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Innovation Center for Electric Vehicles Inaugurated in Saudi Arabia

The new center, inaugurated in Riyadh, will carry out high-level research into electric vehicle technology (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
The new center, inaugurated in Riyadh, will carry out high-level research into electric vehicle technology (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
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Innovation Center for Electric Vehicles Inaugurated in Saudi Arabia

The new center, inaugurated in Riyadh, will carry out high-level research into electric vehicle technology (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
The new center, inaugurated in Riyadh, will carry out high-level research into electric vehicle technology (Asharq Al-Awsat) 

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and Lucid Group, the manufacturer of some of the world’s most advanced electric vehicles, announced on Sunday the inauguration of the first Electric Vehicle Innovation Center in the Middle East, located in Saudi Arabia.

The new center, inaugurated in the presence of President of KACST Dr. Munir bin Mahmoud Eldesouki, serves as a key platform bringing together local, regional, and global research expertise.

It reflects KACST’s ongoing commitment to innovation and reinforces Lucid’s leadership in advanced technologies.

The center is also focused on enhancing the efficiency, functionality, and performance across Lucid’s product portfolio, contributing to their accelerated development, strengthening their leadership within their segment, and supporting the growth of the Kingdom’s future mobility sector.

“This new innovation center embodies our ongoing commitment to leading the advancement of electric vehicle technology, and our support toward strengthening Saudi Arabia a hub for technological innovation,” said Interim CEO at Lucid, Marc Winterhoff.

“By combining Lucid’s engineering expertise with KACST’s advanced research capabilities, we will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our teams are eager to begin the planned work together, recognizing this research will help shape the future of sustainable mobility,” he noted.

Senior Vice President for Research and Development at KACST, Dr. Talal bin Ahmed Alsedairy, emphasized that the center represents a pivotal step in enabling Saudi talent to develop future technologies in electric vehicles, batteries, and smart systems.

“The center enhances local content and bolsters the Kingdom’s capabilities in advanced industries, supporting the goals of Vision 2030 and broader national aspirations,” he said.

Alsedairy said this cooperation contributes to the transfer and localization of advanced, high-impact technologies, the establishment of new industrial value chains, and the strengthening of integration between the research, development, and innovation system, the industrial strategy, and the investment strategy, thereby accelerating the transformation of knowledge into products and technologies that support the future of sustainable mobility and enhance the competitiveness of the national economy.

For his part, President of Lucid Middle East, Faisal Sultan, said the opening of this center is a major step forward in Lucid’s commitment to the Kingdom.

“This collaboration strengthens our regional presence, nurtures local talent, and contributes to building a vibrant technology ecosystem aligned with Vision 2030,” he noted.

The center was developed in collaboration with KACST, one of the Kingdom’s leading research, development, and innovation institutions, forming the second phase of the ongoing strategic partnership between the two parties.

Its purpose is to advance scientific research, support innovation, and develop sustainable technologies by leveraging specialized Saudi expertise.

The center began its operations as a specialized facility for testing and validation and has since evolved to cover all stages of electric vehicle development. It represents a qualitative leap in the collaborative efforts between the two parties and serves as an extension of Lucid's comprehensive network of facilities in the US.

It will dedicate its efforts to advanced research, support the dissemination of the company’s world-leading technologies, and play a pivotal role in developing future products and will serve as a key pillar of the Kingdom’s national research and development infrastructure and actively contribute to the innovation and industrial application of future technologies within the country.

 

 

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Business

Saudi Arabia's Industrial and Mining Sectors Record Strong Growth in 2025

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources logo
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources logo
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Saudi Arabia's Industrial and Mining Sectors Record Strong Growth in 2025

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources logo
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources logo

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced the 2025 performance indicators for the Kingdom’s industrial and mining sectors, highlighting continued growth and increased investment.

According to the ministry, 1,660 new industrial licenses were issued in 2025, with investments exceeding SAR76 billion and the potential to create approximately 34,847 jobs.

During the same year, 1,201 factories began production, representing investments of more than SAR31 billion and employing around 45,454 workers, reflecting the sector’s growing appeal to both local and international investors.

