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Saudi Arabia Sees Greater Role for SMEs in National Economy

Saudi Arabia is working on raising the contribution of SMEs to the national economy. (Reuters)
Saudi Arabia is working on raising the contribution of SMEs to the national economy. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Sees Greater Role for SMEs in National Economy

Saudi Arabia is working on raising the contribution of SMEs to the national economy. (Reuters)
Saudi Arabia is working on raising the contribution of SMEs to the national economy. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia is working on raising the contribution of small and medium enterprises to the national economy.

It is also working on improving the present SMEs programs and entrepreneurs in order to develop these enterprises.

SMEs are now presented with a real opportunity to develop their work and increase their contribution to the Kingdom’s economy.

This comes at a time when the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at) is working on several of sophisticated programs that will push forward the role of SMEs.

To this end, Monsha’at launched a campaign to introduce the programs and services it is providing to SMEs and entrepreneurs.

Monsha'at chief Saleh Al-Rasheed said that the campaign aims to clarify the role of enterprises in developing and sponsoring the SMEs sector through implementing and supporting programs and projects.

It is also reinforcing intellectual and cultural roles aimed at developing free work, entrepreneurship, innovation and the diversification of sources of financial support.

Rasheed stressed Monsha'at’s vision to make the SMEs an essential driver of economic development in the Kingdom and a major player in the achievement of Saudi Vision 2030.

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Gold Slips as US Bond Yields Rise, Investors Assess New Tariffs

Gold rings are displayed in a gold shop in Chinatown in Bangkok, Thailand August 21, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File Photo
Gold rings are displayed in a gold shop in Chinatown in Bangkok, Thailand August 21, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File Photo
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Gold Slips as US Bond Yields Rise, Investors Assess New Tariffs

Gold rings are displayed in a gold shop in Chinatown in Bangkok, Thailand August 21, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File Photo
Gold rings are displayed in a gold shop in Chinatown in Bangkok, Thailand August 21, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File Photo

Gold prices eased on Tuesday, weighed by higher US Treasury yields as US President Donald Trump announced new tariff proposals on trading partners, including Japan and South Korea.

Spot gold was down 0.2% at $3,328.67 per ounce, as of 1207 GMT. US gold futures fell 0.1% to $3,338.20.

The yield on benchmark US 10-year notes rose to a two-week peak, making the non-yielding bullion less attractive.

"Gold is stuck between a rock and a hard place," said UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo, Reuters reported.

"Negative for the gold price is the US decision to extend the deadline for a trade deal for many trade partners, positive for the gold price is the fact that key US trading partners in Asia might have to deal with higher tariffs in the near future, weighing on economic growth prospects."

On Monday, Trump told 14 countries that sharply higher tariffs would start on August 1, marking a new phase in the trade war he launched in April, with levies between 25% and 40%.

The new deadline was firm, Trump said, adding that he would consider extensions if countries made proposals for a trade deal.

"Reciprocal tariffs" were to be capped at 10% until July 9 to allow for negotiations, but so far, agreements have been reached only with Britain and Vietnam. In June, Washington and Beijing agreed on a framework covering tariff rates.

Meanwhile, China has warned the Trump administration against reigniting trade tensions and threatened to retaliate against nations that strike deals with the US to exclude it from their supply chains.

Trump's tariffs have stoked inflation fears, further complicating the US Federal Reserve's path to lower interest rates.

Investors await minutes of the Fed's June meeting, due on Wednesday, for more clues into the bank's policy outlook.

Spot silver fell 0.1% to $36.71 per ounce, platinum rose 0.2% to $1,372.51, and palladium rose 0.6% to $1,117.33.