Watchdog: Ties between UK press, police too cozy

Cozy ties between Britain’s police and press have compromised both sides and urgent action is needed to overhaul a culture of leaks at Scotland Yard […]

OPEC officially raises oil output

+%3Cp%3E+For+the+first+time+in+three+years%2C+OPEC+nations+agreed+Wednesday+to+a+higher+oil+output+level+despite+continuing+uncertainty+in+the+global+economy.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EBut+analysts+said+the+new+output+level+of+30+million+barrels+a+day+would+have+little+impact+on+world+oil+prices.+Thanks+to+overproduction+by+some+members%2C+the+cartel+is+already+producing+that+much+oil.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%26quot%3BOPEC%27s+decision+today+to+raise+the+official+target+for+the+cartel%27s+oil+output+to+close+to+the+current+level+of+production+will+make+no+real+difference+on+the+ground%2C%26quot%3B+Julian+Jessop%2C+chief+global+economist+at+Capital+Economics%2C+wrote+in+a+note+Wednesday.+%26quot%3BThe+bigger+picture+is+that+the+latest+demand+forecasts+from+both+OPEC+and+the+International+Energy+Agency+still+look+too+high+and+that+oil+prices+have+further+to+fall.%26quot%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EOPEC%27s+last+official+production+target+was+just+under+25+million+barrels+per+day+set+in+2008.+The+world+currently+produces+just+under+88+million+barrels+of+oil+per+day%2C+according+to+the+U.S.+Energy+Information+Administration.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EOil+prices+in+the+U.S.+have+been+hovering+around+%24100+a+barrel+for+the+last+several+weeks.+%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EU.S.+oil+prices+have+risen+a+bit+in+recent+months+as+a+supply+glut+in+the+United+States+began+to+resolve+itself%2C+but+they+are+lower+than+the+%24112+a+barrel+seen+at+the+start+of+the+year+following+the+Middle+East+protests+and+a+loss+of+oil+from+Libya.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EThe+Libyan+loss+was+largely+made+up+for+by+Saudi+Arabia%2C+which+went+against+its+fellow+OPEC+members+and+raised+production.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EWednesday%27s+agreement+announced+at+the+conclusion+of+the+annual+OPEC+conference+held+in+Vienna+allows+for+Saudi+Arabia+to+continue+producing+oil+at+current+levels+even+though+oil+from+Libya+is+returning+to+market+and+output+from+Iraq+is+increasing+%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fus-fast-cash-now.com%22%3Eonline+cash+advance%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%21–+.+–%3E.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EIt+represents+a+bit+of+a+victory+for+Saudi+Arabia%2C+which+has+argued+for+higher+oil+production+against+some+other+OPEC+countries+like+Iran+and+Venezuela%2C+which+wanted+to+limit+output.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EBut+OPEC+left+the+door+open+to+future+production+cuts.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%26quot%3BThe+Conference+also+agreed+that+Member+Countries+would%2C+if+necessary%2C+take+steps+%28including+voluntary+downward+adjustments+of+output%29+to+ensure+market+balance+and+reasonable+price+levels%2C%26quot%3B+OPEC+said+in+a+statement+on+its+Web+site.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EOPEC+is+often+vague+and+divided+about+what+it+considers+%26quot%3Breasonable+price+levels%26quot%3B.+Last+week+OPEC+Secretary+General+Abdulla+Salem+El+Badri%2C+himself+a+Libyan%2C+described+current+prices+as+%26quot%3Bcomfortable.%26quot%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3EBut+it%27s+been+reported+that+certain+ministers+in+Saudi+Arabia+and+the+Gulf+states+would+prefer+a+price+closer+to+%2480+a+barrel+in+an+attempt+to+spur+global+economic+growth.+%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3ESome+analysts+are+expecting+Saudi+Arabia+to+eventually+cut+production%2C+especially+if+supplies+swell.%3C%2Fp%3E%3Cp%3E%26quot%3BRelatively+weak+global+demand+growth+coupled+with+the+gradual+recovery+in+Libyan+output+and+a+resumption+of+growth+in+Iraqi+output+will+lead+to+a+Saudi+pullback+of+at+least+500%2C000+barrels+per+day%26quot%3B+by+early+next+year%2C+Greg+Priddy%2C+a+global+energy+analyst+at+the+political+risk+consultancy+Eurasia+Group%2C+wrote+in+a+research+note+earlier+this+week.+%26nbsp%3B+%3C%2Fp%3E++%3Cp%3E%3Ca+href%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fmoney.cnn.com%2F2011%2F12%2F14%2Fmarkets%2Fopec_oil%2Findex.htm%27+rel%3D%27nofollow%27%3ESource%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E+

O’Fallon, Mo.-based MEMC lays off 1,300 worldwide

O’FALLON, MO installment payday loans.

Italian PM briefs politicians on austerity plan

Premier Mario Monti briefed political leaders Saturday on his package of austerity and economic growth measures ahead of a critical week of Italian and European […]

TD profits rise 58 per cent to $1.57 billion

TORONTO

Obama road trip: from payroll tax to campaign cash

One trip, two money pitches. President Barack Obama wants more money in the pockets of U.S. workers _ and in his campaign treasury.
With both goals […]

Congress still has time, but debt bomb fuse is getting short

The failure of Congress’ deficit-cutting supercommittee may be a bad omen, but it’s no calamity.
Just ask the bond market, which is still willing to lend […]

Germany’s auction flop adds to European debt fears

Germany failed to raise as much money as it hoped in its latest bond auction, in a surprising sign that Europe’s biggest economy may not […]

SKorea’s parliament ratifies US trade deal

South Korea’s parliament ratified a long-stalled free trade deal with the United States on Tuesday after ruling party lawmakers forced a vote amid shouts and […]

St. Charles TIF panel declines to back Schnucks project

ST. CHARLES