Bloomberg | Iraq's Oil Minister Says He's Optimistic Crude Prices Will Rise Bloomberg Iraq's Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said he's optimistic crude prices will rise in 2018, with global stockpiles falling and demand on the rise in China and India. “I am very optimistic that in the first quarter, oil markets will witness balance ... Iraqi oil minister says expects oil market to be in balance in first quarter Iraq has not reached agreement with Exxon on southern oilfields -oil minister Chinese firm ZhenHua Oil to develop oil field near Iraqi capital Baghdad |