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Saudi GACA Revenues Jump 5%

Saudi GACA Revenues Jump 5%
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Saudi GACA Revenues Jump 5%

Saudi GACA Revenues Jump 5%

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) revealed that the Kingdom’s aviation sector is undergoing core changes, especially as it expands its network of international airports.

The GACA pointed out to seven domestic airports being turned international, bringing the number of international airports in the Kingdom up to 13. A few years ago, the Kingdom only had three international airports.

This upgrade has contributed to an overall 5 percent increase in revenues.

In light of the growing importance of the airport industry, Saudi Arabia sees the civil aviation sector as a leading economic contributor that directly influences GDP.

According to the GACA, the aviation sector in the Kingdom saw an overall increase in revenues, which included subsidiaries, during 2018. Revenues amounted to more than SR8.8 billion ($2.3 billion), an increase of approximately 5 percent when compared to 2017.

Official data showed that 2018 saw an 8 percent jump in the number of passengers and flight traffic across the Kingdom’s airports.

The number of passengers in 2018 exceeded 99.86 million, while the number of flights at Saudi airports reached 771,800, an increase of 4.1 percent compared to 2017.

The GACA aims to develop and improve services provided to passengers at the Kingdom's airports.

In a comprehensive report, the GACA showed that the satisfaction rate of passengers with the quality of services provided at airports in 2018 was at 70 percent.

The number of applicants surveyed by the report reached more than 8 million passengers.

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Gold Hits Nearly Two-month High as Middle East Tensions Spur Safe-haven Demand

FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
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20
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Gold Hits Nearly Two-month High as Middle East Tensions Spur Safe-haven Demand

FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo

Gold prices climbed on Friday to their highest levels in nearly two months, and were on track for a weekly gain, after Israeli military strikes on Iran drove investors toward safe-haven assets.

Spot gold was up 1.2% at $3,423.30 an ounce, as of 0544 GMT, after hitting its highest since April 22 earlier in the session. Bullion has gained more than 3.4% so far this week.

US gold futures gained 1.2% to $3,444.50.

Geopolitical tensions escalated after Israel targeted Iran's nuclear facilities, as tensions mounted over US efforts to halt Iran's production of atomic bomb materials.

"This latest spike in hostilities in the Middle East has taken the focus off trade negotiations for now, with investors making a play towards safe-haven assets in response," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.

Israel declared a state of emergency, citing expected missile and drone strikes from Tehran, and the US military is preparing for various contingencies in the Middle East, including potential assistance with evacuating American civilians, a US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

"Gold surged past resistance around $3,400 on news of the airstrikes, and further upside could be in-store should the escalation continue," Waterer said.

Signaling a cooling US labor market and subdued inflation pressures, new applications for unemployment benefits held at an eight-month high last week, while slowing domestic demand helped restrain producer prices in May.

The data, released a day after the Labor Department reported a moderate rise in consumer prices in May, bolstered expectations of an earlier rate cut.

Traders are now expecting a Federal Reserve interest rate cut of 55 basis points by the year-end, starting in September rather than October as previously anticipated.

Elsewhere, spot silver fell 0.3% at $36.25 per ounce, platinum lost 1% at $1,282.55 and palladium shed 0.5% to $1,050.61. All three metals were set for weekly gains.