Riyadh to Host the 24 Fintech Conference in September

The conference will take place from September 3 to 5 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center
The conference will take place from September 3 to 5 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center
TT

Riyadh to Host the 24 Fintech Conference in September

The conference will take place from September 3 to 5 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center
The conference will take place from September 3 to 5 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center

Riyadh will host next month the 24 Fintech Conference, the first edition of the international conference specialized in the financial technology sector.

The conference will take place from September 3 to 5 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center, hosted by the Financial Sector Development Program, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), the Capital Market Authority, and the Insurance Authority.

The conference is organized by Fintech Saudi and Tahaluf, a joint project between the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, Informa PLC, and the Events Investment Fund.

The 24 Fintech Conference is set to focus on supporting the thriving financial technology community and review a number of specialized topics to develop the global banking and financial services sector, which includes AI, machine learning in financial operations, integrated finance, the development of open banking services, and green finance, to inspire regulators, policymakers, investors, technology experts, entrepreneurs and academics to advance cooperation in the financial technology sector.

The 24 Fintech Conference aims to make a mark in the financial technology sector. It designates a space to support startups and investors under the "FinTech Innovation Center," which includes the best 80 modern and innovative startups and more than 200 investors.

The conference integrates with Saudi Arabia's orientations to enhance the prosperity of the entrepreneurship system and support startups and its efforts to become one of the booming financial technology centers in the Middle East and North Africa region, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 in developing the sector.



Oil Slips as Investors Eye Trump Move on Russian Export Curbs

FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
TT

Oil Slips as Investors Eye Trump Move on Russian Export Curbs

FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil pump jack is seen at sunset near Midland, Texas, US, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ernest Scheyder/File Photo

Oil prices fell on Monday as expectations of US President-elect Donald Trump relaxing curbs on Russia's energy sector in exchange for a deal to end the Ukraine war offset concern of supply disruption from harsher sanctions.
Brent crude futures dropped 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $80.63 a barrel by 0453 GMT after closing down 0.62% in the previous session.
The more active US West Texas Intermediate crude April contract fell 6 cents to $77.33 a barrel. The front-month contract, which expires on Tuesday, was at $78.03 a barrel, up 15 cents, or 0.19%, after settling down 1.02% on Friday.
Trump, who will be inaugurated later on Monday, is widely expected to make a flurry of policy announcements in the first hours of his second term, including an end to a moratorium on US liquefied natural gas export licences - part of a wider strategy to strengthen the economy.
"There is a fair amount of uncertainty across markets coming into this week given the inauguration of President Trump and the raft of executive orders he reportedly is planning to sign," ING analysts said in a note.
"This combined with it being a US holiday today, means that some market participants may have decided to take some risk off the table."
Both contracts gained more than 1% last week in their fourth successive weekly ascent after the Biden administration sanctioned more than 100 tankers and two Russian oil producers. That led to a scramble by top buyers China and India for prompt oil cargo and a rush for ship supply as dealers of Russian and Iranian oil sought unsanctioned tankers to ferry their load.
While the new sanctions could impact the supply of nearly 1 million barrels per day of oil from Russia, recent price gains could be short lived depending on Trump action, ANZ analysts said in a client note.
Trump has promised to help end the Russia-Ukraine war quickly, which could involve relaxing some curbs to enable an accord, they said.
Analyst Tim Evans said the new sanctions are seen curtailing supply, at least in the near term.
"Higher tanker rates on unencumbered vessels and a widening backwardation in crude oil calendar spreads have been among the notable ripple effects, reinforcing the concern over supplies," he said in his newsletter Evans on Energy.
Backwardation refers to prompt prices being higher than those in future months, indicating tight supply.
The prompt Brent monthly spread <LCOc1-LCOc2> widened in backwardation by 5 cents to $1.27 a barrel on Monday. The WTI spread <CLc1-CLc2> was at 63 cents a barrel, up 14 cents.
Easing tension in the Middle East also kept a lid on oil prices.
Hamas and Israel exchanged hostages and prisoners on Sunday that marked the first day of a ceasefire after 15 months of war.
Separately, investors are watching out for the impact from a cold snap in Texas and New Mexico which may affect US oil production, analysts at ANZ and ING said.