Manufacturing Industries Best Stimulate Growth of Saudi Private Sector

Cars drive past the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 12, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
Cars drive past the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 12, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
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Manufacturing Industries Best Stimulate Growth of Saudi Private Sector

Cars drive past the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 12, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser
Cars drive past the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 12, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser

A recent detailed expert study revealed that the manufacturing activities in Saudi Arabia were the best stimulator of private sector growth among all other activities that make up the Saudi national economy.
 
The study, prepared by researchers Mona Al-Muhanna Aba Al-Khail and Ahmed Al-Bakr, from the Economic Research Department of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, concluded that the manufacturing activity was the most stimulating for growth rates in the private sector, in addition to its role in encouraging other economic activities.
 
This comes amid tangible efforts by the Kingdom to boost the private sector with all its components.

Saudi Arabia is expected to announce an integrated program for the development of the private sector and its involvement in more interactive tasks towards increasing its contribution to the national economy.
 
The study concluded that there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between the real domestic product of the private sector and economic activities, which include a number of manufacturing sectors, electricity, gas and water services, building and construction, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants and hotels, as well as transport and communications (with varying proportions in terms of impact on private sector growth rates).
 
Finance Minister Mohamed Al-Jadaan had underlined, ahead of the issuance of the 2020 budget, the remarkable growth in various economic sectors during 2019, stressing the government’s continued implementation of its strategy to diversify the economic base by creating an appropriate environment for investment in promising sectors.



ECB Chief Lagarde Reportedly 'Ready to Serve' WEF

President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde addresses the media in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, July 23, 2026, after a meeting of the ECB's governing council. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde addresses the media in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, July 23, 2026, after a meeting of the ECB's governing council. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
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ECB Chief Lagarde Reportedly 'Ready to Serve' WEF

President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde addresses the media in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, July 23, 2026, after a meeting of the ECB's governing council. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde addresses the media in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, July 23, 2026, after a meeting of the ECB's governing council. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Christine Lagarde, chief of the European Central Bank, could take over the presidency of the World Economic Forum at some point in 2027, Swiss newspaper NZZ reported on Sunday.

At a board meeting near Geneva this week, Lagarde was reportedly described as a "putative candidate" to lead the organization behind the annual Davos gathering of political and business leaders.

According to sources cited by the newspaper, she also said she was "ready to serve.”

The WEF's board ⁠is currently co-chaired ⁠by Roche vice-chairman André Hoffmann and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who are navigating a leadership transition after founder Klaus Schwab stepped down last year.

At the board meeting, Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that the succession to Fink ⁠and Hoffmann should be resolved internally as suitable candidates were available, NZZ reported.

Lagarde, who has been a member of the WEF's board for several terms, thanked the members of the 28-strong body for their confidence in her, according to the paper's reporting.

The board did not determine exactly when Lagarde should take over the presidency, NZZ said, based on sources, adding that the ⁠only point ⁠of agreement was that Fink and Hoffmann should still chair the annual meeting in Davos in January 2027.

The WEF did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.

Christine Lagarde said last year she was determined to complete her term at the ECB, following speculation she might leave early to take up a role leading the WEF.

Her eight-year presidential term at the ECB runs out at the end of October 2027.

 


Trump Hits Back at Canada after Retaliatory Tariffs Announcement

(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on August 22, 2026 shows US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on July 13, 2026 and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on August 22, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB and Dave Chan / AFP)
(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on August 22, 2026 shows US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on July 13, 2026 and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on August 22, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB and Dave Chan / AFP)
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Trump Hits Back at Canada after Retaliatory Tariffs Announcement

(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on August 22, 2026 shows US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on July 13, 2026 and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on August 22, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB and Dave Chan / AFP)
(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on August 22, 2026 shows US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on July 13, 2026 and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on August 22, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB and Dave Chan / AFP)

US President Donald Trump hit back at Canada on Sunday after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced retaliatory tariffs on the United States following a breakdown in trade negotiations.

"Canada wants the benefits of being a State, without being one!!!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

"They have also charged our great farmers, for many years, massive amounts of Tariffs. No more!!!" he said.

Carney said Saturday that new Canadian tariffs would take effect on September 8, notably targeting the US steel and dairy industries.

New 50-percent US tariffs impacting about $20 billion worth of goods, or 5.5 percent of Canadian exports to the US, came into force Saturday.

Trump had previously said Washington "should be able to have a deal with Canada," citing his "good relationship" with Carney.

But on Saturday, Canada's prime minister said Trump set conditions that were ultimately unacceptable even though earlier talks had been positive.

"In recent days, the United States proposed new terms that were uneconomic, unfair and undermined the net benefits for Canada, and called into question the reliability of any deal," Carney said in Ottawa.

"We cannot accept what they've offered, and we will not give what they've asked."


Alibaba Proposes Hong Kong Share Placement Worth $10 Billion

FILE PHOTO: People visit an Alibaba booth during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China July 26, 2025.  REUTERS/Go Nakamura/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People visit an Alibaba booth during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China July 26, 2025. REUTERS/Go Nakamura/File Photo/File Photo
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Alibaba Proposes Hong Kong Share Placement Worth $10 Billion

FILE PHOTO: People visit an Alibaba booth during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China July 26, 2025.  REUTERS/Go Nakamura/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People visit an Alibaba booth during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China July 26, 2025. REUTERS/Go Nakamura/File Photo/File Photo

China's Alibaba announced on Sunday a proposed placement of new shares in Hong Kong.

The aggregate placement consideration is HK$80 billion ($10.2 billion), the company added, according to Reuters.

Alibaba said the ⁠deal would mark ⁠the largest-ever primary follow-on offering by a Hong Kong-listed company and the biggest Regulation S ⁠equity offering on record, while ranking as the world's third-largest primary follow-on share sale this year after Alphabet and Intel.

The company said it intends to use 100% of the net ⁠proceeds from ⁠the placement to invest in its full stack AI capabilities, including expanding and enhancing its AI infrastructure.