Arab National Bank, Madinah Academy Sign Deal to Set Up Smart Lab

The signing of the partnership agreement in Madinah (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The signing of the partnership agreement in Madinah (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Arab National Bank, Madinah Academy Sign Deal to Set Up Smart Lab

The signing of the partnership agreement in Madinah (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The signing of the partnership agreement in Madinah (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman, chairman of the Madac Academy board of trustees, signed on Wednesday a partnership agreement between the academy and the Arab National Bank (ANB).

Under the agreement, the bank will establish a smart laboratory at the academy equipped with the latest technical equipment, such as robots, artificial intelligence and augmented reality, to provide qualitative education to more than 1,000 students per year.

The agreement was signed between Prince Faisal and ANB’s Chairman, Salah Al-Rashed, in the presence of the bank’s CEO, Obeid Al-Rasheed, and Abdulrahman Alawi, the academy’s director.

Al-Rashed expressed appreciation for Prince Faisal for patronizing and supporting the partnership.

He said that the agreement reflects the bank’s concern to provide innovative initiatives and qualitative programs in the social responsibility milieu and contribute to supporting the efforts and activities aiming to improve the educational process - which is one of the main goals of Vision 2030.

For his part, Alawi thanked Prince Faisal for his support for Madac Academy as well as the ANB for the initiative, contributing to achieving the academy’s goals aiming to create a promising generation of creative and distinguished students.

Notably, Madac is a nonprofit project seeking to become a pioneer in improving children’s lives around the world. It also aims to build a future by establishing the best educational systems based on encouraging human knowledge, deepening the Qur’anic values and upgrading the educational process.



Gold Prices Climb on Safe-Haven Demand; US Payrolls Data in Focus

Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
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Gold Prices Climb on Safe-Haven Demand; US Payrolls Data in Focus

Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)

Gold prices climbed on Friday, supported by safe-haven demand arising from the Middle East conflict, while spotlight shifted towards US payrolls report to gauge the trajectory of the Federal Reserve's policy path.
Spot gold was up 0.3% at $2,662.50 per ounce, as of 0325 GMT, after climbing to an all-time high of $2,685.42 on Sept. 26. Bullion has gained 0.2 for the week.
US gold futures edged 0.1% higher to $2,682.10.
The dollar eased 0.1%, pulling back from over a one-month high, making greenback-priced bullion less expensive for other currency holders, reported Reuters.
Geopolitical tensions, particularly concerning Israel and Iran, are supporting gold prices and unless these risks subside, prices are likely to remain near record levels, said Ajay Kedia, director at Kedia Commodities, Mumbai.
The US is discussing strikes on Iran's oil facilities as retaliation for Tehran's missile attack on Israel, President Joe Biden said, while Israel's military hit Beirut with new air strikes in its battle against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Bullion is considered a safe investment during times of political and financial uncertainty, and thrives in a low-rate environment.
The US nonfarm payroll data is due at 1230 GMT. New York Fed President John Williams and Chicago Fed President Austan are also scheduled to speak later in the day.
If the NFP report comes in strong, it will be positive for the dollar and then gold prices will see some profit-booking, Kedia added.
Traders see a 69% chance of a 25-basis-point Fed rate cut in November, according to CME FedWatch Tool.
BMI said in a note it expects gold prices to trade within the range of $2,500 to $2,800 in the coming months.
Spot silver rose 0.4% to $32.17 per ounce and has gained about 1.8% so far this week.
Platinum climbed 1.1% to $1,001.79 and palladium advanced 1.4% to $1,013.46.