Gold Touches Record High on Rate-cut Bets, Weaker US Dollar

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
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Gold Touches Record High on Rate-cut Bets, Weaker US Dollar

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su//File Photo

Gold hit a record high on Wednesday, boosted by a softer US dollar and hopes of more interest rate cuts, while investors looked for new signals for the Federal Reserve's interest rate trajectory.

Spot gold was steady at $2,658.08 per ounce, as of 0557 GMT, after hitting an all-time high of $2,670.43 earlier, Reuters reported.
US gold futures gained 0.2% to $2,682.10.
The dollar eased 0.2%, making greenback-priced bullion less expensive for other currency holders.
On Tuesday, China announced a slew of support measures including outsized rate cuts, after the US Fed cut rates by 50 basis points last week. Market participants see about 60% chance of another 50 bps cut in November.
After the Fed cut, China's decision to cut rates has increased another round of liquidity and this could see further demand going into the gold market by Chinese investors, said Kelvin Wong, OANDA's senior market analyst for Asia Pacific.
The short-term bullish trend remains intact, with resistance at $2,690 level, followed by another level at $2,710, Wong said.
Zero-yield bullion tends to be a preferred investment in a low-rate environment.
Meanwhile, Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said key measures of inflation remain "uncomfortably above" the Fed's 2% target, warranting caution as the central bank proceeds with trimming rates.
Traders await Fed Chair Jerome Powell's remarks on Thursday and US inflation data on Friday for further policy cues.
Elsewhere, Israeli airstrike in Beirut killed a senior Hezbollah commander on Tuesday, heightening fears of a full-scale war amid increasing cross-border rocket attacks between both sides.
Inflows to gold exchange-traded funds, particularly from Western investors, will rise in the coming months, providing further support for record-high bullion prices, analysts said.
Spot silver fell 0.9% to $31.85 per ounce, platinum was down 0.4% to $981.93 and palladium shed 1.3% to $1,042.90.



Saudi Arabia's Digital Advertising Boom: Addressing Economic Leakage, Boosting Local Content

A digital advertising event recently held in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A digital advertising event recently held in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia's Digital Advertising Boom: Addressing Economic Leakage, Boosting Local Content

A digital advertising event recently held in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A digital advertising event recently held in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s digital advertising sector is experiencing rapid growth, but a significant portion of its revenues is leaking to foreign platforms. To maximize the impact on the national economy, experts are calling for strategies to curb this outflow and redirect it to local channels.

The importance of retaining digital ad revenues lies in the substantial size of this market. It is estimated that approximately $1 billion in ad spent is lost annually to foreign platforms, representing a considerable loss to Saudi Arabia’s economy.

Dr. Ebada Al-Abbad, CEO of Marketing and Communications at Tadafuq, a Saudi digital advertising network, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the problem stems from the fact that although advertisers, products, and audiences are often local, the largest share of financial gains goes to foreign platforms. He estimated that 70-80% of the $1.5 billion spent on digital advertising in Saudi Arabia in 2022 went to global platforms such as Google and Facebook. This results in the national economy losing nearly $1 billion annually from this sector alone.

Al-Abbad noted that government agencies in Saudi Arabia also contribute to the outflow. He explained that public sector spending on digital advertising, intended to raise awareness among citizens and residents, frequently ends up on foreign platforms. Government spending makes up about 20-25% of the total digital ad market in the Kingdom, meaning hundreds of millions of riyals leave the country annually, weakening the local digital economy.

Al-Abbad argues that Saudi Arabia needs strong local digital ad networks to keep this revenue within the national economy. These networks would help create jobs, drive innovation, and promote cultural diversity in digital content. Developing local platforms would also enhance Saudi Arabia’s digital sovereignty by ensuring that data remains within the country and is not controlled by foreign entities.

Moreover, local networks would reduce dependence on international platforms, ensuring that the economic benefits of digital advertising remain in the Kingdom, he said, stressing that this would align with Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 goals, which emphasize building a robust, diversified economy driven by local industries and digital transformation.

Globally, the digital advertising sector is growing rapidly. In 2022, worldwide spending on digital ads reached $602 billion, and it is projected to hit $876 billion by 2026. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the digital ad market grew to $5.9 billion in 2022, with Saudi Arabia’s market accounting for over $1.5 billion.

In other countries, the digital ad sector plays a crucial role in boosting national economies. For example, in the United States, the digital advertising industry contributed $460 billion to the GDP in 2021, about 2.1% of the total. In the UK, the sector accounted for 1.8% of GDP in 2022. This shows how important digital advertising can be in driving economic growth.

One of the key challenges facing Saudi Arabia’s digital ad sector is the dominance of global platforms like Google and Facebook, which control 60% of the global digital ad market, Al-Abbad told Asharq Al-Awsat. This dominance results in a significant outflow of revenue and allows these platforms to control digital data and content. He warned that this could undermine Saudi Arabia’s national sovereignty over its digital economy.

To counter this, he emphasized that Saudi Arabia needs to build competitive local networks that can retain a larger share of the market. This will not only keep more revenue in the country but also strengthen the Kingdom’s control over its digital data and content.