Russia is planning to contribute $6.5 million to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund in 2010-2015, the fund which supports, among others things, the use of nuclear security measures to counter nuclear terrorism.  Satellite photos apparently suggest that Iran has increased production at a uranium mine, emphasizing the necessity of broader UN inspections.  Russia is showing no hesitation regarding the Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran, according to Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Seyed Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi.  Siberia-oriented oil group Exillon Energy is hoping to become the first major Russian company to list on the London Stock Exchange in the 18 months since the financial crisis paralyzed the stock market - envisaging an IPO of $500 million.  Russian state oil company Zarubezhneft has come to a deal with Cuba Petroleos to explore the island's northern coast - a sign of ...

Total (TOT) and GdF-Suez recently signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) partnering with KazMunaiGas (KMG), Kazakhstan’s state oil company, for the development of the Khvalynskoye field. Following the agreement, Total and GdF-Suez are holders of 25% interest (Total 17%, GdF-Suez 8%) in the field, from the initial 50% stake held by KazMunaiGas. Lukoil (operator) is the owner of the remaining 50% interest in the project.   Khvalynskoye is a conventional gas condensate field located offshore in the Caspian Sea on the border between Kazakhstan and Russia. The gas produced from this field will be transported to Russia.   Through this agreement Total increased its presence in Kazakhstan (especially Caspian Sea) – a region that is expected to play an important role in counterbalancing Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC’s) dominance of world oil markets in the coming two decades. The company is already a partner of KMG developing ...

At yesterday's meeting between Dmitry Medvedev and Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's PdVSA state oil firm and a consortium of major Russian producers signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in Orinoco and on joint development of the Junin-6 field.  PdVSA also made a deal with Transneft to build infrastructure in the Orinoco belt and another deal with Rosneft.  OPEC is apparently 'not encouraged' by Russia's lack of output cuts.  'We never had any obligations (to OPEC). When we were communicating, we never promised anything', an unfussed Sergei Shmatko has responded.  Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko is hoping to hold the government to $770 million of loans in 2010 to improve coal mines, as an alternative energy source to natural gas.  If Norway's labor majority coalition lose next week's elections, it could be good news for oil majors as the ...

The Chief Financial Officer of VTB, Nikolai Tsekhomsky, has resigned. He will be replaced by Herbert Moos.  Microsoft claims that the Federal anti-monopoly service's probe into its activities, which has now closed, found no breach of ant-trust laws in regard to the Windows XP operating system.  The owner of Norilsk Nickel, Vladimir Potanin, has argued that the ruble must weaken to help Russia's exporters.  An article in Bloomberg suggests that the currency will fall 10% by March as the government fails to stem its deficit and continues to prioritize liquidity.  GM is unlikely to sell Opel to Magna because the carmaker is unwilling to give its intellectual property over to Russia, says the head of a pro-business group in Angela Merkel's party.  Mobile operator Megafon has posted a 4% increase in profit in the first six ...

The $300 Trillion “Money Bang” Keith Fitz-Gerald and his team have just produced a groundbreaking report that shows how this historic “Money Bang” is gaining steam. You’ll find out why China is investing $200 billion in one company – and why it’s expected to gain 356%… Why the Dept. of Energy is “backing” one solar company – and why it’s 506% revenue jump is a “smidgen”… And why one recently IPO’d water company is headed for a 600% run. Just go here for details.

It wasn’t long ago that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s decision to nationalize state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) resulted in a failed coup that very nearly cost him his post.

Now, Chavez’s aggressive economic policies are again being called into question, this time as the country slides into what could be a protracted period of stagflation, which is …

Oil prices fell nearly 4 percent to below $70 a barrel on Monday as fear of a curb in Chinese bank lending dented optimism about the pace of economic recovery and a potential rebound in global energy demand.

U.S. crude for October delivery settled down $2.78, or 3.8 percent, at $69.96 a barrel, having fallen as low as $69.13 in intraday trade. In London, Brent crude settled down $3.14 at $69.65 a barrel.

China’s key stock index dived 6.74 percent on Monday to a three-month low, prompted by concern that China’s government is trying to moderate economic growth and choke off some speculation in its stock market by tightening bank lending.

European equities closed lower and U.S. stocks fell after China’s index fall.

“The oil markets have been strongly affected by what’s going on in China, where the fear is that authorities will rein in on lending and in the process curtail growth,” said Phil Flynn,

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Spain’s largest integrated oil and gas company, Repsol YPF, S.A. (REP), will pay Venezuela $203 million to exploit the Barua-Motatan oil field. Repsol took the minority share of this oil field, which includes 432 square kilometers, after lawmakers voted for the transfer of that area to Petroquiriquire, a joint venture between Repsol and the Venezuelan Oil Corporation (CVP), a unit of Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA. Repsol has been pursuing talks for several years on acquiring an interest in Barua-Motatan, located near Petroquiriquire’s Mene Grande oil field in western Venezuela. Petroquiriquire was formed in 2006 as a 60-40 joint venture between PDVSA and Repsol to operate the Mene Grande oil field. With the addition of this field, the current production of 25,000 barrels per day could increase up to 100,000 barrels per day. Management is targeting stable production growth, driven by the company’s pipeline ...

The International Energy Agency's chief economist Fatih Birol has said that if oil prices rise higher than $70, the global economic recovery will be rendered more difficult.  Birol has also predicted there may not be sufficient demand for natural gas in Europe to justify the existence of both the Nabucco and South Stream pipelines.  OPEC has revised its 2010 forecast for supply from countries outside the group, suggesting an increase of 210,000 barrels per day from non-OPEC members. Vladimir Putin has promised that Russia will use the most modern oil extraction and processing technology if it gains access to Venezuela's oil reserves.  Next month it is expected that a consortium of Russian firms and the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA will draw up a joint venture to explore the Junin 6 block in the Orinoco oil belt, ...

Yesterday, Petroleos Mexicanos (also known as Pemex), Mexico’s state oil company, said that it has awarded a contract to Houston-based oilfield service provider – Halliburton Company (HAL) – to drill 170 wells at the large Chicontepec oil basin.  Pemex said that the deal, worth approximately $159 million, will last three years and involve four drilling rigs. Halliburton is expected to commence work on the Chicontopec fields (in northern Mexico) from the next month. This will mark the oilfield services giant’s debut in an area where its competitors Schlumberger Limited (SLB) and Weatherford International (WFT) already have an established presence.  At a time when Halliburton, the world's second-largest oilfield-services company by revenue, is reeling from its heavy exposure to the natural gas-centric North American market, the Pemex contract allows the company to expand its international presence. Mexico is an important market for all oil service ...

Rice rationing redux?  Chris Mayer on the return of rising food prices… Dan Amoss on what the Fed says versus what the Fed does… Russia sings dollar’s praises, dollar bulls stampede… Chuck Butler looks past the rhetoric… China’s latest resource grab… Iraqi oil… America’s best-selling car… with an MSRP of $60…

We begin a new week pondering the question that bedevils the conscientious market observer every day.Inflation? Deflation? Or as Agora founder Bill Bonner is wont to suggest, both?

“Inflation – rising prices, or a drop in the purchasing power of the dollar – will soon rise to the very top of economic concerns,” writes Chris Mayer. “I can’t understand why there are pundits who insist we can’t have inflation while the economy is weak. There are plenty of examples of weak economies with high inflation. After all, I don’t think they are hitting on

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