US EASES SANCTIONS ON VENEZUELA ENERGY The U.S. Treasury Department issued two new licenses allowing companies to resume operations and make new investments in Venezuela’s oil and gas sector. Authorized firms include Chevron ( CVX), BP ( BP.L), ENI ( ENI.MI), Repsol ( REP.MC), and Shell. Transactions by companies based in Russia, Iran, or China remain prohibited, and new investments require separate Treasury permits.(*Walter Bloomberg)