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A new mechanism adopted by OPEC+ to assess members' maximum output capacity will ultimately help to stabilise markets and reward those who invest in production, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has said.The OPEC+ group approved the mechanism to assess members' maximum production capacity to be used for setting baselines from 2027, against which their output targets are set, Opec said on Sunday.Prince Abdulaziz said the mechanism was "fair and transparent" for determining production levels."Now we have the most detailed, the most technical, transparent approach of how we can move forward in the future in managing the market and how to attend to production", he said."Sunday was probably one of the most successful days in my personal career and I am very grateful and thankful for the support of our friends in Russia," he said during the launch of a Saudi-Russian business forum in Riyadh.The meetings on Sunday of OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, also agreed to leave oil output levels unchanged for the first quarter of 2026.The evaluation of members' maximum production capacity is scheduled to take place between January and September 2026, according to sources following the meetings, allowing for 2027 output quotas to be set."It will also be a mechanism that will reward those who invest and those who believe there is growth, and would put us in the lead amongst the other producers," Prince Abdulaziz said.OPEC+ has been discussing the production capacity and quotas issue for years in talks that had proved difficult because some members such as the United Arab Emirates have increased capacity and want higher quotas.Other members such as African countries have seen declines in production capacity but are resisting quota cuts. Angola quit the group in 2024 over a disagreement about its production quotas. 

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc) will maintain spending at $150bn over the next five years as it targets growth in production capacity at home and expands internationally.The company’s board approved the capital expenditure plan that’s in line with the previous layout that was announced three years ago. Since then, Abu Dhabi’s biggest oil producer has carved out an international investment business called XRG that is scouring the globe for deals.XRG has boosted its enterprise value to $151bn from $80bn since it was set up about a year ago, Adnoc said in a statement. The unit, which this year got stakes in Adnoc’s listed companies with a total market value exceeding $100bn, aims to become among the world’s top five suppliers of natural gas and petrochemicals, along with the energy needed to meet demand from the AI and tech booms.XRG has also snapped up contracts for liquefied natural gas in the US and Africa, bought into gas fields around the Mediterranean and is in the final stages of a nearly $14bn takeover of German chemical maker Covestro AG.Still, the company’s biggest effort yet fell apart in September when the firm dropped its planned $19bn takeover of Australian natural gas producer Santos Ltd It bounced back with a deal announced this month to explore buying into an LNG project in Argentina.Adnoc’s board, chaired by UAE President and Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, reviewed plans to expand oil and gas production capacity. It formed an operating company for the Hail and Ghasha offshore natural gas concession and boosted the project’s production target to 1.8bn cubic feet per day, from 1.5bn, by the end of the decade.Adnoc is in the process of increasing oil production capacity to 5mn barrels a day from 4.85mn a day currently. The UAE’s Opec+’s quota allows it to produce just over 3.4mn barrels a day in December, and raising capacity further would leave more of the capability lying idle.

The Al-Attiyah Foundation’s latest sustainability research paper warns that the race to protect food production in fragile environments in the Mena region is accelerating and the window for meaningful action is narrowing.The report, “Sustainable Agriculture in Arid Countries”, paints a sobering picture.Mena holds just 1% of the world’s freshwater yet supports 6% of the global population.For many farmers, this scarcity is no longer an abstract statistic. It is the reason crops yield less, reservoirs dry earlier each year, and groundwater wells sink deeper into deficit. Climate driven droughts have already reduced harvests by 10-30%, threatening both food security and household incomes across the region.Across the Middle East and North Africa, farmers, families and entire communities now stand at a defining crossroads.In the world’s driest region, where every drop of water carries the weight of a livelihood, rising temperatures, deepening droughts and shrinking freshwater reserves are reshaping daily life.“Amid these challenges, there are signs of hope”, Al-Attiyah Foundation noted.Countries such as Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing heavily in technologies that give farmers a fighting chance.Precision irrigation, solar powered desalination, climate-smart greenhouses and digital farming tools are helping communities make the most of the water they have.Qatar’s ‘HAIAT’ precision agriculture project, for example, uses satellite data and artificial intelligence to guide farmers on exactly when and how much to irrigate. These innovations show what is possible when science and sustainability work hand in hand.However, many farmers in the region remain in the margins.High upfront costs keep modern irrigation and protected farming systems out of reach for smallholders, the very people who grow a significant share of the region’s food. Despite carrying the greatest climate burden, they receive less than one percent of global climate finance.The report calls for new financial lifelines such as blended finance, concessional loans and climate insurance that can help farmers stay afloat when droughts strike. A recent $7.9mn drought insurance payout in Syria, which supported one hundred and twenty thousand people, shows how powerful these tools can be when designed well.Al-Attiyah Foundation concluded that the region was entering a race for resilience. The countries that will thrive are those that scale water efficient technologies, strengthen governance and unlock climate finance not only for major producers but for the countless small farmers whose resilience keeps food on tables across the region.

