Saudi price war looks like unspoken gift to Trump: Bousso

In a lavish May 13 visit to Riyadh, President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sealed a $600 billion investment pact and a $142 billion defense deal—but oil was oddly absent from the headlines. Behind the scenes, Saudi Arabia quietly pushed OPEC+ to boost output by 411,000 barrels per day, slashing oil prices from $82 to $66 per barrel. Why? To cushion U.S. inflation amid Trump’s tariff war and gain political capital. For the paper packaging industry, this drop in energy costs could mean lower production expenses for mills and converters—especially those reliant on energy-intensive virgin fiber pulping—giving them a competitive edge as global demand grows.https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/saudi-price-war-looks-like-unspoken-gift-trump-bousso-2025-05-15/

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