Saudi Catering Inks $2.4 Bn Concession Deals with Red Sea Global

The Red Sea Global project in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Red Sea Global project in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Catering Inks $2.4 Bn Concession Deals with Red Sea Global

The Red Sea Global project in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Red Sea Global project in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Airlines Catering Company (SACC) signed two contracts with Red Sea Global (RSG) at a total value of $2.4 billion.

The Saudi Tadawul announced a one-day trading halt on Saudi Catering's stock, which came under the company's request before disclosing a material event. Trading on the shares will resume on Tuesday.

The first contract included designing, building, operating, and transferring a central laundry to serve hotels, resorts, and other facilities and sectors at the Red Sea project, valued at $720 million.

The second includes designing, building, operating, and transferring a central production unit for catering and facilities management services.

It will serve RSG's employees at hotel establishments and resorts and other facilities and sectors across the Red Sea destination at an estimated value of $ 1.6 billion.

Each contract is valid for 20 years, said Saudi Catering, adding that it expects a positive contribution to be shown in its accounts by Q3 2025.

The contracts are set to boost the company's business sustainability by increasing its cash flow and strengthening its business.

Furthermore, they come as part of Saudi Catering's strategic plan to attract investment opportunities in new industrial and tourist cities.

The statement said that the two contracts, subject to the RSG board's final sign-off, are part of the strategic plan implemented by Saudi Airlines Catering to attract investment opportunities in new industrial and tourist cities.



Gold Hits Four-week Peak on Safe-haven Demand

A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
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Gold Hits Four-week Peak on Safe-haven Demand

A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk

Gold prices rose to a near four-week high on Thursday, supported by safe-haven demand, while investors weighed how US President-elect Donald Trump's policies would impact the economy and inflation.

Spot gold inched up 0.4% to $2,672.18 per ounce, as of 0918 a.m. ET (1418 GMT). US gold futures rose 0.7% to $2,691.80.

"Safe-haven demand is modestly supporting gold, offsetting downside pressure coming from a stronger dollar and higher rates," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.

The dollar index hovered near a one-week high, making gold less appealing for holders of other currencies, while the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield stayed near eight-month peaks, Reuters reported.

"Market uncertainty is likely to persist with the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump as the next US president," Staunovo said.

Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency to provide legal justification for a series of universal tariffs on allies and adversaries, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Trump will take office on Jan. 20 and his proposed tariffs could potentially ignite trade wars and inflation. In such a scenario, gold, considered a hedge against inflation, is likely to perform well.

Investors' focus now shifts to Friday's US nonfarm payrolls due at 08:30 a.m. ET for further clarity on the Federal Reserve's interest rate path.

Non-farm payrolls likely rose by 160,000 jobs in December after surging by 227,000 in November, a Reuters survey showed.

Gold hit a near four-week high on Wednesday after a weaker-than-expected US private employment report hinted that the Fed may be less cautious about easing rates this year.

However, minutes of the Fed's December policy meeting showed officials' concern that Trump's proposed tariffs and immigration policies may prolong the fight against rising prices.

High rates reduce the non-yielding asset's appeal.

The World Gold Council on Wednesday said physically-backed gold exchange-traded funds registered their first inflow in four years.

Spot silver rose 0.7% to $30.32 per ounce, platinum fell 0.8% to $948.55 and palladium shed 1.4% to $915.75.