Significant Progress Announced in Development of Saudi AMAALA Luxury Tourism Destination

Inspired by the purity of the Red Sea, AMAALA is redefining the coastal lifestyle with spaces designed for deep connection to nature, to self, and to community. (SPA)
Inspired by the purity of the Red Sea, AMAALA is redefining the coastal lifestyle with spaces designed for deep connection to nature, to self, and to community. (SPA)
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Significant Progress Announced in Development of Saudi AMAALA Luxury Tourism Destination

Inspired by the purity of the Red Sea, AMAALA is redefining the coastal lifestyle with spaces designed for deep connection to nature, to self, and to community. (SPA)
Inspired by the purity of the Red Sea, AMAALA is redefining the coastal lifestyle with spaces designed for deep connection to nature, to self, and to community. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind the regenerative tourism destinations AMAALA and The Red Sea, said on Sunday it continues to make substantial progress in the ongoing development of AMAALA – a new luxury destination with wellness at its core, that empowers people to live longer, better lives.

Inspired by the purity of the Red Sea, AMAALA is redefining the coastal lifestyle with spaces designed for deep connection—to nature, to self, and to community. From medical and integrative wellness and sun-drenched adventure to world-class art and transformative events, AMAALA seamlessly integrates meaningful spaces for people and the planet to flourish, said RSG in a statement.

“We have achieved remarkable progress across every aspect of AMAALA, from our signature resorts and immersive experiences to essential utilities and infrastructure. Our unwavering focus is on infusing sustainability and regenerative principles into every facet of development,” said RSG Group CEO John Pagano.

“Once complete, AMAALA will present an extraordinary collection of assets and experiences that will elevate wellness, lifestyle, and human connection," he added.

To date, RSG has awarded over 600 contracts on AMAALA worth nearly SAR23 billion ($6.13bn) to world-leading partners. These partners share RSG's ambition to co-create luxury and wellness destinations that are developed in line with responsible development practices, prioritizing regenerative initiatives and collaboration with local communities.

As development advances, a number of key areas of AMAALA are moving toward completion, each one bringing the destination closer to welcoming guests.

At Triple Bay Marina Village, the Equinox Resort is now topped out, and concrete structure work on the Village Boutique Hotel's main building, condos and villas is nearing completion. This bustling hub will soon offer guests a haven of scenic boardwalks, waterfront restaurants, luxurious boutiques and well-known retailers, plus a vibrant year-round events program, all set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Red Sea.

At the Marina: flooding of the marina basin was complete at the end of 2023, and contracts for the floating pontoons and fixed decks have been awarded as RSG begins putting the final touches on this stunning central feature.

At AMAALA Yacht Club, all construction contracts have been awarded, concrete works are close to completion, and structural steel and MEP works have been started.

At Wellness Core, superstructures are present on 80% of the 220 buildings within this zone. Including world-leading wellness resorts such as Jayasom and Clinique La Prairie, guests here will discover an environment where they can focus on mental, physical, and energetic regeneration.

In another significant development, the Ministry of Health, earlier this year, approved the design of the AMAALA Hospital. The hospital will provide healthcare services for residents and visitors to the 4,200 km2 destination.

Once complete, AMAALA will feature close to 4,000 hotel rooms across 30 hotels as well as 1,200 luxury villas, apartments, and estate homes. It will also be supported by high-end retail, fine dining, wellness, and recreational facilities. AMAALA will be powered entirely by solar energy, saving the equivalent of nearly half a million tons of CO2 emissions every year.



World Food Prices Dip in October, but Remain Higher Than a Year Ago

A worker carries loaves of bread for sale at a bakery in the capital city of Cairo, Egypt November 4, 2026. (Reuters)
A worker carries loaves of bread for sale at a bakery in the capital city of Cairo, Egypt November 4, 2026. (Reuters)
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World Food Prices Dip in October, but Remain Higher Than a Year Ago

A worker carries loaves of bread for sale at a bakery in the capital city of Cairo, Egypt November 4, 2026. (Reuters)
A worker carries loaves of bread for sale at a bakery in the capital city of Cairo, Egypt November 4, 2026. (Reuters)

World food prices edged lower in October as weaker import demand contributed to monthly declines in cereal, dairy and meat prices, but were still nearly 6% higher than a year earlier, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization said on Friday.

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in international prices for a basket of food commodities, ‌averaged 133.9 points ‌in October, down from a revised ‌135.6 ⁠in September.

The index ⁠was 5.9% higher than a year earlier, but remained 16.4% below its March 2022 peak.

FAO's cereal price index fell 4.5% from September and was 12.6% lower than a year ago, as wheat and maize quotations declined. Wheat prices eased on weak import demand ⁠and improved production prospects, especially in Argentina.

"Expectations of ‌easing constraints on Black ‌Sea export flows added to the downward pressure on prices, ‌although continued disruptions to Black Sea logistics limited the decline," ‌FAO said in a statement.

Maize prices also eased after reaching a three-year high in September, pressured by the US harvest, expectations of ample supplies in South America and renewed ‌prospects of easing tensions in the Black Sea region.

