OPEC unlikely to lose oil influence to US shale: analysts

OPEC's announcement that it is keeping crude output levels unchanged again, despite a collapse in oil prices, reflects the growing influence of booming US shale but analysts say the cartel is still the dominant player. The 12-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) switched its production strategy in November in order to push down prices and hurt high-cost US shale producers, who need elevated prices to make their operations profitable. OPEC ditched its traditional role