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Saudi MODON Wins Five Regional Awards for Human Resources Development, Women Empowerment

Saudi MODON Wins Five Regional Awards for Human Resources Development, Women Empowerment
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Saudi MODON Wins Five Regional Awards for Human Resources Development, Women Empowerment

Saudi MODON Wins Five Regional Awards for Human Resources Development, Women Empowerment

The Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) has achieved a significant milestone by securing five leading regional awards in human resources development and women's empowerment for 2024, highlighting the authority's commitment to fostering a creative and inspiring work environment, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Monday.

MODON was named the "Preferred Employer" of the year and recognized for having the "Best Leadership Development" program in 2024. Additionally, the authority came first as the best government agency promoting "Innovation in Employee Engagement" in the public and government sector across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

MODON also achieved second place in the "Innovation and Excellence in Employee Experience" category and third place for its efforts to "Support and Empower Women."

The awards were announced during the HR Awards ceremony, part of the HR Summit Middle East Edition held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The event took place as part of the 12th GCC GOV HR Summit 2024.

Since its founding in 2001, MODON has focused on developing and managing industrial cities and technology zones in line with Saudi Arabia's national priorities. The authority works closely with both public and private sectors to drive industrial growth.

As a result, the area of developed land in 36 industrial cities across the Kingdom has expanded to more than 209 million square meters, accommodating 6,882 industrial facilities and 436 logistics facilities.

MODON's vision is to be the preferred destination for investment growth and the primary partner for the industrial and technology sectors in Saudi Arabia, positioning itself as a leader in innovation and workforce development.

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Business

China, US Discuss Tariffs, Farm Trade at First Trade Council Meeting

US and Chinese flags are seen in this illustration taken March 20, 2025. (Reuters)
US and Chinese flags are seen in this illustration taken March 20, 2025. (Reuters)
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China, US Discuss Tariffs, Farm Trade at First Trade Council Meeting

US and Chinese flags are seen in this illustration taken March 20, 2025. (Reuters)
US and Chinese flags are seen in this illustration taken March 20, 2025. (Reuters)

China and the United States held their first trade council meeting under a bilateral economic and trade consultation mechanism via ‌video link ‌on Friday, China's ‌commerce ⁠ministry said on ⁠Saturday.

The two sides held "candid, in-depth and constructive discussions" on implementing outcomes ⁠from previous trade consultations, ‌including ‌tariffs, a reciprocal ‌tariff-reduction arrangement involving $30 ‌billion on each side, agricultural trade and other issues of ‌note, the ministry said.

Both sides will ⁠continue ⁠to use the council to address trade concerns, expand cooperation and reduce outstanding issues, it added.

Business

IMF Says More Work Needed on Lebanon Reforms

A man walks past Lebanon's Central Bank headquarters in Beirut on November 10, 2026. (AFP)
A man walks past Lebanon's Central Bank headquarters in Beirut on November 10, 2026. (AFP)
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IMF Says More Work Needed on Lebanon Reforms

A man walks past Lebanon's Central Bank headquarters in Beirut on November 10, 2026. (AFP)
A man walks past Lebanon's Central Bank headquarters in Beirut on November 10, 2026. (AFP)

The International Monetary Fund said on Friday that more work was needed to reach an agreement on restructuring Lebanon's banking sector, one of the steps towards unlocking billions of dollars in financial assistance.

An IMF staff-level agreement reached in April 2022 laid out conditions to unlock assistance, including a law on the distribution of losses in the banking sector, known as the financial gap law, which parliament has still not voted on.

In a statement at the end of meetings that began on Tuesday, the IMF said "there was progress in further clarifying the approaches under consideration by the Banque du Liban (BdL) and the Government regarding banking sector reform, the draft financial regulation law and the recovery of deposits, and aligning them with international standards".

It however noted that "further work is needed to reach an agreement on a strategy for an effective and durable restructuring of Lebanon's banking sector, leading to a sound and resilient system".

The cabinet submitted a draft of the law to parliament in 2025, but the text is contested by the banking sector and political parties, preventing a vote.

Differences over estimates of losses and their distribution have stalled negotiations with the IMF.

In 2022, the government estimated losses resulting from the 2019 financial crisis at around $70 billion, a figure believed to have increased over the last seven years during which the crisis has remained unresolved.

Lebanese Finance Minister Yassin Jaber said during a news conference that he hoped to "achieve progress that would allow us to reach an agreement on a program with the IMF and sign it during the first quarter of next year, and by its end at the latest".

Lebanon's economic crisis, which the World Bank has ranked among the worst since 1850, has deprived depositors of access to all of their funds, destroyed confidence in the banking sector and led to greater reliance on cash liquidity in various economic and commercial activities.

Business

Silver Demand Seen Down 5% This Year Due to Weaker Jewellery Purchases

Silver bars are stacked in the safe deposit boxes room of the Pro Aurum gold house in Munich, Germany, January 10, 2025. (Reuters)
Silver bars are stacked in the safe deposit boxes room of the Pro Aurum gold house in Munich, Germany, January 10, 2025. (Reuters)
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Silver Demand Seen Down 5% This Year Due to Weaker Jewellery Purchases

Silver bars are stacked in the safe deposit boxes room of the Pro Aurum gold house in Munich, Germany, January 10, 2025. (Reuters)
Silver bars are stacked in the safe deposit boxes room of the Pro Aurum gold house in Munich, Germany, January 10, 2025. (Reuters)

Silver demand is expected to fall by 5% in 2026 due to weaker jewellery demand and lower consumption in solar cells, where high prices have accelerated substitution, research showed on Friday.

Research done by consultancy Metals Focus for the Silver Institute puts demand at 1.08 billion troy ounces this year.

Silver, used in jewellery, electronics, electric vehicles and solar panels as well as for investment, is ‌down 59% ‌to $50 an ounce since retail buying drove prices ‌to ⁠a record high ⁠of $121.6 in January.

The base for that rally was created in 2025, when silver surged 147%, as massive inflows of the metal to US inventories due to tariff uncertainty and into silver-backed exchange-traded products (ETPs) tightened liquidity in the London market.

This year, expectations for higher interest rates, a stronger dollar and higher bond yields have weighed on investment ⁠sentiment.

Silver released through ETP selling, outflows from stocks ‌in the US and a smaller ‌market deficit improved liquidity in the physical market, the Silver Institute and ‌consultancy Metals Focus said on Friday.

Metals Focus sees net ETP ‌outflows of 45 million ounces this year after 278 million ounces of inflows in 2025.

As of early November, ETP holdings stood at 1.25 billion ounces.

Industrial demand is expected to fall by 3% in 2026 as installations ‌in photovoltaics have fallen short of expectations, particularly in China, while January's record silver prices accelerated ⁠substitution.

Meanwhile, demand ⁠for jewellery and silverware is forecast to decline by 22% and 17%, respectively, as higher prices and weaker rural spending in India encouraged purchases of smaller, lighter products.

Demand in China and the US is also subdued. Strong retail investment in late 2025 and early 2026 gave way to far more subdued buying from March as silver prices fell, Metals Focus said.

It expects global bar and coin demand to fall 2% this year, with US retail investment hitting its lowest level since 2010.