Al-Baraka Bank Group Appoints New Chairman

Al-Baraka Bank offices in Beirut, Lebanon (File photo: Reuters)
Al-Baraka Bank offices in Beirut, Lebanon (File photo: Reuters)
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Al-Baraka Bank Group Appoints New Chairman

Al-Baraka Bank offices in Beirut, Lebanon (File photo: Reuters)
Al-Baraka Bank offices in Beirut, Lebanon (File photo: Reuters)

Al-Baraka Banking Group (ABG) appointed Abdullah Saleh Kamel as the board's new chairman, succeeding late Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel, the group's founder who passed away last month.

The Group is based in Bahrain and the Central Bank of Bahrain issued a statement approving the appointment.

For more than 30 years, Abdullah has been working in the financial, business, and investment sectors and has accompanied the establishment of his father’s projects, including al-Baraka Banking Group.

The Group is one of the most prominent institutions in Islamic banking, where Abdullah served as vice-chairman for years. He was also chairman of the Group’s executive committee, contributing to the development of frameworks and strategies.

Abdullah Kamel hold the executive presidency of Dallah al-Baraka Group in Saudi Arabia. He also chairs the boards of directors of a number of companies with different activities in investment, real estate, finance, and media, including: Aseer Company, Amlak Real Estate Development and Finance, Okaz Press and Publishing Corporation, and the vice-chairman of King Abdullah Economic City Emaar.

Abdullah thanked the board for appointing him to the position, affirming that he would continue in his father's approach, adhering to the principles of modern Islamic banking.

CEO of al-Baraka Adnan Ahmed Youssef said that Abdullah is one of the founders of the group and has the full confidence of its board, adding that the approval of the board of directors for his appointment is a guarantee that the group will continue the same approach of its founder.

Al-Baraka Banking Group (ABG) is licensed as an Islamic wholesale bank by the Central Bank of Bahrain and is listed on Bahrain Bourse and NasdaqDubai. It is a leading international Islamic banking group providing its unique services in countries with a population totaling around one billion.

With a capital of $2.5 billion, ABG offers retail, corporate, treasury, and investment banking services in its subsidiary banking units and representative offices in 17 countries.

Al-Baraka Banking Group has operations in 700 branches in: Jordan, Egypt, Tunis, Bahrain, Sudan, Turkey, South Africa, Algeria, Pakistan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco and Germany, in addition two branches in Iraq and two representative offices in Indonesia and Libya.



Gold on Track for Weekly Gain on Trump Uncertainty; US Jobs Report Awaited

A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
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Gold on Track for Weekly Gain on Trump Uncertainty; US Jobs Report Awaited

A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk

Gold prices inched higher on Friday as uncertainty around US President-elect Donald Trump's policies firmed demand for bullion, while investors awaited a key jobs report to assess the Federal Reserve's rate cut trajectory.
Spot gold edged 0.2% higher to $2,675.49 per ounce as of 0725 GMT. Bullion has gained more than 1% so far this week, set for its highest weekly jump since mid-November. US gold futures rose 0.3% to $2,698.30.
The US non-farm payrolls report is due at 1330 GMT. According to a Reuters survey, payrolls are expected to have increased by 160,000 in December, following a jump of 227,000 in November.
"We expect gold to drop a little in case the non-farm payroll report comes on a higher side," said Jigar Trivedi, senior analyst at Reliance Securities.
"Gold found support after a weaker-than-expected private employment report for December reinforced the notion that the Fed may need to adopt a less cautious approach to rate cuts," Trivedi said.
Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid on Thursday signaled a reluctance to cut rates again as the Fed faces a resilient economy and inflation that remains above its 2% target.
Trump's proposed tariffs and immigration policies may also prolong the fight against inflation.
Traders now expect the first Fed rate cut this year in either May or June, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.
Gold acts as a hedge against inflation, but higher interest rates reduce the appeal of holding the bullion.
Spot silver was up 0.3% to $30.2 per ounce and the COMEX contract was trading at $31.17, both near one-month peaks.
"Our view is that the incoming US administration will tailor economic and trade policy to promote national prosperity, and that silver will recover along with gold in the second half (of 2025) to $35 per ounce," Deutsche Bank said in a note.
Platinum shed 0.4% to $955.97 and palladium added 0.9% to $934.16. All three metals were also set for weekly gains.