Oil Updates — prices ease on concerns over rising supply, US-China trade deal caution

Brent crude futures dropped 11 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $64.85 per barrel by 8:10 a.m. Saudi time. Shutterstock
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Updated 13 May 2025
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Oil Updates — prices ease on concerns over rising supply, US-China trade deal caution

LONDON: Oil prices eased on Tuesday from a two-week high, weighed down by concerns about rising supplies and some caution over whether the pause in the US-China trade war indicated a longer-term deal was likely.

Brent crude futures dropped 11 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $64.85 per barrel by 8:10 a.m. Saudi time. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 8 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $61.87.

Both benchmarks closed about 1.5 percent higher on Monday at their steepest settlements since April 28. The gains come during a turbulent time for global oil markets.

The US and China agreed to slash steep tariffs for at least 90 days, sending Wall Street stocks, the US dollar and crude prices sharply higher on Monday.

“While a thawing in trade tensions between China and the US is helpful, there’s still plenty of uncertainty over what happens in 90 days. This uncertainty could continue to generate headwinds for oil demand,” ING analysts said in an email to clients.

Underlying schisms that led to the dispute remain, including the US trade deficit with China and US President Donald Trump’s demand for more action from Beijing to combat the US fentanyl crisis.

“There is still high uncertainty around the future US-China trade negotiations in the coming 90-day pause period and beyond, given the substantial differences between China and the US on some fundamental issues,” UBS Chief China Economist Wang Tao wrote in a client note.

Markets were eyeing rising supplies as a key driver for oil price weakness.

“Though demand has been a key concern for the oil market, supply increases from OPEC+ mean that the oil market will be well supplied through the remainder of the year,” ING analysts said, adding that how well supplied the market is will depend on whether OPEC+ sticks with plans for aggressive supply hikes in May and June.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has boosted oil output by more than previously expected since April, with May output likely up by 411,000 barrels per day.

However, oil price declines were capped by some signs that demand for refined fuel remains strong.

“Despite the deteriorating outlook for crude demand, positive signals from the fuel markets cannot be overlooked. Although international crude prices have declined by 22 percent since their peak on January 15, both refined product prices and refining margins have remained stable,” JP Morgan analysts said in a note.

Reduced refining capacity — mostly in the US and Europe — is tightening gasoline and diesel balances, increasing reliance on imports and raising susceptibility to price spikes during maintenance and unplanned outages, they added.

Complex refining margins in Singapore have nearly doubled in May, averaging at $6.60 a barrel this month, up from $3.65 in April, LSEG pricing data showed.


The Family Office to host global investment summit in Saudi Arabia

Updated 18 January 2026
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The Family Office to host global investment summit in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: The Family Office, one of the Gulf’s leading wealth management firms, will host its exclusive investment summit, “Investing Is a Sea,” from Jan. 29 to 31 on Shura Island along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.

The event comes as part of the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 initiative, reflecting efforts to position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for investment dialogue and strategic economic development.

The summit is designed to offer participants an immersive environment for exploring global investment trends and assessing emerging opportunities and challenges in a rapidly changing financial landscape.

Discussions will cover key themes including shifts in the global economy, the role of private markets in portfolio management, long-term investment strategies, and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies on investment decision-making and risk management, according to a press release issued on Sunday.

Abdulmohsin Al-Omran, founder and CEO of The Family Office, will deliver the opening remarks, with keynote addresses from Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Prince Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.

The press release said the event reflects the firm’s commitment to institutional discipline, selective investment strategies, and long-term planning that anticipates economic cycles.

The summit will bring together prominent international and regional figures, including former UK Treasury Commercial Secretary Lord Jim O’Neill, Mohamed El-Erian, chairman of Gramercy Fund Management, Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, chairman of the editorial board at Al Arabiya, Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Dr. Amer Bisat, economist Nouriel Roubini of NYU Stern School of Business, Naim Yazbeck, president of Microsoft Middle East and Africa, John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global, Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon, MBE, co-founder of Stemettes, SRMG CEO Jomana R. Alrashed and other leaders in finance, technology, and investment.

With offices in Bahrain, Dubai, Riyadh, and Kuwait, and through its Zurich-based sister company Petiole Asset Management AG with a presence in New York and Hong Kong, The Family Office has established a reputation for combining institutional rigor with innovative, long-term investment strategies.

The “Investing Is a Sea” summit underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a global center for financial dialogue and strategic investment, reinforcing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objective of fostering economic diversification and sustainable development.