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Saudi Arabia Announces Opening of Neom Bay Airport

Neom Bay airport (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Neom Bay airport (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Announces Opening of Neom Bay Airport

Neom Bay airport (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Neom Bay airport (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation announced on Tuesday the opening of Neom Bay Airport in the northern region of Sharma.
 
The Authority said that the airport has been licensed and was ready to receive commercial flights starting next Sunday, after the first phase of development work was completed and was registered by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) earlier with the code “NUM.”

Neom Bay Airport will conduct regular flights to investors and employees of Saudi Arabia’s giant Neom project. It is also considered a new window on the Red Sea. It is one of the most modern and important airports in the Middle East region and the most geographically distinct since it is located on the borders of three countries: Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.
 
The airport establishment comes within Saudi Vision 2030 and aims to support the development of the national economy by creating a modern and global logistics platform for organizations and individuals around the world.

The total area of the airport is 3,643 sq. meters and has a hangar to accommodate as many as six aircraft.

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Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh Demand against US Inventories

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
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Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh Demand against US Inventories

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors weighed firm winter fuel demand expectations against large US fuel inventories and macroeconomic concerns.

Brent crude futures were down 3 cents at $76.13 a barrel by 1003 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures dipped 10 cents to $73.22.

Both benchmarks fell more than 1% on Wednesday as a stronger dollar and a bigger than expected rise in US fuel stockpiles pressured prices.

"The oil market is still grappling with opposite forces - seasonal demand to support the bulls and macro data that supports a stronger US dollar in the medium term ... that can put a ceiling to prevent the bulls from advancing further," said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong.

JPMorgan analysts expect oil demand for January to expand by 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) year on year to 101.4 million bpd, primarily driven by increased use of heating fuels in the Northern Hemisphere.

"Global oil demand is expected to remain strong throughout January, fuelled by colder than normal winter conditions that are boosting heating fuel consumption, as well as an earlier onset of travel activities in China for the Lunar New Year holidays," the analysts said.

The market structure in Brent futures is also indicating that traders are becoming more concerned about supply tightening at the same time demand is increasing.

The premium of the front-month Brent contract over the six-month contract reached its widest since August on Wednesday. A widening of this backwardation, when futures for prompt delivery are higher than for later delivery, typically indicates that supply is declining or demand is increasing.

Nevertheless, official Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed rising gasoline and distillates stockpiles in the United States last week.

The dollar strengthened further on Thursday, underpinned by rising Treasury yields ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20.

Looking ahead, WTI crude oil is expected to oscillate within a range of $67.55 to $77.95 into February as the market awaits more clarity on Trump's administration policies and fresh fiscal stimulus measures out of China, OANDA's Wong said.