Khashoggi Crisis Tests Saudi Crown Prince's Firm Grip on Power - Bloomberg

Khashoggi Crisis Tests Saudi Crown Prince's Firm Grip on Power - Bloomberg: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has positioned himself as the future ruler of the world’s largest oil supplier for decades to come. Now, that leadership path is on shakier ground.

The widening fallout from the death of Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington-based Saudi journalist, inside Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul has raised questions about whether the crown prince can maintain his grip on all levers of power in the kingdom or if he’ll be checked by his father, or even rivals.

It took 17 days for Saudi Arabia to admit that Khashoggi, a frequent critic of the regime who went into self-exile, was dead. The day after he went missing, Prince Mohammed told Bloomberg News that Khashoggi had left the consulate on his own. Now the government says he died after "discussions" between him and other people at the consulate turned physical. The Saudis say 18 people are detained in the continuing probe.

Saudi Arabia CDS hit 100 bps, highest since June | ZAWYA MENA Edition

Saudi Arabia CDS hit 100 bps, highest since June | ZAWYA MENA Edition:

Saudi Arabia's debt insurance costs hit their highest since June on Friday, as tensions continued to rise over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a consulate in Turkey.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he presumed Khashoggi was dead and that the U.S. response to Saudi Arabia was likely to be "very severe". 

Saudi credit default swaps which investors buy as protection against default, rose to 100 basis points for the first time since June, data from IHS Markit showed.