The shift from “quantity” to “quality” and from “exporting simple consumption goods” to “exporting production systems” signals that China was successful in re-positioning itself at the high end of global supply chains, according to QNB. Over the coming months, the discussions for a new 5-year plan and industrial policy cycle will gain momentum with a focus on key sectors emphasising AI and semiconductors.As China closes both its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and the decade since the launch of its flagship Made in China 2025 industrial strategy, the moment invites a sober look at what has been achieved, QNB said in an economic commentary.Some 10 years after Beijing first announced its ambition to move from “factory of the world” to “world leader in advanced manufacturing,” both the plan and the strategy are reaching maturity together. The 14th Five-Year Plan and Made in China 2025 were designed to improve the country’s economic KPIs into what policymakers now call “new quality productive forces,” a phrase that emphasises the pivot from quantity to quality, from input-driven expansion to technology-driven efficiency.Such change was focused on ten priority sectors where technological leadership would anchor future competitiveness, including robotics, aerospace, maritime engineering, advanced railway transportation equipment, new-generation IT, electric vehicles (EVs), advanced materials, biomedicine, energy equipment, and agricultural equipment’s.The evidence suggests that the strategy is bearing fruit. According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) Critical Technology Tracker, China’s performance in strategic technological fields has shifted dramatically over time, QNB noted.While in 2007 China led in only three out of 64 critical technologies, the figure has jumped to 57 out of 64 in 2023, outpacing other advanced economies in the race to lead the frontier of research and development for strategic application in key fields.Such impressive performance can be clearly observed in key segments, such as robotics, EVs, and green energy, it said. Robotics is perhaps the clearest illustration of Chinese technological leadership. According to the International Federation of Robotics, more than 295,000 industrial robots were installed in 2024, accounting for over half of global deployments.Those are strictly defined robots as “a programmed actuated mechanism with a degree of autonomy to perform locomotion, manipulation or positioning,” i.e., it needs to follow instructions from a control system, have physical hardware to move or apply forces, and perform physical tasks with defined levels of independence from continuous human control.The installed base now exceeds 2mn units, by far the largest worldwide. Even in terms of robot density, China leads with 470 robots per 10,000 manufacturing employees, having recently surpassed other industrial powerhouses such as Germany, Japan, and the US.This wave of automation marks the transformation of China’s industrial landscape from labour-intensive assembly to smart, data-driven production. This positions China as one of the leading countries in the world for automation after South Korea and Singapore.In solar, China installed more photovoltaic capacity in 2024 than the rest of the world combined, and its wind-power installations are equivalent to the total cumulative capacity of the United States and the European Union.These figures underline that China’s decarbonisation is not a by-product of slower growth but a deliberate industrial project: producing more energy, of cleaner origin, with globally unmatched efficiency and scale. What makes this transformation distinctive is the degree to which manufacturing, energy, and technology are converging. The push for advanced manufacturing feeds into the green transition through new materials, batteries, and grid technology, while the expansion of clean power lowers the cost base for further industrial upgrading.The synergies are now visible in export data, where the “new three” industries (EVs, lithium batteries, and solar modules) have collectively become one of China’s largest export categories, rivalling traditional electronics, QNB said.

