Saudi National Program to Drive Growth of Mineral Sector

Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Cabinet session in Jeddah (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Cabinet session in Jeddah (SPA)
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Saudi National Program to Drive Growth of Mineral Sector

Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Cabinet session in Jeddah (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the Cabinet session in Jeddah (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef said that the National Minerals Program will be a strong and supportive tool to enhance the quality of supply chains, ensure continuity of supply to local industries and major projects, develop the country’s infrastructure, and achieve the goals of Vision 2030.

He noted that the program will play an effective role in advancing the growth of the sector and exploiting the mineral resources in the Kingdom.

On Tuesday, the Saudi Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, approved the establishment of the program within the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, with the aim to raise the efficiency and adequacy of supply chains for current and future minerals, and enhancing their continuity in the region and the world, within the country’s efforts to maximize the value achieved from the sector.

Alkhorayef explained that the adoption of the program highlights the Saudi leadership’s endeavor to promote the sector.

He added that Saudi Arabia seeks to develop mineral value chains so that mining becomes the third pillar of the national industry, and to benefit from the Kingdom’s geographical location, which represents one of the most important major commercial intersections, supported by a wide base of advanced, integrated and diverse infrastructure.

The minister indicated that the program will work to fundamentally unify the main roles between the various parties, and fill the existing gaps to ensure the continuity of supply chains for minerals, as well as build local capabilities, contribute to exploration operations, and ensure the stability of supply to local industries and major projects.



Gold Hits Record High on US Rate Cut Bets

A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
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Gold Hits Record High on US Rate Cut Bets

A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

Gold prices scaled an all-time high on Wednesday, with recent comments from Federal Reserve officials boosting bets of a US interest rate cut in September.

Spot gold was up 0.1% at $2,470.89 per ounce, as of 0046 GMT, after hitting a record peak of $2,473.18 earlier in the session. US gold futures rose 0.3% to $2,473.70.

Markets are fully pricing in a rate cut of at least 25 basis points by the Fed at its September meeting, according to CME's FedWatch Tool, Reuters reported.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Monday recent inflation readings "add somewhat to confidence" that the pace of price increases is returning to the Fed's target in a sustainable fashion, remarks that suggest a turn to rate cuts may not be far off.

The International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday that the global economy is set for modest growth over the next two years amid cooling activity in the United States, a bottoming-out in Europe and stronger consumption and exports for China, but risks to the path abound.