Saudi Arabia Extends 1 Million Barrel Oil Cut, Pushing Brent Above $85

Saudi Arabia will extend its voluntary oil production cut of 1 million barrels per day (bpd) for another month to include September, a move aimed at bolstering flagging crude prices. The decision, announced by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, immediately sent Brent crude futures climbing to $85.43 a barrel.

An official source from the Ministry of Energy confirmed the extension, stating that the cut could be “extended, or extended and deepened” in the future. This keeps the kingdom's total output for September at approximately 9 million bpd.

Riyadh's move was swiftly followed by a pledge from Russia to reduce its oil exports by 300,000 bpd in September. The coordinated actions by the two de facto leaders of the OPEC+ alliance send a clear signal of their intent to tighten global supply.

According to the Saudi ministry, the extension is intended “to support the stability and balance of oil markets.” It's the latest in a series of supply curbs by the OPEC+ group aimed at propping up prices amid concerns over global economic growth.

While the Saudi extension was widely anticipated, “the Russian cut is a new development,” Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS, told Reuters. He projects the market will face a supply deficit of more than 1.5 million bpd in September. “This joint action is likely to drive prices higher,” Staunovo added.

PRISM Insight

The coordinated cuts signal a determined effort by Saudi Arabia and Russia to establish a new price floor for crude, likely above the $80 mark. This strategy poses a direct challenge to global efforts to tame inflation and could force central banks to maintain a hawkish stance for longer. For investors, the move increases upside risk for energy stocks but creates headwinds for transportation and industrial sectors sensitive to fuel costs.