Three-way Fork: Declining revenues force the government to choose between dipping into the National Welfare Fund, sequestration, and devaluation
OPEC+ continues to pursue accelerated oil production expansion amid a global economic slowdown. This increases the likelihood of oil prices sliding towards $50 per barrel. An additional threat is the intensification of sanctions against Russian oil, which will push its actual price even lower. The government hopes to partially offset the loss of oil and gas revenues with non-oil revenues. However, higher tax rates may not deliver the desired effect.