NEOM’s First Stage Field Survey Completed

Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM, a new business and industrial city, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM, a new business and industrial city, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
TT

NEOM’s First Stage Field Survey Completed

Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM, a new business and industrial city, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo
Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM, a new business and industrial city, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reuters file photo

The National Program for Community Development (Tanmia) has completed field survey works for real estate located within the first phase of the NEOM project.

The survey in the northwestern region of the Kingdom, which began in mid-February, allowed NEOM to become free from any ownership restrictions or private rights.

This stage precedes the start of real estate appraisal and the payment of fair and remunerative compensation in preparation for receiving real estate from original owners.

Tanmia - a government agency concerned with communicating with beneficiaries at community development operations sites - will follow up the transition phase, to ensure the provision of a number of additional social and economic packages for the landlords.

Last year, NEOM launched the first stage of projects and began in August building the residential area, by awarding construction, financing and operating contracts for housing complexes to two Saudi companies.

NEOM was established as a closed joint stock company in January 2019, and it is fully owned by the Public Investment Fund.

The company announced it would rely on a modern technology that uses solar energy to produce clean, low-cost fresh water in a way that is environmentally friendly and carbon neutral, as a step to enhance the position of the project as a new global destination, and a promising center for innovation and environmental conservation.

In January, the company launched NEOM academy, which aims to develop the national manpower and create thousands of job opportunities for the members of the local community, with the aim of contributing to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

NEOM signed with the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, a special memorandum of understanding, which contributes to providing training for about 6,000 Saudi citizens, who will later obtain suitable jobs within the many opportunities that the project will offer.



Gold Drops Nearly 2% on Profit-booking, Trump's Treasury Secretary Pick

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
TT

Gold Drops Nearly 2% on Profit-booking, Trump's Treasury Secretary Pick

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold dropped nearly 2% on Monday, weighed down by profit-taking after a five-session rally, with further pressure from the announcement of fund manager Scott Bessent as the next US Treasury secretary.
Spot gold was down 1.8% at $2,664.53 per ounce, as of 0619 GMT, after declining more than 2% earlier in the session. Bullion had hit its highest since Nov. 6 earlier in the day.
US gold futures shed 1.7% to $2,666.40.
Gold's five-session rally has paused due to some profit-taking and Donald Trump's pick of Bessent as the next US Treasury secretary, hinting at tempered use of tariffs and easing US-China trade uncertainty, said IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong.
President-elect Trump has floated the idea of a 60% tariff on Chinese goods and at least a 10% levy on all other imports.
Gold is considered a safe investment during times of economic and political uncertainty.
Investors are also awaiting minutes of the Federal Reserve's November meeting, GDP data (first revision), and core PCE figures, all due this week.
Traders currently see a 56% chance of another 25-basis-point rate cut in December, compared to 62% last week, according to the CME Fedwatch tool.
Recent less dovish signals from US policymakers suggest any unexpected rise in inflation could strengthen expectations of a rate hold in December, Rong said.
Higher interest rates tend to make gold less appealing, as they yield no interest.
Some Fed policymakers last week expressed concerns that inflation progress may have stalled, advocating for caution, while others emphasized the need for continued rate cuts.
On the geopolitical front, Hezbollah fired heavy rockets at Israel on Sunday, following an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 29 in Beirut. There were reports of damage near Tel Aviv.
Spot silver fell 2.2% to $30.63 per ounce, platinum was down 1.2% to $952.00 and palladium slipped 1% to $998.88.