SDAIA Concludes GAIN Summit in Riyadh with Local, Int’l Agreements

The summit included panel discussions and workshops featuring experts from various sectors and global companies specialized in AI applications. SPA
The summit included panel discussions and workshops featuring experts from various sectors and global companies specialized in AI applications. SPA
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SDAIA Concludes GAIN Summit in Riyadh with Local, Int’l Agreements

The summit included panel discussions and workshops featuring experts from various sectors and global companies specialized in AI applications. SPA
The summit included panel discussions and workshops featuring experts from various sectors and global companies specialized in AI applications. SPA

The third edition of the Global AI Summit (GAIN Summit), organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) from September 10 to 12 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh brought together hundreds of specialists and enthusiasts in artificial-intelligence (AI) technologies and applications worldwide under the theme "Artificial Intelligence for the Good of Humanity."

AT the summit, SDAIA President Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi highlighted the Saudi leadership's commitment, under the guidance of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Chairman of the SDAIA Board of Directors, to position Saudi Arabia as a leader in the field of AI.

The summit included panel discussions and workshops featuring experts from various sectors and global companies specialized in AI applications. The sessions unveiled the latest developments in the field, emphasizing that innovations in AI have far-reaching impacts not just technologically but also on geopolitical, political, and legislative domains. Furthermore, it was stressed that developments in AI should align with sustainable development and equality in education.

Several AI initiatives, programs, and products were unveiled during the summit, and agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed to bolster its applications and development within the Kingdom.

The third edition of the GAIN Summit concluded with a speech by National Information Center Director Dr. Esam bin Abdullah Al-Wagait, who highlighted the participation of 465 speakers and participants from over 100 countries and how the summit explored the latest developments shaping the future of AI.

Moreover, he underscored the global significance of announcements made during the summit, such as the work of the United Nations (UN) High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, the partnership of the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) with the Kingdom to develop a global framework for AI readiness, and the announcement of the Riyadh Charter on Artificial Intelligence for the Islamic World issued by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in collaboration with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on the Observatory on Artificial Intelligence.

Al-Wagait also highlighted important AI projects that emerged during the summit, including the Arabic Large Language Model (ALLaM), aimed at developing the best large Arabic language model in the world, and the cooperation with NVIDIA to expand the scope of AI infrastructure using 5,000 graphics processing units. Additionally, educational integration initiatives were announced, such as cooperation with the Ministry of Education to integrate the ALLaM Model into the Kingdom's education system, providing support tools for teachers and leveraging AI technology for self-learning.



Hapag-Lloyd Raises Outlook for Third Time on Strong Freight Rates

Hapag-Lloyd containers at a loading terminal at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, July 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Hapag-Lloyd containers at a loading terminal at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, July 13, 2025. (Reuters)
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Hapag-Lloyd Raises Outlook for Third Time on Strong Freight Rates

Hapag-Lloyd containers at a loading terminal at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, July 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Hapag-Lloyd containers at a loading terminal at the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, July 13, 2025. (Reuters)

German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd on Wednesday raised its full-year earnings outlook for the third time this year, citing strength in freight rates and a stronger-than-expected performance ‌in the ‌fourth quarter.

The stock was ‌up ⁠2.4% at 0925 ⁠GMT.

The upgrade adds to a series of positive outlook revisions across the European logistics sector, where resilient global trade, elevated shipping ⁠rates and persistent ‌supply-chain disruptions have ‌supported earnings and boosted profitability.

Hapag-Lloyd ‌now expects full-year earnings ‌before interest and tax of $2.0 billion to $2.4 billion, up from previous expectations of $1.25 billion to $1.75 ‌billion.

The company also lifted its 2026 earnings before ⁠interest, tax, ⁠depreciation and amortization guidance to $4.6 billion to $5.0 billion, from $3.9 billion to $4.4 billion previously.

The latest increase follows earlier upgrades in July and September, reflecting sustained strength in container shipping markets and management's improved expectations for year-end trading.


Gold Gains After Steep Drop, but Hawkish Central Bank Signals Weigh

People buy gold jewellery on the occasion of 'Dhanteras' as part of Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata on November 6, 2026. (AFP)
People buy gold jewellery on the occasion of 'Dhanteras' as part of Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata on November 6, 2026. (AFP)
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Gold Gains After Steep Drop, but Hawkish Central Bank Signals Weigh

People buy gold jewellery on the occasion of 'Dhanteras' as part of Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata on November 6, 2026. (AFP)
People buy gold jewellery on the occasion of 'Dhanteras' as part of Diwali celebrations, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata on November 6, 2026. (AFP)

Gold prices climbed on Wednesday, but remained anchored near the $4,000 level after a sharp selloff in the previous session following a hot US inflation print and hawkish policymakers' comments that tilted market expectations towards further and larger ‌rate hikes.

Spot ‌gold rose 0.5% to $4,051.31 per ounce ‌by ⁠0916 GMT after dropping ⁠as much as 3% to $4,013.29 on Tuesday. US gold futures for December delivery gained 0.7% to $4,059 per ounce.

"Gold is seeing some slight relief after its post-CPI declines," said Han Tan, chief market analyst at Bybit.

"However, it's a tough ask for gold bulls to keep pushing prices higher, given ⁠the prospects of more Fed rate ‌hikes in the pipeline."

Data released on ‌Tuesday showed US consumer prices rose more than expected in ‌October, with the CPI increasing 0.4%. Economists polled by Reuters ‌had forecast a 0.3% rise.

Traders raised the odds of a December Federal Reserve rate hike to 100% from 84% before the data, as per CME's FedWatch tool. Expectations of a ‌larger, half-percentage-point hike also increased.

Ahead of the data, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said a core inflation ⁠reading ⁠of 0.3% in October would prompt him to consider a half-point hike at the December meeting.

Other policymakers also maintained a hawkish tone, with Fed Bank of Philadelphia President Anna Paulson signaling further US rate hikes and Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman reaffirming the central bank's focus on curbing price pressures.

Although gold is typically seen as an inflation hedge, higher interest rates diminish its appeal, as gold bullion pays no interest.

Among other metals, spot silver climbed 2.7% to $52.87 per ounce, and palladium gained 4.1% to $1,066.66 per ounce.


Oman Posts Third-Quarter Budget Surplus as Revenue Rises 16%

Visitors and locals gather at the Mutrah Corniche in Muscat, Oman, April 11, 2025. (AP)
Visitors and locals gather at the Mutrah Corniche in Muscat, Oman, April 11, 2025. (AP)
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Oman Posts Third-Quarter Budget Surplus as Revenue Rises 16%

Visitors and locals gather at the Mutrah Corniche in Muscat, Oman, April 11, 2025. (AP)
Visitors and locals gather at the Mutrah Corniche in Muscat, Oman, April 11, 2025. (AP)

Oman's ‌public revenue rose 16% by the end of the third quarter to 9.828 billion Omani rials ($25.53 billion), the Oman News Agency said in a post ‌on X on ‌Wednesday.

Public spending ‌rose ⁠9% to about ⁠9.74 billion rials, and the state budget recorded a surplus of about 90 million rials ⁠at the end of ‌the ‌third quarter.

Public debt ‌fell by more ‌than 600 million rials from a year earlier, to about 14.1 ‌billion rials from 14.7 billion.

Dues paid ⁠to ⁠the private sector and received through the financial system totaled more than 1.43 billion rials by the end of the third quarter.