Freshly released financial stats from the Bank of Algeria show the country’s deficit falling by 9% (13% in dollar terms) to a five-year low of $10.5bn for 2018.

The country – which appears to be entering a chronic period of political instability with elections canceled this week – saw its 2018 finances boosted by a 32% rise in oil prices to an annual average of $71.4/B for Algeria’s Saharan Blend crude, the highest level since 2014. (CONTINUED - 997 WORDS)