Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are discussing an agreement that would raise oil output by 300,000 to 600,000 barrels a day (bpd) over the next few months, Bloomberg reported, citing people briefed on the talks. That is well below the 1.5 million bpd uptick in production touted a few weeks ago, reducing investor fears of a significant slowdown in rebalancing in oil markets, which could potentially hurt oil prices. Click Read More below for additional information.

Accenture has acquired marketing and sales consultancy Brand Learning and technology services firm Search Technologies, both for undisclosed sums. In terms of the Brand Learning acquisition, a press release states that Brand Learning's advisory team will join the management consulting and industry specialists within Accenture's Customer and Channels practice. The partnership, according to the press release, will enhance Accenture's offerings in terms of marketing and sales strategy, organizational design, industry-specific consulting, and HR and leadership capabilities – allowing the professional services company to deliver end-to-end solutions and help clients create more integrated customer experiences. It will also tap into the digital design and engagement skills of Accenture Interactive, the release reads.