GCC Says it Plays Major Role in Ensuring Energy Security

The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi
The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi
TT

GCC Says it Plays Major Role in Ensuring Energy Security

The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi
The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi

The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, stated that GCC states are key players in ensuring energy security.

In a speech at a conference in Bahrain, Albudaiwi highlighted the GCC's consistently proven reliability as an energy partner, stating that the commitment of Gulf states to achieving stability in global energy markets has been evident over the decades.

The 19th Manama Dialogue Conference 'Regional Security Summit', organized by Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), was held on November 17-19 in Manama, in the presence of Ministers, heads of security services, experts and politicians.

Albudaiwi emphasized the importance of the strategic efforts made by the GCC to enhance energy security, including a focus on renewable energy sources, strong investment in research and development for sustainable energy solutions, enhancing the efficiency of energy practices, and encouraging private sector collaboration in joint projects.



Turkish Annual Inflation Falls More Than Expected to 44.38%

A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
TT

Turkish Annual Inflation Falls More Than Expected to 44.38%

A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo

Turkish annual consumer price inflation fell more than expected to 44.38% in December, official data showed on Friday, with education, housing and restaurant prices leading the rise.

Month on month, inflation was 1.03%, the Turkish Statistical Institute said, compared with 2.24% in November. Annual consumer price inflation (CPI) was 47.09% in November.

Furniture prices rose 2.78% from the previous month, data showed, while telecoms-related prices gained by 1.82%.

In a Reuters poll, the annual inflation rate was expected to fall to 45.2%, with the monthly figure seen at 1.61%, owing to easing food price inflation and a limited rise in energy prices.

The latest inflation print was close to the central bank's midpoint prediction of 44% for the end of 2024.

The bank, having kept its main interest rate steady at 50% since March, launched an easing cycle last week, cutting the policy rate by 250 basis points to 47.5%.

The bank said it will set policy "prudently" meeting by meeting with a focus on the inflation outlook while responding to any expected "significant and persistent deterioration".

The Turkish lira was little changed after the data at 35.3850 to the dollar, hovering around the record lows.

The domestic producer price index was up 0.4% month on month in December for an annual rise of 28.52%, the data showed.