Vegetable oil prices edged up 0.3%, ⁠as ⁠higher soybean and sunflower oil prices more than offset a fall in rapeseed oil prices.

Sugar prices rose 6.6%, their fourth straight monthly increase, to the highest level since December 2024, after rainfall disrupted harvesting in Brazil. They were now 28.8% above a year ago.

The dairy index fell 1.1%, as lower butter and cheese prices linked to ample supplies and subdued demand outweighed gains in milk powder.

The meat index declined 1.2%, while still slightly above its year-earlier level, as ovine and bovine meat prices fell.


Copper Falls, Set for Worst Week Since March on AI Rout

Copper at the Aurubis copper smelting and refining plant in Hamburg, Germany. (Reuters)
Copper at the Aurubis copper smelting and refining plant in Hamburg, Germany. (Reuters)
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Copper Falls, Set for Worst Week Since March on AI Rout

Copper at the Aurubis copper smelting and refining plant in Hamburg, Germany. (Reuters)
Copper at the Aurubis copper smelting and refining plant in Hamburg, Germany. (Reuters)

Copper dropped on Friday and was set for its biggest weekly drop in London since March, as a rout in technology stocks battered markets.

Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 1.3% at $13,663 a metric ton by 0700 GMT. That placed it on track to fall 3.44% in the week, Reuters said.

The most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange fell 1.08% to 106,830 yuan ($16,018.17) a ton.

The weakness reflects worries over AI investment, ‌with copper increasingly ‌influenced by "sentiment towards data center expansion," said ‌Craig ⁠Lang, principal analyst ⁠at CRU.

Technology shares were battered after Democratic wins in the US midterms fueled concerns that new regulatory oversight could cap the AI buildout.

On the other hand, supply constraints cushioned copper's decline.

"I would be cautious about calling this a sustained correction, given ongoing mine supply challenges and exceptionally tight ⁠metal availability outside the US," Lang said.

Copper stocks ‌in SHFE-monitored warehouses <CU-STX-SGH> fell by ‌over 24% this week to just 33,848 tons — the lowest ‌in almost three years. The closely watched Yangshan copper ‌premium <SMM-CUYP-CN>, a gauge of appetite for imports into key consumer China, increased to $210 a ton on Thursday, matching its record high.

Smelters in the country are facing a double squeeze of negative treatment ‌charges and lower sulfuric acid prices.

Meanwhile, warehouse inventories outside the US have been drawn ⁠down as ⁠material was pulled into the country ahead of a potential tariff on imports of refined copper.

"These physical constraints should provide some support against weaker investor sentiment," Lang said.

Among LME metals, aluminium lost 0.54%, zinc lost 1.42%, lead lost 0.45%, nickel dipped 0.23% and tin gained 0.83%.

On the SHFE, aluminium nudged down only 0.04%, zinc lost 1.35%, lead was little changed, down only 0.03%, nickel rose 2.14% and tin dropped 3.45%.

SHFE inventories were down across the board this week, led by sharp drops in aluminium <AL-STX-SGH> and lead <PB-STX-SGH>.


Emerging Economies Set to Match Advanced Nations’ Renewable Capacity Additions, IEA Says

Workers walk at Kalyon Karapinar solar power plant in Karapinar, Konya province, Türkiye, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP)
Workers walk at Kalyon Karapinar solar power plant in Karapinar, Konya province, Türkiye, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP)
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Emerging Economies Set to Match Advanced Nations’ Renewable Capacity Additions, IEA Says

Workers walk at Kalyon Karapinar solar power plant in Karapinar, Konya province, Türkiye, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP)
Workers walk at Kalyon Karapinar solar power plant in Karapinar, Konya province, Türkiye, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP)

Emerging ‌and developing economies outside China are expected to add as much new renewable energy capacity as advanced economies for the first time over the next five years, driven by the current energy crisis, the International Energy Agency said on Friday.

Gas and oil prices have soared this year as the US-Iran war disrupts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas trade.

Global renewable energy ‌capacity is forecast ‌to increase by almost 4,800 gigawatts ‌between ⁠2026 and 2031, ⁠the IEA said in its annual outlook.

Emerging and developing economies are expected to add about 1,100 GW, roughly the same as advanced economies, with China adding around 2,550 GW, the agency said.

Capacity growth in Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East is ⁠expected to triple over the period, ‌led mainly by solar installations, ‌the IEA said.

China will remain the biggest contributor to ‌global renewable energy growth, although its share is ‌forecast to fall to 53% by 2031 from 60% in 2025.

India is emerging as the world's second-fastest deployer of renewables and is expected to more than double its contribution ‌to global growth by 2031 to nearly 8.5%.

Grid connection delays remain ⁠a major ⁠challenge, with projects awaiting connections worldwide rising 60% over the past year, equivalent to four times the wind and solar capacity connected to grids during the same period.

Grid constraints are expected to slow growth in advanced economies, with annual additions in Europe through 2031 forecast to remain broadly in line with 2025 levels.

Renewable energy is expected to meet 6% of global transport energy demand by 2031, while higher fuel-blending mandates prompted the IEA to raise its biofuels forecast by 40% from last year's report.