QatarEnergy has awarded Samsung C&T Corporation the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for a landmark carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) project to serve QatarEnergy’s existing LNG production facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City.The new project will capture and sequester up to 4.1mn tons of CO₂ per year , making it one of the world’s largest of its kind and placing Qatar at the forefront of global large-scale carbon capture deployment, reinforcing its leadership role in providing responsible and sustainable energy.His Excellency the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, His Excellency Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, who is also the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, welcomed the award as an important step and said: “This milestone project builds upon our growing carbon capture and sequestration capabilities, which reinforce our position as a reliable provider of affordable lower-carbon energy. “All our LNG expansion projects will deploy CCS technologies, with an aim to capture over 11 MTPY of CO2 by 2035.”Minister al-Kaabi added: “By implementing important environmental aspects of QatarEnergy’s sustainability strategy, our CCS projects will enable a significant reduction in Green House Gas emissions and will greatly support Qatar’s National Climate Change Action Plan. To achieve this, we are pleased to partner with Samsung C&T Corporation, and we look forward to the successful execution of this world-scale project.”QatarEnergy launched its first CCS project in 2019 with a capacity of 2.2 MTPY. Two other ongoing CCS projects will serve the North Field East and North Field South expansion projects, capturing and storing 2.1 MTPY and 1.2 MTPY of CO2 respectively.

China's new energy vehicle (NEV) sector maintained strong momentum in production and sales in the first nine months of the year, according to industry data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). NEV production jumped 35.2% year-on-year to 11.24 million units during the first three quarters, according to data cited by Xinhua News Agency. Sales during the same period climbed 34.9% year-on-year to nearly 11.23 million units, accounting for 46.1% of total vehicle sales in China, CAAM data showed. According to the CAAM data, China's auto industry maintained robust production and sales during the period, driven by trade-in programs, local auto shows, and intensive new product launches. Total auto output reached 24.33 million units in the period, marking a 13.3% year-on-year increase, while sales grew 12.9% to 24.36 million units. Data also showed that China's auto exports maintained steady growth momentum, with a 14.8% year-on-year increase. Notably, NEV exports surged 89.4% year-on-year to 1.76 million units.

Jordan's industrial production rose by 1.76% during the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to new figures released by the Department of Statistics. The report showed that the general index of industrial production recorded an annual increase of 2.07% in August 2025, compared to August 2024. The index is now based on a new reference year, with 2018 set as the base (2018=100), replacing the previous 2010 baseline. Growth was driven primarily by a 1.81% rise in the manufacturing sector, which constitutes 88.7% of overall industrial output. Electricity production also saw a notable increase of 3.22%, accounting for 5.9% of the total index. However, output in the mining and quarrying sector fell by 1.39%, representing 5.4% of the industrial index. The report reflects ongoing efforts to modernize statistical measures and monitor sectoral performance in Jordan's evolving industrial landscape.

Oil prices rose nearly 1% on Wednesday as investors shrugged off concerns about oversupply after digesting a decision earlier by OPEC+ to limit production increases next month. Brent Crude futures gained 63 cents, or 0.96%, to $66.08 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 66 cents, or 1.07%, to $62.39. The benchmarks had settled broadly flat in the previous session as traders weighed signs of a potential supply glut against the smaller-than-expected output increase announced by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies.

Oil prices climbed around 1% at Monday's close after OPEC+ announced a smaller-than-expected production increase for November, easing some supply concerns. However, weak demand outlooks may limit further gains in the near term. Brent Crude futures rose by 94 cents, or 1.46%, to settle at $65.47 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 81 cents, or 1.33%, to $61.69. OPEC+ said on Monday it would raise oil output by 137,000 barrels per day in November—the same increase that applied in October—amid ongoing concerns about oversupply.

