The 7 key 'agents of influence' to watch ahead of OPEC's next meeting

Markets often focus on day-to-day tumultuous headlines and data points as they look for clues about upcoming OPEC decisions.

But it's also worth watching the key decision makers both in and out of the cartel as we approach the next OPEC meeting in May, during which producers will decide whether to extend the November output reduction agreement for another six months.

In a recent report to clients, Helima Croft, the global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, put together a guide on oil's seven major "agents of influence" and their positions leading up to May's meeting. Her team also assigned them nicknames to explain their particular roles.

"In our view, domestic concerns will play a critical role, and many of the key decisions about whether to extend the deal will take place in palaces and the offices of presidents and prime ministers," Croft wrote in the report.

Using her team's research, we outline the key players, their nicknames, and their positions.