沙特否認其石油政策存在政治動機
Saudi Arabia’s oil minister has rejected claims that the kingdom is intent on pushing prices lower, saying the sharp falls were a “temporary” problem and not driven by political will.
The comments from Ali al-Naimi yesterday initially provided support for the oil price, which has fallen 45 per cent since mid-June to five and a half year lows. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, rose to $64.22 a barrel, but fell in afternoon trading in the US to $60.40, down 78 cents.
自6月中旬以來，油價累計下跌45%，至五年半低位。阿里•納伊米(Ali al-Naimi)昨日發表的言論最初對油價構成了支撐，國際油價基準布倫特原油(Brent crude)一度升至每桶64.22美元，但在美國午盤交易中又跌至60.40美元，當日下跌了78美分。“I am optimistic about the future,” Mr Naimi said. “What we are facing now and what the world is facing is a temporary situation and will pass.” Mr Naimi blamed the falls on a rise in non-Opec supply at a time when demand was slowing down amid weaker global economic growth. But he said the market “must not forget the negative role of speculators” in causing volatility.
“我對未來很樂觀。”納伊米表示，“我們現在面臨的和世界現在面臨的，是一個暫時性情況，它會過去的。”納伊米將油價下跌歸咎於非歐佩克供應上升，而需求卻因全球經濟增長疲弱而放緩。但他表示，市場“絕不能忘記投機者（在引發波動中）的負面作用”。
Mr Naimi countered claims of a link between the kingdom’s oil policy and wider political motives, saying it was difficult for the Gulf nation and other members of Opec to reduce output and sacrifice market share in the current environment. Opec, led by its largest producer Saudi Arabia, stuck to its 30m barrels a day output target at its November meeting, despite calls from poorer members of the cartel for production cuts to shore up prices.
納伊米反駁了這樣一種說法，即沙特的石油政策與全局性政治動機之間存在聯繫。他表示，在當前環境下，很難安排海灣國家和歐佩克(OPEC)其他成員國減產和犧牲市場份額。在11月舉行的會議上，歐佩克在產油量最大的成員國沙特的帶動下，決定堅持3000萬桶的日產量目標，儘管這個產油國卡特爾的一些較貧窮成員國呼籲減產以支撐油價。Mr Naimi has been criticised domestically for not clearly communicating the thinking behind Saudi oil policy that has contributed to further dramatic falls in the oil price and has also roiled the country’s stock market.
納伊米最近在國內受到批評，批評者稱他未能清楚地傳達沙特石油政策背後的思路，從而加劇了油價的進一步戲劇性下滑，還攪亂了該國的股市。Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share index hit its lowest level since June 2013 this week, having dropped 15 per cent in the past 18 months. It rallied 9 per cent yesterday after Mr Naimi’s comments.
沙特的Tadawul全股指數(Tadawul All Share index)本週曾跌至2013年6月以來的低位，在過去18個月期間累計下跌了15%。納伊米昨日表態後，該股指反彈9%。Striking an optimistic tone, Mr Naimi said he expected demand for crude to grow when the rebound in the global economy gathered pace. Saudi Arabia exported 10 per cent less oil overseas in October than it did a year earlier on weaker demand, according to the Joint Organisations Data Initiative.
納伊米語氣樂觀，表示他預計隨着全球經濟的復甦步伐加快，原油需求將會增長。“聯合組織數據倡議”(Joint Organisations Data Initiative)的數據顯示，需求疲弱導致沙特10月份石油出口同比減少10%。
