IMF - growth for the region to increase from 1.3 percent in 2017 to 2 percent in 2018. For 2019 growth to continue to pick up to 2.8 percent.

OGJ - Bahrain plans to raise $1 billion for energy investments in a fund the government calls unique among Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - Ожидаемый объем дополнительных нефтегазовых доходов федерального бюджета, связанный с превышением фактически сложившейся цены на нефть над базовым уровнем, прогнозируется в мае 2018 года в размере +320,6 млрд руб.

REUTERS - Saudi Arabia’s first quarter budget deficit stood at 34.3 billion Saudi riyals ($9.15 billion), around 18 percent of the total gap forecast for 2018, the finance ministry said

SHELL - Royal Dutch Shell plc (“Shell”) announces an agreement to sell its entire stake in Canadian Natural Resources Limited (“Canadian Natural”)

WBG - For Nigeria to tap its spatial drivers of development, policymakers may want to focus on investments that reinforce clusters and economies of scale; optimize the connectivity between rural areas and the major urban markets; and address structural and land management issues in major urban nodes and along major growth corridors to remove or alleviate barriers that undermine the growth potential.

REUTERS - Qatar is taking a nearly 19 percent stake in Rosneft (ROSN.MM), rescuing the Russian oil major from its stalled deal to sell a major stake to China’s CEFC.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - По состоянию на 1 мая 2018 г. объем ФНБ составил 3 962 669,1 млн. рублей, что эквивалентно 63 914,3 млн. долл. США,

U.S. DOE - Energy storage will play an increasingly critical role in the resilient grid of the future. Storage systems provide important services, including improving grid stability, providing backup power, and allowing for greater integration of renewable resources. Today’s dominant storage options have limitations that inhibit their use as long-duration solutions, particularly their high cost.

U.S. DOL - Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 164,000 in April, and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, manufacturing, health care, and mining.

U.S. BEA - The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $49.0 billion in March, down $8.8 billion from $57.7 billion in February, revised.

FRB - In view of realized and expected labor market conditions and inflation, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 percent. The stance of monetary policy remains accommodative, thereby supporting strong labor market conditions and a sustained return to 2 percent inflation.

BP - “We have delivered another strong set of results. Our safe and reliable operations and strong financial delivery have continued into 2018. Underlying profit was up 23% on the previous quarter and was our best quarterly result in three years. With rising output from our new major projects and excellent reliability, Upstream production was 9% higher than a year earlier.

BEA - Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2018 , according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter, real GDP increased 2.9 percent.

EXXONMOBIL - Exxon Mobil Corporation announced estimated first quarter 2018 earnings of $4.7 billion, or $1.09 per share assuming dilution, compared with $4 billion a year earlier. Cash flow from operations and asset sales was $10 billion, including proceeds associated with asset sales of $1.4 billion. During the quarter, the corporation distributed $3.3 billion in dividends to shareholders. Capital and exploration expenditures were $4.9 billion, up 17 percent from the prior year.