Don’t Mess With Saudis in Oil Bear Market Global Shakeout

The bear market in oil is showing the world there’s still only one country in a position to choose winners and losers in the global market: Saudi Arabia.

The world’s largest oil exporter is trying to protect its market share by keeping its production steady even as prices hit a four-year low. Energy producers in turmoil, such as Russia, Iran and Venezuela, stand to lose the most, U.S. shale drillers and other Saudi rivals will suffer and industrialized importing countries including Japan will get a boost from cheaper prices.