WTI & Brent trade around $0.40 above............>

OIL: WTI & Brent trade around $0.40 above settlement levels. Worth noting that

several stories have crossed the wires since Thursday's settlement.

- Most recently, Washington Post sources have reported that the U.S. is

preparing to announce that all Iranian oil importers will have to end their

imports in the short term or be open to U.S. sanctions. The sources suggest that

the announcement could come as early as today.

- Elsewhere, Friday saw RTRS report that Venezuelan "President Nicolas Maduro is

funnelling cashflow from Venezuelan oil sales through Russian state energy giant

Rosneft as he seeks to evade U.S. sanctions designed to oust him from power,

according to sources and documents reviewed by Reuters." Rosneft has pushed back

against the allegations, and reportedly plans to inform domestic security

services re: the matter.

- Finally, Friday saw the White House confirm that U.S. President Trump spoke

with Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, leader of the Libyan opposition, who has

launched an assault on the country's capital, Tripoli. Haftar is in control of a

large amount of Libya's crude oil facilities.