Saudi King Abdullah

Defense Secretary Robert Gates Travels To Mideast

Oil prices surged following Saudi Arabia’s Royal Court announcement of the death of King Abdullah on Friday. Brent crude climbed as much as 2.6 percent, while West Texas Intermediate jumped 3.1 percent, following the announcement. It is yet to be seen whether Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s largest oil producer, will change its policies with respect to its oil output, but many analysts do not expect Saudi’s oil policies to change with the crowning of King Abdullah’s half-brother, Crown Prince Salman. In fact, Bloomberg reports that King Salman announced he will maintain the policies of his predecessor and that Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi will remain in his post.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates Travels To Mideast

News that Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud passed away sent oil prices sharply higher on Friday, but analysts dismissed the move as a knee jerk reaction, noting the recent trend remains intact. “It’s not an extraordinary move in oil prices, given the recent volatility and turmoil in the oil markets,” said Michael Levi,… Keep reading →

President Obama Meets With Saudi Arabian King Abdullah

This morning began with rumors that Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had died, though it quickly became clear this was not the case. However, King Abdullah has been in poor health for years and is currently hospitalized undergoing treatment for pneumonia. The Saudi Press Agency (English version) confirmed that King Abdullah was still… Keep reading →