OPEC+ talks on oil-supply increase stall

The OPEC office in Vienna, Austria. (Reuters file)
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Updated 03 July 2021
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OPEC+ talks on oil-supply increase stall

  • Ministers from the member nations will reconvene on Monday and experts say a deal is likely when the negotiations resume
  • The members had been discussing plans to increase output by 400,000 barrels a day each month between August and December

DUBAI: OPEC+ talks on Friday about a deal to gradually increase oil supply during the rest of this year were postponed until Monday, as members failed to agree on new terms to accommodate requests from some countries.

The group, an alliance of OPEC members and 10 other oil-producing nations led by Russia, had agreed initially on a proposal to increase output by about 400,000 barrels of crude a day each month from August through December, and to extend the broader agreement to continue to limit output, which is due to expire in April next year, until end of 2022.

Although this agreement fell apart, oil experts believe that a deal will be reached when the talks resume next week.

Saudi Arabia and Russia want to gradually increase the oil supply in the coming months to satisfy the growing demand as the world begins to emerge from pandemic lockdowns.

Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Salman, the Saudi energy minister, last month stressed the need to maintain a cautious approach to oil supply, even as the price of Brent rude, the global benchmark, surges. It has risen by more than 50 per cent this year to stand at $76 a barrel yesterday.

 

 


JLL to invest in PIF-backed FMTECH to boost Saudi facilities management sector

Updated 6 sec ago
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JLL to invest in PIF-backed FMTECH to boost Saudi facilities management sector

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced on Monday that US-based real estate services firm JLL will acquire a significant stake in Saudi Facility Management Co., known as FMTECH, a subsidiary of the sovereign wealth fund.

In a press release, PIF said it will retain a majority ownership in FMTECH following the transaction.

Saad Alkroud, head of local real estate investment at PIF, said facilities management plays a central role in the Kingdom’s real estate and infrastructure ecosystem and is a key pillar of the fund’s local real estate strategy.

He noted that the strategy supports economic transformation and diversification, promotes urban innovation, and enhances quality of life.

“JLL’s investment will further accelerate FMTECH’s development and unlock new growth opportunities that will benefit the wider facilities management sector,” Alkroud said.

FMTECH was launched by PIF in 2023 as a national integrated facilities management company, providing services to PIF portfolio firms as well as public- and private-sector clients across Saudi Arabia.

The investment enables JLL to broaden its service offering in the Kingdom while deepening its existing partnership with PIF.

Neil Murray, CEO of real estate management services at JLL, said the investment brings together JLL’s global operational expertise and technology-driven facilities management capabilities with FMTECH’s deep understanding of the local market.

“By combining our strengths, we aim to deliver high-quality, efficient services to clients in Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding facilities management market,” Murray said.

FMTECH is expected to leverage JLL’s international network and operational experience to develop new commercial opportunities while supporting the localization of expertise and advanced technologies.

According to the press release, the company will integrate JLL’s digital facilities management platforms and global operating systems, significantly enhancing service quality, efficiency, and transparency across its operations.

The transaction aligns with PIF’s broader strategy to attract domestic and international private-sector investment into its portfolio companies, helping unlock their full potential while advancing the Kingdom’s economic transformation agenda and generating sustainable long-term returns.