In the mining sector, the ministry issued 736 new mining licenses. By the end of the year, the total number of active mining licenses reached 2,925, covering various license types across the sector.

These indicators underscore the ministry’s ongoing efforts to develop the mining industry, strengthen its global competitiveness, and position it as the third pillar of Saudi industry.

Business

US Consumer Prices Likely Increased in February Ahead of Iran Conflict

09 December 2025, Saxony, Dresden: A woman walks into a supermarket. (dpa)
09 December 2025, Saxony, Dresden: A woman walks into a supermarket. (dpa)
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US Consumer Prices Likely Increased in February Ahead of Iran Conflict

09 December 2025, Saxony, Dresden: A woman walks into a supermarket. (dpa)
09 December 2025, Saxony, Dresden: A woman walks into a supermarket. (dpa)

US consumer prices likely picked up in February as the cost of gasoline increased in anticipation of an escalating war in the Middle East, and with the conflict driving up oil prices, a further rise in inflation is expected in March.

The anticipated increase in the Consumer Price Index last month would also reflect the continued, but staggered pass-through from President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, which he pursued under a law meant for use in national emergencies, that have since been struck down by the US Supreme Court.

The Labor Department's consumer inflation report on Wednesday is, however, expected to show underlying price pressures rising moderately last month, thanks to relatively cheaper used motor vehicles and airline fares. It is unlikely to have any impact on near-term monetary policy, with the Federal Reserve expected to keep interest rates unchanged next week.

"The February CPI is likely to show that progress on lowering inflation is stalling out again," said Sarah House, ‌a senior economist at Wells ‌Fargo.

"Although the conflict in the Middle East started at the end of February, oil ‌and ⁠gasoline prices were ⁠already rising last month in anticipation of an escalation," House said.

The CPI likely increased 0.3% last month after climbing 0.2% in January, a Reuters survey of economists predicted. Estimates ranged from a 0.1% rise to a 0.3% increase. In the 12 months through February, the CPI was estimated to have advanced 2.4%, which would match January's increase, and reflect last year's high readings dropping out of the calculation.

The US central bank tracks the Personal Consumption Expenditures price indexes for its 2% inflation target.

Economists estimated that gasoline prices rose by about 0.8% in the CPI report after declining for two straight months.

Prices at the pump have jumped by more than ⁠18% to $3.54 per gallon since the US-Israeli war on Iran started at the end of February, ‌data from motorist advocacy group AAA showed. Oil prices shot up well ‌above $100 per barrel, before pulling back on Tuesday after Trump stated the war could end soon.

UPSIDE RISK TO FOOD PRICES FROM WAR

"The ‌recent 15% move alone suggests a 0.15-0.30 percentage point lift to headline inflation depending on how the conflict evolves," said ‌Andy Schneider, a senior US economist at BNP Paribas Securities.

Food prices likely maintained a moderate pace of increase, though Schneider added "a sustained oil price shock would raise fertilizer and transportation costs that could push food inflation higher later in the year."

Excluding the volatile food and energy components, the CPI was forecast to have gained 0.2% after rising 0.3% in January. The so-called core CPI inflation was likely curbed by a ‌decline in used motor vehicle prices, as well as smaller increases in rents and airline fares.

But prices for goods like apparel and household furnishings likely increased solidly as businesses passed ⁠on tariffs. January's Producer Price Index ⁠report showed a widening in margins, including for apparel, footwear and accessories retailing.

Though businesses have absorbed much of the import duties, economists said they were unlikely to continue doing so, citing among others persistently higher readings of input costs in the Institute for Supply Management surveys.

Trump has responded to the Supreme Court ruling by imposing a 10% global tariff, which he said would rise to 15%.

"The trouble is that there is evidence that input costs continue to escalate, even as the level of tariffs has mostly stabilized," said Stephen Stanley, chief US economist at Santander US Capital Markets. "The pass-through dynamic could persist for a while."

In the 12 months through February, the core CPI inflation is forecast to have increased 2.5% after rising by the same margin in January, also reflecting favorable base effects.

