Energy-exporting countries are set to pull their “petrodollars” out of world markets this year for the first time in almost two decades, according to a study by BNP Paribas.
Driven by this year’s drop in oil prices, the shift is likely to cause global market liquidity to fall, the study showed.
Brent crude futures have fallen 23 per cent this year, with 2014 promising to be only the second year since 2002 that crude prices will end the year lower than they began it.
This decline follows years of windfalls for oil exporters such as Russia, Angola, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. Much of that money found its way into financial markets, helping to boost asset prices and keep the cost of borrowing down, through so-called petrodollar recycling.
This year, however, the oil producers will effectively import capital amounting to $7.6 billion.
By comparison, they exported $60bn in 2013 and $248bn in 2012, according to BNP Paribas calculations.
Petrodollar recycling peaked at $511bn in 2006, BNP said.
