REUTERS - Saudi Arabia has largely covered its hard currency funding needs for 2018 by completing this week’s $11 billion international bond issue, the head of the kingdom’s debt management office said.

REUTERS - But it warned that all its expectations hinged on Ukraine sticking with its $17.5 billion programme with the IMF, which has expressed concern about perceived backtracking on reforms and delays in implementing policies to tackle corruption.

REUTERS - “There is growing confidence that the declaration of cooperation will be extended beyond 2018,” Barkindo told. “Russia will continue to play a leading role.”

GAZPROM - Nord Stream 2 AG received the second permit required for the construction and operation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Finnish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), thereby completing the permitting procedure in Finland.

REUTERS - Recovering from earlier losses, Brent crude LCOc1 was up 28 cents at $72.30 a barrel by 1301 GMT and set for a weekly gain of almost 8 percent, or about $5.U.S. crude for May delivery CLc1 rose 28 cents to $67.35, up more than 8 percent, or about $5, for the week.

BAKER HUGHES A GE - U.S. Rig Count is up 5 rigs from last week to 1,008, with oil rigs up 7 to 815, gas rigs down 2 to 192, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 1. Canada Rig Count is down 9 rigs from last week to 102, with oil rigs down 7 to 41 and gas rigs down 2 to 61.

IEA - Globally, we expect oil demand to grow by 1.5 mb/d in 2018. However, there is an element of risk to this outlook from the current tension on trade tariffs between China and the US,

PLATTS - The EU's main challenge is in natural gas, as 76% of the EU's gas imports came from just Norway and Russia in 2016,

BLOOMBERG - Gas output will expand by 24 billion cubic feet, or 32 percent, through 2025 from last year, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. To support that growth, the country’s gas industry needs to spend $170 billion over the next seven years on pipelines, compressor stations, export terminals and other related infrastructure, said Meg Gentle, chief executive officer of gas exporter Tellurian Inc.

REUTERS - The $54 billion Gorgon project came on stream in March 2016 but suffered numerous unplanned shutdowns in its early stages.

WBG - Growth in developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP) is expected to remain strong and reach 6.3 percent in 2018, according to the latest World Bank economic report on the region. Prospects for a continued broad-based global recovery and robust domestic demand underpin this positive outlook. Still, emerging risks to stability and sustained growth require close attention.

WBG - Investments in infrastructure and education, skills, and health, are not only key to sustaining high growth but will also ensure that poor and vulnerable families have access to better job opportunities. Delivering inclusive economic growth through good jobs remains the country’s most pressing challenge, according to the World Bank.

WBG - South Asia has regained its lead as the fastest growing region in the world, supported by recovery in India. With the right mix of policies and reforms, growth is expected to accelerate to 6.9 percent in 2018 and 7.1 percent next year.

REUTERS - South Korea’s March crude oil imports from Iran dropped 39.3 percent from a year earlier on slowing demand for Iranian oil, the country’s customs data showed on Sunday.

REUTERS - Oil prices slipped with Brent crude futures LCOc1 off 66 cents at $71.92 a barrel, while U.S. crude CLc1 fell 56 cents to $66.83 a barrel.

EIA - U.S. dry natural gas production will increase through 2050 across a wide variety of alternative assumptions about the future. In the Reference case, which is based on current laws and regulations, production grows 59% from 2017 to 2050, starting at 73.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2017 and reaching 118 Bcf/d in 2050.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - Средняя цена на нефть Urals за период мониторинга с 15 марта по 14 апреля 2018 года составила $ 65,80125 за баррель, или $ 480,3 за тонну.

МИНФИН РОССИИ - Мы действительно покупаем валюту, которая приходит к нам в бюджет при цене выше 40 долларов за баррель. В этих условиях, когда видим, что идет давление на понижение курса рубля, мы перестали выходит на рынок с Центральным банком и делать закупки в Фонд национального благосостояния. Это абсолютно правильное решение.

AOG - Kuwait plans to invest $113bn over the next five years to enhance oil exploration and production activities both inside and outside the country