Economists said the tame core CPI readings were unlikely to translate into moderate core PCE inflation gains in February. January's delayed PCE price index data due on Friday is expected to show a solid increase in core inflation.

"Weighting differences and unexpected strength in PPI service prices are likely to produce a significantly larger increase in the broader consumption index," said Lou Crandall, chief economist at Wrightson ICAP. "Similar effects are likely to give the core PCE price index an upward bias in the February data due out on April 9."

Business

Asian Shares Advance as Markets Await Signals on When the War with Iran May End

South Korean dealers work in front of monitors at the Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, 09 March 2026. (EPA)
South Korean dealers work in front of monitors at the Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, 09 March 2026. (EPA)
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Asian Shares Advance as Markets Await Signals on When the War with Iran May End

South Korean dealers work in front of monitors at the Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, 09 March 2026. (EPA)
South Korean dealers work in front of monitors at the Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, 09 March 2026. (EPA)

Asian shares were mostly higher Wednesday with several benchmarks giving up much of their early gains as investors awaited signals on when the war with Iran may end.

US futures rose and oil prices were mixed.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 gained 1.3% to 54,926.50 and South Korea's Kospi picked up 0.6% to 5,562.40 after gaining more than 3% earlier in the day.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng fell back, slipping 0.2% to 25,921.02, while the Shanghai Composite index edged 0.2% higher to 4,131.39.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.6% to $8,743.50.

Taiwan's benchmark climbed 4.1% and the Sensex in India fell 1.1%. In Bangkok, the SET gained 1.3%.

Oil prices have remained sharply below their peaks hit on Monday. Such spikes have been rocking financial markets worldwide because of worries that the war could block the global flow of oil and natural gas for a long time.

“Asian equities and global futures managed to steady the ship today, helped by crude holding just below the psychologically charged $90 line. In the current regime, that single number functions less like a price and more like a pressure valve,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

Early Wednesday, the price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, was down 2 cents at $87.78. That’s about 10% below its settlement price the day before.

US benchmark crude oil gained 53 cents to $83.98 per barrel.

Oil prices plunged Monday afternoon from a high of nearly $120 per barrel, its most expensive level since 2022, after President Donald Trump told CBS News he thinks “the war is very complete, pretty much.” That raised hopes that the war may end relatively soon, which could allow oil to flow freely again from the Middle East to customers around the world.

However, both sides have sharpened their rhetoric as the war enters its 11th day. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promised the most intense strikes yet while the Pentagon detailed the broader toll of injuries sustained by US troops.

The US said it took out more than a dozen minelaying Iranian vessels Tuesday, and Tehran vowed to block the region’s oil exports, saying it would not allow “even a single liter” to be shipped to its enemies.

One point where Trump has remained clear was his desire to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The war has effectively blocked the waterway off Iran’s coast, where a fifth of the world’s oil sails on a typical day.

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” Trump said in a posting on his social media network late Monday.

On Tuesday, the S&P 500 dipped 0.2% to 6,781.48, a day after its latest wild swings caused by extreme moves in the oil market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 34 points, or 0.1% to 47,706.51 and the Nasdaq composite edged higher by less than 0.1% to 22,697.10.

Oracle's shares on the Nasdaq surged 12% in premarket trading early Wednesday after the company reported its earnings and revenue jumped 20% in the last quarter, much better than analysts had forecast.

Stock markets have a history of bouncing back relatively quickly from military conflicts, as long as oil prices don’t stay too high for too long. Uncertainty about whether that may happen this time around has led to stunning swings up and down for markets worldwide, often hour-to-hour.

If oil prices do stay high for long, household budgets already stretched by high inflation could snap under the pressure. Companies would see their own bills jump for fuel and to stock items on their store shelves or in their data warehouses. It all raises the possibility of a worst-case scenario for the global economy, “stagflation,” where growth stagnates and inflation remains high.

In other dealings early Wednesday, the dollar rose to 158.08 Japanese yen from 158.05 yen. The euro rose to $1.1638 from $1.1610.