Saudi Arabia expects to boost its crude output in the second half of this year, an oil official with the Kingdom said Monday. The remarks are the clearest signal to date that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ kingpin will respond to rising demand as the group prepares to meet in Vienna on Wednesday. “We expect Saudi output to be higher in the second half if OPEC estimates for demand are higher,” said the official, who requested anonymity. OPEC sees demand for its oil rising by about 1 million barrels a day in the second half of 2014, compared with the preceding six months. Already, Saudi Arabia slightly increased its output to 9.705 million barrels a day in May, up by about 35,000 barrels a day from 9.66 million barrels a day the previous month. The rising demand also comes as OPEC ponders how to make up for […]