Saudi Telecom Appoints New CEO

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has named Olayan Mohammed al-Wetaid as the new group CEO.
Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has named Olayan Mohammed al-Wetaid as the new group CEO.
TT

Saudi Telecom Appoints New CEO

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has named Olayan Mohammed al-Wetaid as the new group CEO.
Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has named Olayan Mohammed al-Wetaid as the new group CEO.

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has named Olayan Mohammed al-Wetaid as the new group CEO, following Nasser al-Nasser who resigned in November citing personal reasons.

Wetaid will start in his new position on March 28, the company said in a statement to Tadawul.

It said that Wetaid has more than 20 years’ experience in the industry and worked at Saudi Aramco before joining STC.

He holds various positions and is currently the senior VP of the consumer unit at STC and was previously CEO of STC Bahrain.

He also heads several STC subsidiaries, such as Channels, Intigral Middle East, and Contact Center Company CCC), and is a board member and deputy chairman of STC Pay. He also chairs several committees of the boards of directors of the group's subsidiaries.

Wetaid holds a bachelor's in electrical engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and has many certifications in the field of ICT, leadership, and strategic planning.

Saudi Telecom Company, the third-largest company listed in the Saudi market, recorded a slight increase in profits to $2.240 billion by the end of the first nine months of last year, compared to $2.225 billion achieved during the same period of 2019.



Gold Hits Four-week Peak on Safe-haven Demand

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
TT

Gold Hits Four-week Peak on Safe-haven Demand

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 rose to a near four-week high on Thursday, supported by safe-haven demand, while investors weighed how US President-elect Donald Trump's policies would impact the economy and inflation.

Spot gold inched up 0.4% to $2,672.18 per ounce, as of 0918 a.m. ET (1418 GMT). US gold futures rose 0.7% to $2,691.80.

"Safe-haven demand is modestly supporting gold, offsetting downside pressure coming from a stronger dollar and higher rates," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.

The dollar index hovered near a one-week high, making gold less appealing for holders of other currencies, while the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield stayed near eight-month peaks, Reuters reported.

"Market uncertainty is likely to persist with the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump as the next US president," Staunovo said.

Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency to provide legal justification for a series of universal tariffs on allies and adversaries, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Trump will take office on Jan. 20 and his proposed tariffs could potentially ignite trade wars and inflation. In such a scenario, gold, considered a hedge against inflation, is likely to perform well.

Investors' focus now shifts to Friday's US nonfarm payrolls due at 08:30 a.m. ET for further clarity on the Federal Reserve's interest rate path.

Non-farm payrolls likely rose by 160,000 jobs in December after surging by 227,000 in November, a Reuters survey showed.

Gold hit a near four-week high on Wednesday after a weaker-than-expected US private employment report hinted that the Fed may be less cautious about easing rates this year.

However, minutes of the Fed's December policy meeting showed officials' concern that Trump's proposed tariffs and immigration policies may prolong the fight against rising prices.

High rates reduce the non-yielding asset's appeal.

The World Gold Council on Wednesday said physically-backed gold exchange-traded funds registered their first inflow in four years.

Spot silver rose 0.7% to $30.32 per ounce, platinum fell 0.8% to $948.55 and palladium shed 1.4% to $915.75.