G20 Meetings: Five Initiatives to Address Obstacles Facing Youth Entrepreneurship

Journalists sit in the media center during the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 22, 2020/File Photo
Journalists sit in the media center during the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 22, 2020/File Photo
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G20 Meetings: Five Initiatives to Address Obstacles Facing Youth Entrepreneurship

Journalists sit in the media center during the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 22, 2020/File Photo
Journalists sit in the media center during the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 22, 2020/File Photo

The Entrepreneur Union Summit, which is held on the sidelines of the G20 meetings, currently chaired by Saudi Arabia, announced on Sunday the adoption of five initiatives to promote youth entrepreneurship around the world.

Those include addressing the obstacles faced by young entrepreneurs in obtaining capital, supporting training programs and entrepreneurship education, developing a sustainable future economy, in addition to resolving trade barriers and enhancing economic and social resilience by taking advantage of digitization.

“Despite the economic difficulties that we have witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the year 2020 has highlighted the flexibility of entrepreneurs and emerging companies in their quest to develop new opportunities and find creative ways to display their excellence,” Prince Fahd bin Mansour bin Nasser, Chairman of the Young Entrepreneurs Union Summit of the Saudi G20, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He continued: “SMEs and entrepreneurs are among the main business makers in the G20 countries. They employ more than two-thirds of the workforce in the private sector, and provide more than 80 percent of net job growth.”

The summit’s closing statement was based on the recommendations of the research carried out on the entrepreneurship system in the G20 countries and came in line with the priorities of the B20 business groups, especially with regards to development and employment within SMEs.

During the meetings, participants stated that at a time when the world begins to repair the economic damage caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus and to search for ways to pay record levels of government debts, the potential of entrepreneurs must be harnessed to stimulate a new generation that would work on sustainable and inclusive growth.



Gold Eases as Traders Wait for US Economic Data

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. Reuters
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. Reuters
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Gold Eases as Traders Wait for US Economic Data

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. Reuters
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. Reuters

Gold prices eased on Tuesday, while investors awaited a slew of US economic data to gauge the size of the Federal Reserve's expected interest rate cut this month.
Spot gold fell 0.2% at $2,495.50 per ounce by 0630 GMT. Prices hit a record high of $2,531.60 on Aug. 20.
US gold futures steadied at $2,527.50.
The dollar lingered near a two-week high, making bullion less appealing for other currency holders.
"Gold is unable to recapture levels around all-time highs due to lack of fresh positive catalysts. If we see U.S. data pointing to a weak economy and the Fed taking to the narrative of having a jumbo rate cut, gold will rally," said Kelvin Wong, OANDA's senior market analyst for Asia Pacific.
"Prices could go as high as $2,640 this year."
Market focus is on Friday's US August non-farm payrolls report. Economists surveyed by Reuters expect the addition of 165,000 US jobs.
ISM surveys, JOLTS job openings and ADP employment report are also on investors' radar.
Traders currently see a 31% chance of a 50-basis-point rate cut at the Fed's Sept. 17-18 policy meet and a 69% chance of a quarter-point cut.
Last week, data showed US consumer spending picked up in July, arguing against a 50-bp rate cut.
Gold "remains our preferred hedge against geopolitical and financial risks, with additional support from imminent Fed rate cuts and ongoing emerging market central bank buying. We open a long gold trade recommendation," Goldman Sachs said.
Bullion is considered a safe asset amid turmoil and tends to thrive in a low rate environment.
Spot gold may test support at $2,473, a break below that could open the way towards $2,434, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.
Spot silver dipped 0.5% to $28.35, platinum fell 1% to $921.05 and palladium lost 1% to $968.62.