Sunday Times 2
Change in global financial order expected as US-Saudi petrodollar deal expires
View(s):Saudi Arabia has decided not to renew its 50-year old petro-dollar deal with United States, a decision that it expected to cause upheaval in the financial world.
Several media reports cited that the deal, which was a major milestone for US global economic dominance, expired on June 9, with no official confirmation on its renewal.
The deal signed on June 8, 1974, was a result of the bilateral agreement between the two nations, as a result of which the price and trade of oil was conducted exclusively in US dollars.
With the expiration of this agreement, it is expected that Saudi will sell oil in multiple currencies, including Euros, Yen and Yuan. Media reports also cited that the country is exploring digital currencies for transactions. Saudi Arabia’s decision to join Project mBridge, an effort to develop a digital currency platform shared among central banks points towards new potentials.
A decline in demand for the US dollar could lead to higher inflation, interest rates, and a weaker bond market in the US.
Saudi Arabia’s move marks the beginning of a major shift in the global economy, though its full impact remains to be seen.
- The Peninsula, Qatar