Red Sea Global and Kingdom Holding Company Sign SAR2 Billion Joint Venture 

Red Sea Global (RSG) announced the successful completion of an investment deal with Kingdom Holding Company (KHC).
Red Sea Global (RSG) announced the successful completion of an investment deal with Kingdom Holding Company (KHC).
TT

Red Sea Global and Kingdom Holding Company Sign SAR2 Billion Joint Venture 

Red Sea Global (RSG) announced the successful completion of an investment deal with Kingdom Holding Company (KHC).
Red Sea Global (RSG) announced the successful completion of an investment deal with Kingdom Holding Company (KHC).

Red Sea Global (RSG) announced on Tuesday the successful completion of an investment deal with Kingdom Holding Company (KHC).

The SAR2 billion joint venture brings together RSG and KHC in a 50/50 partnership to develop and own the Four Seasons Resort Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, expected to open in early 2025.

The highly anticipated luxury resort is situated on Shura Island, the main hub for Red Sea destinations. It will offer 149 rooms and suites, plus 31 residential properties, as well as six restaurants and lounge outlets, meeting and events spaces, a marine discovery center, and a Kids For All Seasons space, according to an RSG press release.

"This partnership strengthens our unwavering commitment to transforming the tourism landscape in Saudi Arabia. We share a common vision of creating extraordinary destinations that not only drive economic growth and job creation, but also preserve precious ecosystems, aligning perfectly with the aspirations outlined in Vision 2030,” said RSG Group CEO John Pagano.

KHC CEO Eng. Talal Ibrahim Almaiman said: "We are proud to partner with RSG in the execution of one of the Kingdom’s most exciting projects and look forward to creating value for our respective shareholders. This investment will form part of our broader strategy for further investments in the Saudi Arabian high growth market."

Shura Island will be home to a total of 11 resorts, and will include residential properties, an 18-hole championship golf course, a 118-berth marina, and an "exceptional retail, dining, and entertainment experience".



Gold Jumps, on Track for Best Week in Over a Year on Safe-haven Demand

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
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Gold Jumps, on Track for Best Week in Over a Year on Safe-haven Demand

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold prices rose over 1% to hit a two-week peak on Friday, heading for the best weekly performance in more than a year, buoyed by safe-haven demand as Russia-Ukraine tensions intensified.

Spot gold jumped 1.3% to $2,703.05 per ounce as of 1245 GMT, hitting its highest since Nov. 8. US gold futures gained 1.1% to $2,705.30.

Bullion rose despite the US dollar hitting a 13-month high, while bitcoin hit a record peak and neared the $100,000 level.

"With both gold and USD (US dollar) rising, it seems that safe-haven demand is lifting both assets," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Ukraine's military said its drones struck four oil refineries, radar stations and other military installations in Russia, Reuters reported.

Gold has gained over 5% so far this week, its best weekly performance since October 2023. Prices have gained around $173 after slipping to a two-month low last week.

"We understand that the price setback has been used by 'Western world' investors under-allocated to gold to build exposure considering the geopolitical risks that are still around. So we continue to expect gold to rise further over the coming months," Staunovo said.

Bullion tends to shine during geopolitical tensions, economic risks, and a low interest rate environment. Markets are pricing in a 59.4% chance of a 25-basis-points cut at the Fed's December meeting, per the CME Fedwatch tool.

However, "if Fed skips or pauses its rate cut in December, that will be negative for gold prices and we could see some pullback," said Soni Kumari, a commodity strategist at ANZ.

The Chicago Federal Reserve president reiterated his support for further US interest rate cuts on Thursday.

On Friday, spot silver rose 1.8% to $31.34 per ounce, platinum eased 0.1% to $960.13 and palladium fell 0.6% to $1,023.55. All three metals were on track for a weekly rise.