Volatile crude oil prices reflect a volatile geopolitical climate, as well as concerns about global trade tensions, Russia’s energy minister, said Friday. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak addressed the price of crude oil ahead of next week’s meetings in Helsinki between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. president expressed concern about rising crude oil prices in recent weeks, calling on Saudi Arabia to open the spigot to address a looming supply deficit in the second half of the year. Novak was quoted as saying Friday by Russian news agency Tass that a higher price for oil was negative for the global economy. “Crude prices are volatile and respond to existing general signals,” he said. “The current prices […]