If the ministers from OPEC thought they were the only act in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, they were in for a surprise. Who stole the show? Well Justin Timberlake for one.
The multi-award winning singer/dancer had top billing when it came to star recognition at the Emirates Palace hotel, the massive arena that was also the venue for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries ministerial meeting in the UAE capital on December 5.
"We are here to cover OPEC," said the chirpy financial journalists when they bumped into Timberlake in the cavernous hotel. To which Timberlake replied: "Who's OPEC?" Strike one for Justin.
And if there were any boxing fans out there, they could have rubbed shoulders with the elegant former middleweight boxing champion Chris Eubank, also spotted entering the palatial hotel oblivious to the presence of the OPEC heavyweights within.
But as they settled into their luxurious suites, the big hitters of the oil world had other matters on their minds. Should they open the spigots and pour more oil onto the troubled waters of an agitated world market or just relax and enjoy the benefits of $90 plus oil? In the end, they opted to maintain the status quo, signaling a comfort level with the current price level.
And what exactly does $90/barrel buy, aside from private planes and floor-to-ceiling marble palaces?
The handsome Omani minister, attending the OPEC meeting as an observer, confirmed that he had taken a second wife. "At $90 a barrel, I can afford two or even three," he quipped.
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