VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Russia's leading oil producer, Rosneft has proposed investing another $500 million in Venezuela's state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela SA, to increase their stake from the original 16.7%. The proposition has come at a time when the country has declared an economic emergency after oil prices dropped to an alarming $24 a barrel.

Saudi Arabia and Russia, the world's largest oil producers, have come to an agreement to reduce oil production into the January level. This is the first time for the two countries working together in efforts to fix the oil industry, which has been dropping for years.

Oil prices rebounded on news that there may be production cut by OPEC. US Brent futures recouped losses by 6.8 percent and US crude pared 9.3 percent losses during the week. In overall, oil prices rebounded by over 25 percent after hitting 12-month low in January. Oil price hit $27.10 on 20 January 2016.

The slump of oil price has contributed to economic crisis in Venezuela. Inflation rate in the country has reached 141 percent. This situation has made president Venezuela to take some action.

Just Prior to the State of Address to the Congress, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has imposed economic emergency for 60 days. The concerned decree is aimed to allocate funds to keep alive the socialist government’s signature anti poverty programs. If opposition led Congress denies the imposed decree, Maduro will have to appeal to the Supreme Court of justice for its continued effectiveness.

Venezuelan telecom sector is reeling under pressure as it lacks additional funds availability, the physical currency of dollars. The cash-strapped telecom companies are unable to strengthen their networks. The soaring inflation doesn't allow them to raise a tariff.

The value of Venezuela's currency, the Bolivar, has nose-dived too fast and has now reached a point where it's worth less than a penny on the US dollar.

Oil group OPEC agreed to stick by its policy of unconstrained output for another six months on Friday, setting aside warnings of a second lurch lower in prices as some members such as Iran look to ramp up exports.

OPEC is unlikely to change its production ceiling when the group meets in June, Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Sunday, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.

The Venezuela division of Ford Motor Co (F.N) will sell pickups and sport utility vehicles in dollars, a union leader said on Wednesday, part of a deal with the government to restart operations stalled for lack of hard currency to import parts.

Venezuela, struggling to pay for essential items such as food and medicine amid strict foreign currency controls, may have failed to collect about a third of its potential oil revenue in 2014, a Reuters analysis suggests.

General Electric Co projects revenue growth in the high single digits for Latin American in 2015 despite difficulties in major markets such as Brazil and Venezuela, the company's chief executive for the region said on Thursday.

Venezuela's government has told the country's food industry that it is limiting dollar disbursements for food imports so that it can pay down foreign debt amid low oil prices, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation.

American companies tired of seeing their earnings badly hurt by Venezuela’s crumbling bolivar currency system, can - with the stroke of a pen - get rid of much of the problem.

Venezuela will announce a change of policy soon on gasoline, the finance minister said in an interview broadcast on Friday, signaling the OPEC nation is moving ahead with along-awaited hike in the world's cheapest fuel.