James Burgess
Editor 
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January 29, 2019 06:30 UTC 
(2)
Shareholder activism has a long history in commodities. In the early 17th century, Isaac Le Maire, grain trader and disgruntled former governor of the Dutch East India Company, attempted to break the company’s monopoly by speculatively trading its shares. His scheme failed, but Le Maire’s desire to shake up the status quo of the trade route between Europe and India eventually led to the discovery of Cape Horn. |
Erica Sesay
Contributor 
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January 23, 2019 09:34 UTC
(4)
As Nigeria gears up for elections next month, policies on mining and mineral exploration will be of special interest to investors. While the country is known for its high-quality crude, with global oil prices significantly below their past highs, Nigeria is looking to attract mining investment in a bid to diversify revenues. Currently, the oil and gas sector represents 70% of Nigeria’s GDP and 90% of its revenues. “By 2025 we want metals and mining sectors to account for 3-7% of our GDP,” the minister of state for Mines and Steel, Abubakar Bawa Bwarii told S&P Global Platts. At the moment this sector accounts for only 0.5% of Nigeria’s GDP. |
Paul Hickin
Associate editorial director
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December 28, 2018 13:00 UTC
(1)
Oil producers are invariably in it for the long haul. Investing billions of dollars to find and develop new resources entails an almost clairvoyant understanding of future demand cycles. However, volatile prices and uncertainty over global growth may see more short-term thinking in 2019. |
Andreas Hilides
Maritime Analyst 
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July 11, 2018 05:01 UTC
(3)
The internal rate of return, or simply the IRR, is the magic figure that private equity fund managers, shipping-focused investors and affluent shipowners alike employ to determine if an investment makes sense. The investment firm recently launched by the prominent Greek shipowner George Livanos and two bankers, as well as the launch of Schulte Group’s shipping fund, has prompted me to explore the power of IRR and engage in some simple number crunching. |
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Starr Spencer
Senior Writer
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April 16, 2018 12:01 UTC
(0)
Credit lines for US oil and gas producers set to rise in 2018 US E&P companies needing cash for drilling are likely to hear good news from banks currently preparing to size up borrowing profiles, as upstream activity continues to tick higher. With crude prices sustained at above $60/b, the upcoming round of credit-worthiness reviews could see bank lending increase by the low double-digits. |
Daniel Rodriguez
Foreign correspondent with Platts
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August 11, 2017 05:01 UTC
(2)
Pemex has yet to announce the next phase of its refined products logistics open season, which could be impacting investment decisions on new midstream projects in Mexico, according to sources. Mexico’s petroleum liberalization does not call for the sale of Pemex logistics assets. But the use Pemex’s existing pipeline and storage infrastructure is being auctioned off in phases under three-year use contracts. |
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Starr Spencer
Senior Writer
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June 12, 2017 00:30 UTC
(0)
Global offshore oil production has been the most sluggish and recovery resistant sector in the oil industry during the last three years of slumped oil prices, but the arena is showing signs of adaptation and resiliency thanks to new cost-paring measures that in some cases allows offshore projects to compete with shale. |
John Kingston
Director of Global Market Insights
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August 18, 2016 13:45 UTC
(4)
Central banks’ implementation of negative policy rates is at an unprecedented scale, reflecting both the limits of previous unconventional monetary policies and a general inability to utilize fiscal stimulus to jump start economic growth. However, this extreme policy approach will have consequences, both intended and unintended, for markets, macroeconomic balances, investors, consumers, and policymakers. |
Jeff Ryser
Reporter 
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February 24, 2016 00:01 UTC
(1)
Pemex, Mexico’s state oil company, is hoping that an infusion of capital from private equity firms and other foreign investors will help it stave off a pressing liquidity crunch. Pemex, which is going through a number of key reforms, is suffering from not only lower oil and natural gas prices, but also has had to increase its debt to fund outflows for taxes, duties and capital spending, all while seeing a roughly 6.7% year-over-year oil production decline. |
Thomas Houghton
Senior pricing specialist 
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October 13, 2015 12:15 UTC
(0)
As detailed previously, Ukrainian agribusiness has been one of the few success stories during the course of the country’s recent woes. And it’s a good thing that it is, as it is hard to understate the importance of agribusiness to Ukraine. A third of all exports from Ukraine last year were agricultural. Some 16.3% of total GDP comes from the sector. One in five employed adults work in a role connected to agriculture. |
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