Saudis ready to back cut in oil output

Leading OPEC producer Saudi Arabia now may be prepared to back an output reduction of one million barrels a day or more, cartel…

Leading OPEC producer Saudi Arabia now may be prepared to back an output reduction of one million barrels a day or more, cartel delegates said.

They said Riyadh initially had opened the bidding on a cut at 700,000 barrels per day but had moved close to one million barrels daily.

"Now the Saudis are at a million it suggests they could compromise and go a bit higher than that," said one Gulf delegate.

Several OPEC producers have been pushing for an output cut of more than a million barrels daily after global demand forecasts were revised lower this week and oil prices fell $1.50.