OPEC not to blame for soaring inflation, says secretary-general

OPEC secretary-general also pointed to the chronic underinvestment in the oil and gas industry.
Short Url
Updated 17 August 2022
Follow

OPEC not to blame for soaring inflation, says secretary-general

RIYADH: The secretary-general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Haitham Al-Ghais, said that the influential group of producers is not responsible for rising inflation.

He also pointed to the chronic underinvestment in the oil and gas industry.

“OPEC is not behind this price increase,” Al-Ghais told CNBC. 

He added: “There are other factors beyond OPEC that are really behind the spike we have seen in gas (and) in oil. And again, I think in a nutshell, for me, it is underinvestment — chronic underinvestment.”

“This is the harsh reality that people have to wake up to, and policymakers have to wake up to. Once that is realized, I think then we can start to think of a solution here. And the solution is very clear. OPEC has a solution: invest, invest, invest,” Al-Ghais said.

Al-Ghais’ comments come shortly after the oil producers' group of OPEC and non-OPEC partners, surprised market participants at its Aug. 3 meeting by announcing plans to add only 100,000 barrels per day from next month.


Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 11,228 

Updated 15 February 2026
Follow

Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 11,228 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Sunday, lost 23.17 points, or 0.21 percent, to close at 11,228.64. 

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR2.99 billion ($797 million), as 170 of the stocks advanced and 82 retreated.    

On the other hand, the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu gained 449.38 points, or 1.90 percent, to close at 24,093.12. This comes as 43 of the stocks advanced while 27 retreated.    

The MSCI Tadawul Index lost 6.07 points, or 0.40 percent, to close at 1,511.36.     

The best-performing stock of the day was Obeikan Glass Co., whose share price surged 7.54 percent to SR27.66.  

Other top performers included Alamar Foods Co., whose share price rose 6.80 percent to SR47.10, as well as Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co., whose share price climbed 6.79 percent to SR5.66.   

Saudi Investment Bank recorded the steepest drop, falling 3.21 percent to SR13.56. 

Jahez International Co. for Information System Technology also saw its share price fall 3.15 percent to SR13.55. 

Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co. declined 2.78 percent to SR7.34. 

On the announcements front, Tanmiah Food Co. reported its annual financial results for the period ending Dec. 31. According to a Tadawul statement, the company recorded a net loss of SR18.8 million, compared with a net profit of SR95.8 million a year earlier. 

The net loss was mainly due to ongoing market challenges that resulted in continued pricing pressures in fresh poultry, inflationary cost pressures, higher financing expenses, and depreciation and ramp-up costs from new facilities, partially offset by increased production volumes and cost-optimization initiatives.  

Tanmiah Food Co. ended the session at SR58.20, up 3.72 percent. 

United International Holding Co., also known as Tas’heel, announced its annual financial results for the period ending Dec. 31. A bourse filing showed the company recorded a net profit of SR273.64 million in 2025, up 23.05 percent from 2024, primarily driven by a 23.4 percent rise in revenues. The revenue growth helped lift gross profit by 23.7 percent. 

Tas’heel ended the session at SR146.80, down 0.28 percent.