In a First, Bank of Israel Dips into Reserves to Save the Shekel

The Bank of Israel in Jerusalem. (Reuters)
The Bank of Israel in Jerusalem. (Reuters)
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In a First, Bank of Israel Dips into Reserves to Save the Shekel

The Bank of Israel in Jerusalem. (Reuters)
The Bank of Israel in Jerusalem. (Reuters)

The Bank of Israel sold $8.2 billion of foreign currency in October to help prevent the sharp decline of the shekel, it said on Tuesday.

It is the first time the Bank has sold foreign exchange after reserves stood at $198.553 billion in September.

The Central Bank launched a $30 billion program to sell foreign exchange at the beginning of the war against the Hamas movement in Gaza to protect the shekel from collapse.

It also said it would provide dollar liquidity to the market through SWAP mechanisms of as much as $15 billion.

The Bank's current level of foreign exchange is the lowest level recorded in a year, although it is still higher than the average over the past decade.

Last month, the Bank of Israel reviewed its growth expectations, and its research department said it now expects the economy to grow by 2.3 percent in 2023 and by 2.8 percent in 2024 as private consumption falls and the ability to work is constrained.

The value is down from its previous forecasts of 3 percent growth this year and next.

The updated economic forecasts were presented as the central Bank held the benchmark rate at 4.75 percent when the war escalated and the shekel continued its decline, nearing its lowest levels ever.

The Bank stated that the Monetary Policy Committee decided to keep the interest rate unchanged despite Israel's involvement in the operations resulting from the escalation in Gaza for more than two weeks.

Local media reports revealed the challenges that Israel is suffering from as the war continues, as the Israeli army's losses continue to rise.

According to the Jerusalem Post, there are five primary challenges facing Israel, including an economic recession.

It explained that leading economists have forecasted that the Israeli economy is poised to slide into a recession as the conflict continues, and more than 360,000 reservists who are currently called up for duty are diverted from their regular jobs.

At the beginning of this week, the Ministry of Finance estimated that Israel's losses from its war in Gaza had reached $50 billion, describing the cost as exorbitant.

The daily said the estimate, equal to 10% of gross domestic product, was premised on the war lasting between eight to 12 months, on it being limited to Gaza, without full participation by Lebanon's Hezbollah, Iran, or Yemen, and on some 350,000 Israelis drafted as military reservists returning to work soon.

The Ministry expects 8.5 percent of the conscripts to return to work immediately after the fighting stops.



Saudi Government Calls for Private Sector Involvement to Enhance Vision 2030 Reports

King Abdullah Financial Center in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
King Abdullah Financial Center in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Government Calls for Private Sector Involvement to Enhance Vision 2030 Reports

King Abdullah Financial Center in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
King Abdullah Financial Center in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi government has directed greater private sector involvement in shaping the content of Vision 2030 communications and reports, according to sources who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat. The goal is to amplify the impact of the annual Vision 2030 reports by making them more comprehensive and directly relevant to the business community.

The Strategic Management Office in the Saudi Royal Court has invited private sector stakeholders to review the annual Vision 2030 report to raise awareness of governmental achievements. Businesses are encouraged to provide feedback to ensure that future reports are more impactful and valuable for their audience.

The initiative aims to gather feedback on whether the current report format effectively delivers information relevant to the business sector. It also seeks input on the balance between general achievements and sector-specific details, as well as insights on the report’s accessibility and usefulness to business audiences.

According to the sources, the government is also evaluating the level of transparency in the report, particularly in showcasing progress and achievements. Stakeholders are being asked to suggest areas of focus for future editions to make the reports more comprehensive and relevant to their needs.

Additional proposals include enhancing collaboration between the Vision 2030 communications team and Saudi chambers of commerce to better report on progress and achievements to the private sector. Furthermore, the government is exploring the inclusion of practical success stories from businesses that have played a role in achieving Vision 2030 goals.

Since its inception, Vision 2030 has worked to identify and address challenges facing businesses. Significant reforms have been implemented to remove barriers, ensuring the private sector can fulfill its vital role in driving economic growth.

Efforts have included reforms to streamline the business environment, enhance the quality and efficiency of government services, and digitize processes. Additionally, numerous programs, initiatives, funding platforms, and business incubators and accelerators have been launched to support the private sector.

The Vision 2030 annual report for 2023 highlighted strong program performance, with 87% of the year’s 1,064 initiatives either completed or on track. Among the 243 key performance indicators (KPIs) identified, 81% of third-level KPIs met their targets, while 105 exceeded future targets set for 2024–2025.

The report also noted that non-oil gross domestic product (GDP) reached SAR 1.889 trillion, compared to a baseline of SAR 1.519 trillion. The 2023 target was SAR 1.934 trillion, with the ultimate Vision 2030 target set at SAR 4.97 trillion.

Private sector contributions to GDP increased to 45%, meeting the 2023 target and surpassing the baseline of 40.3%. The long-term Vision 2030 target is 65%.