.3 billion in February 2016.

To meet Sustainable Energy for All objectives, it is estimated that renewable energy investment would need to increase by a factor of 2-3, while energy efficiency investment would need to increase by a factor of 3-6. Estimates suggest that a five-fold increase would be needed to reach universal access by 2030.

With oil receipts dominating fiscal revenue and exports, the Nigerian economy has been hit hard by low oil prices and falling oil production. The country entered into a recession in 2016, with growth contracting by 1.5 percent. Annual inflation levels doubled to 18.6 percent, reflecting hikes in electricity and fuel tariffs, a weaker naira and accommodating monetary conditions (broad money expanding at 19 percent y-o-y). Even with a significant under-execution in capital spending, the consolidated fiscal deficit increased from 3.5 percent of GDP in 2015 to 4.7 percent of GDP in 2016, because of significant revenue shortfalls.

In the fourth quarter of 2016, profit attributable to our shareholders was 46.6 bln RUB, down 15.0% quarter-on-quarter. For the full year 2016, profit decreased by 29.0% and amounted to 206.8 bln RUB.

ConocoPhillips (COP.N) on Wednesday agreed to sell oil sands and western Canadian natural gas assets to Cenovus Energy Inc (CVE.TO) for C$17.7 billion ($13.3 billion), making it the latest international oil major to pull back from a region where high costs and low crude prices have made it hard for large companies to make an acceptable return.

Saudi Arabia has slashed the tax rate for state energy company Saudi Aramco as the company woos private investors and seeks the highest possible valuation ahead of its planned initial public offering in 2018.

The state-owned company, known as Sinopec Corp, saw fourth quarter net profit jump to 17.25 billion yuan from 9.9 billion yuan in the third quarter, it said in a statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

The World Bank’s current portfolio in Vietnam consists of 49 operations, worth a total of 9.5 billion USD supporting infrastructure, agriculture, human development and improvement in economic and financial sector management. Support to infrastructure includes transport, energy, water and sanitation, and irrigation.