U.S. BEA - The U.S. current-account deficit increased to $124.8 billion (preliminary) in the third quarter of 2018 from $101.2 billion (revised) in the second quarter of 2018, according to statistics released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The deficit was 2.4 percent of current-dollar gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter, up from 2.0 percent in the second quarter.

NOVATEK - PAO NOVATEK ("NOVATEK" and/or the "Company") and SACE (CDP Group) signed a Memorandum on Strategic Cooperation (“Memorandum”) in relation to the Company's current and future LNG projects. The parties agreed to develop long-term cooperation on the Arctic LNG 2 project and potential new LNG projects involving Italian suppliers and engineering companies.

SAIPEM - Saipem, in Joint Venture with Renaissance, a Turkish oil&gas services company, has been awarded a new Onshore E&C project in the Russian Federation worth 2.2 billion Euro overall. As leader of the JV, with a shareholding of 50%, Saipem’s portion of the total amount is therefore approximately 1.1 billion Euro.

WNN - The USA should continue its participation in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project and develop a national research programme towards building a compact pilot plant, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).

БАНК РОССИИ: Совет директоров Банка России принял решение повысить ключевую ставку на 0,25 процентного пункта, до 7,75% годовых. Данный шаг направлен на то, чтобы ограничить масштаб инфляционных рисков в наступающем году.

REUTERS - Qatar Petroleum (QP) is looking to invest at least $20 billion in the United States over the coming few years, its chief executive told Reuters, after the Gulf Arab state unexpectedly quit OPEC this month.

U.S. FRB - U.S. industrial production rose 0.6 percent in November after moving down 0.2 percent in October; the index for October was previously reported to have edged up 0.1 percent. In November, manufacturing production was unchanged, the output of mining increased 1.7 percent, and the index for utilities gained 3.3 percent.

МИНЭКОНОМРАЗВИТИЯ РОССИИ - Максим Орешкин подчеркнул, что рост торговли между РФ и ЕС в последние два года и инвестиционного сотрудничества указывает на ренессанс отношений, несмотря на санкционную тематику. "Если мы посмотрим на инвестиционную динамику, то увидим, что сейчас, например, российскими компаниями на территории Европы реализуется целая подборка крупнейших инвестиционных проектов. Это и Северный поток-2, и строительство атомных электростанций в Венгрии, в Финляндии", - сообщил он.

PLATTS - "The UAE is investing because we feel there is a requirement for this production, but we are not going to put that production into the market unless we feel there is a need for it," Mazrouei said after last week's OPEC meeting in Vienna.

EBRD - the Bank will no longer finance thermal coal mining or coal-fired electricity generation. The Bank will also stop funding any upstream oil exploration, and will not finance upstream oil development projects except in rare and exceptional circumstances, where such investments reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

IMF - The Malaysian economy has shown resilience. Real GDP growth is projected at 4.7 percent for 2018, underpinned by domestic demand.

IMF - Bolivia's real GDP growth is projected at 4.5 percent in 2018, one of the highest rates in the region. Growth is supported by continued accommodative policies, a second economy-wide wage bonus, and strong agriculture output.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - В ходе совещания с членами Государственной комиссии по вопросам развития Арктики Дмитрий Медведев отметил, что в настоящее время доля России на мировом рынке СПГ составляет около 4%, при этом к 2035 году она возрастет до 15-20%. При этом в случае успешной реализации проектов "Ямал СПГ" и "Арктик СПГ 2" только валютные поступления составят около $30 млрд в год, отметил Дмитрий Медведев.

EXXONMOBIL - -ExxonMobil said that it has made a final investment decision to develop the West Barracouta gas field in Bass Strait to bring new gas supplies to the Australian domestic market. The project, located in the VIC/L1 block offshore Victoria, is part of the company’s continuing investment in the Gippsland Basin.

TOTAL - Total has signed an agreement to divest a 4% interest in the Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Australia to operating partner INPEX for an overall consideration of 1.6 billion USD. The transaction, which is subject to Australian regulatory approvals, reduces Total’s interest in the asset to 26%.