Opec's output freeze: What has changed since Doha?

IT'S possible that Opec (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is crying wolf with hints of an output freeze next month in Algiers; but it's also possible that they are ramping up production to take the sting out of a freeze. This is a delicate balancing act that the Saudis need to play very carefully.

The official chatter is that the Opec meeting in Algeria from Sept 26 to 28 could conclude with an agreement to freeze production by the member nations, with even Russia joining forces in a f…