Riyadh, Moscow Stress Commitment to Reduce Oil Production

File: Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak
File: Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak
TT

Riyadh, Moscow Stress Commitment to Reduce Oil Production

File: Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak
File: Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak

Saudi Arabia and Russia stressed Thursday mutual commitment to reduce oil production over the next two years, noting that they would also monitor the oil market closely.

In a joint statement, the two countries said they were prepared to take further measures jointly with OPEC+ and other producers if necessary.

The statement followed a phone call between the Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak on Thursday.

This comes as part of their regular consultations on the oil market situation.

The two sides stressed that Saudi Arabia and Russia have worked diligently with other OPEC+ countries and other producers to achieve a historic agreement to stabilize the oil market.

"Both our nations are strongly committed to implementing the agreed target cuts over the next two years," the statement said.

"We are also confident that our partners in OPEC+ and other producers will live up to their commitments."



Turkish Manufacturing Sector Nears Stabilization in December

01 January 2025, Türkiye, Nisantasi: People celebrate the new year in Istanbul's prestigious district of Sisli, Nisantasi. Photo: Tolga Ildun/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
01 January 2025, Türkiye, Nisantasi: People celebrate the new year in Istanbul's prestigious district of Sisli, Nisantasi. Photo: Tolga Ildun/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
TT

Turkish Manufacturing Sector Nears Stabilization in December

01 January 2025, Türkiye, Nisantasi: People celebrate the new year in Istanbul's prestigious district of Sisli, Nisantasi. Photo: Tolga Ildun/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
01 January 2025, Türkiye, Nisantasi: People celebrate the new year in Istanbul's prestigious district of Sisli, Nisantasi. Photo: Tolga Ildun/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Türkiye’s manufacturing sector contracted at the slowest rate in eight months in December, a business survey showed on Thursday, in a sign that the sector is nearing stabilization.

The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 49.1 last month from 48.3 in November, moving nearer to the 50 threshold denoting growth, according to the survey by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry and S&P Global.

“December PMI data provided plenty of hope for the sector in 2025. While business conditions continued to moderate, the latest slowdown was only marginal as signs of improvement were seen in a range of variables across the survey,” said Andrew Harker, Economics Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, according to Reuters.

The survey highlighted a softer moderation in production, which declined at the slowest pace in nine months, suggesting some improvement in demand.

The rate of slowdown in new orders and purchasing eased, although demand remained subdued.

“If this momentum can be built on at the start of 2025, we could see the sector return to growth. The prospects for the sector should be helped by a much more benign inflationary environment than has been the case in recent years,” Harker said.

Despite the positive signs, employment in the manufacturing sector saw a renewed decline, reversing a rise in November, the survey showed.

Input costs increased sharply due to higher raw material prices, but the rate of output price inflation slowed to its weakest in over five years as some firms offered discounts to boost sales.