Saudi Arabia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) for July 2025 recorded an increase of 6.5 percent compared to the same month of the previous year (July 2024).According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), citing the Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the sub-index for mining and quarrying, the largest component of the IPI, rose by 6.5 percent year-on-year, while the manufacturing sector index grew by 7 percent.The sub-index for electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply increased by 0.9 percent, while the sub-index for water supply, sewage, waste management, and remediation activities rose by 8.5 percent compared to July 2024.The data also showed that oil-related activities grew by 7.8 percent, while non-oil activities recorded a 3.5 percent increase during the same period.

Iraq hopes fellow producers will reconsider its oil export quota to better reflect its production capacity, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Saturday, a day ahead of an Opec+ meeting in a rare public comment by a senior Iraqi official.Iraq, the group's largest overproducer, is under pressure from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut output to compensate for having produced more than its agreed volume.It is among countries that submitted plans in April to make further oil output cuts to compensate for pumping above agreed quotas.Iraq's oil exports averaged 3.38mn barrels per day in August, according to the oil ministry. September average oil exports are expected to be between 3.4mn bpd and 3.45mn, the chief of the state oil company SOMO said on Saturday.Opec counts oil flows from Kurdistan as part of Iraq's quota.Al-Sudani previously appealed publicly for a review of Iraq's production quota in late 2022.Opec+, which includes Opec members plus Russia and other allies, has reversed its strategy of output cuts from April and has already raised quotas by some 2.5mn barrels per day, about 2.4% of world demand.The move is intended to boost market share and follows pressure from US President Donald Trump to lower oil prices.Eight countries from Opec+ are set to meet online today to consider a further output hike.Another output boost would mean Opec+, which pumps about half of the world's oil, would be starting to unwind a second layer of cuts of about 1.65mn barrels per day, or 1.6% of world demand, more than a year ahead of schedule.Responding to a question about Sunday's meeting, Iraq's Opec representative Ali Nazar said attention was focused on balancing the market, whether through increases, maintaining current production, or cuts.Separately, al-Sudani also said there would be arrangements to facilitate the entry of major oil companies to Iraq.In the past two years, Iraq has signed agreements with oil majors that had previously retreated from the country, including Chevron, France's TotalEnergies and UK oil major BP.

The State of Qatar will be the guest of honor at the 26th edition of the Baghdad International Book Fair, which will take place from September 10 to 21.Qatar's participation in the fair underscores the country's commitment to supporting the Arab cultural movement and highlighting Qatari intellectual production in the fields of literature, poetry, thought, and the arts.It also reflects Qatar's prominent cultural standing and underscores the depth of fraternal ties between Qatar and Iraq.Qatar's cultural program at the fair includes intellectual seminars, lectures, and poetry evenings, in addition to performances by the Qatari folklore troupe, which will perform Ardha and other folk arts, reflecting the spirit of authentic cultural heritage.The Qatari pavilion will feature demonstrations of traditional crafts such as goldsmithing and wooden shipbuilding. Visitors will be able to watch and interact with craftspeople at work. In a statement, Director of the Libraries Department at the Ministry of Culture Jassim Ahmed Al Buainain stated that Qatar's participation in the Baghdad International Book Fair as the guest of honor reflects the deep fraternal ties between the two countries and their peoples.It also underscores the importance of culture, which is the ideal bridge for communication and the promotion of human dialogue. This participation, he said, reflects the Ministry of Culture's commitment to supporting the Arab cultural scene, enhancing cooperation with cultural institutions and publishing houses, highlighting the richness of Qatari intellectual production, and presenting a comprehensive image of Qatar that blends contemporary creativity with a rich cultural heritage.He explained that the Qatari pavilion in the fair features a design inspired by traditional Qatari architecture, embodying national identity and expressing the connection between the past and the present in a style that combines authenticity and the spirit of innovation.He noted that the pavilion offers a comprehensive cultural experience that goes beyond book displays, allowing visitors to explore the diversity of Qatar's cultural landscape, from literature, thought, and the arts to living heritage and traditional crafts.The Director of the Libraries Department at the Ministry of Culture added that the Qatari pavilion will also host a photo exhibition featuring shots of Qatar's modern landmarks, traditional architecture, and scenes of daily life, in addition to the beauty of Qatar's land and marine environment.