Sudan Bids to Import Flour, Wheat

Supporters gather outside the National Prison during the release of politicians and journalists, after demonstrations in Khartoum, Sudan February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Supporters gather outside the National Prison during the release of politicians and journalists, after demonstrations in Khartoum, Sudan February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
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Sudan Bids to Import Flour, Wheat

Supporters gather outside the National Prison during the release of politicians and journalists, after demonstrations in Khartoum, Sudan February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
Supporters gather outside the National Prison during the release of politicians and journalists, after demonstrations in Khartoum, Sudan February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning launched Sunday an open tender on the supply of 500,000 tons of wheat and flour, in response to a wave of protests Sudan witnessed in the past days.

Days earlier, Sudan's Prime Minister Moataz Moussa announced budget 2019 that encapsulates subsidies allocations of SDG66 billion (USD1.4 billion) and SDG53 billion out of them are for bread and fuel.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the wheat and flour bid is meant to calm protesters and easing living conditions that are affected by bread prices and scarcity of wheat.

Economist Prof. Mohamed Jack Ahmad told Asharq Al-Awsat that the success of the public budget is hinged to negative economic indicators including the inflation rate, foreign currencies exchange, the rise of services and commodities prices, and the recession in Sudanese markets.

Director-General of the Agricultural Bank of Sudan Salah al-Din Hassan said that the amount of the tender is to be determined later after the closing date of submission, pointing out that the last tender for the supply of wheat issued by the Ministry of Finance was about two years ago.

Former deputy minister of foreign trade and former official of the wheat file Al-Kindi Yusuf pointed out that the scarcity of strategic commodities, including wheat and bread flour, has become a phenomenon associated with the economies of developing countries, which is always paid to plan for self-sufficiency.

Yusuf pointed out that the tender for wheat and bread flour at this particular time means that the government has renewed the support that stopped the commodity to absorb the political turmoil caused by citizens in protest against the high prices of bread.



Gold Holds Ground as Jobs Data offsets Safe-haven Demand

A participant shows gold bars during the 21st edition of the international gold and jewelry exhibition at the Kuwait International Fairgrounds in Kuwait City on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Yasser AL ZAYYAT / AFP)
A participant shows gold bars during the 21st edition of the international gold and jewelry exhibition at the Kuwait International Fairgrounds in Kuwait City on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Yasser AL ZAYYAT / AFP)
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Gold Holds Ground as Jobs Data offsets Safe-haven Demand

A participant shows gold bars during the 21st edition of the international gold and jewelry exhibition at the Kuwait International Fairgrounds in Kuwait City on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Yasser AL ZAYYAT / AFP)
A participant shows gold bars during the 21st edition of the international gold and jewelry exhibition at the Kuwait International Fairgrounds in Kuwait City on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Yasser AL ZAYYAT / AFP)

Gold prices held steady on Wednesday as stronger US jobs data countered safe-haven demand driven by simmering trade tensions between the US and China.

Spot gold was steady at $3,349.19 an ounce, as of 1145 GMT. US gold futures were unchanged at $3,373.10.

"US labor data gave markets a bit of relief yesterday, causing a small dip in gold prices. However, tensions between the US and China are still keeping risks high and gold prices supported," said Zain Vawda, market analyst at MarketPulse by OANDA.

Job openings in the US rose in April, though layoffs surged to their highest level in nine months, economic data showed, hinting at softening labor market conditions, Reuters reported.

Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping is tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with," days after the US President accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions.

Washington doubled its tariffs on steel and aluminium imports on Wednesday, the same day the Trump administration expects trading partners to make "best offers" to avoid other punishing import levies from taking effect in early July.

The focus will be on Friday's US non-farm payrolls data for more cues on the Federal Reserve's policy path. Federal Reserve's policy path. Fed officials have reiterated their cautious policy stance, citing risks from trade tensions and economic uncertainty.

"If the data is stronger than expected, interest rate cut expectations are likely to wane, which would weigh on the gold price," said Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch.

"We see gold trading in a range between $3,300 and $3,400 per troy ounce in the short term."

Gold, a safe-haven asset during times of political and economic uncertainty, tends to thrive in a low-interest-rate environment.

Elsewhere, spot silver fell 0.5% to $34.32 an ounce, platinum rose 1.1% to $1,085.50 and palladium lost 0.5% to $1,005.11.