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Saudi Arabia Promotes Fair Trade with Mandatory ‘Metrological Verification’

Saudi Arabia promotes fair trade in establishment activity by verifying conformity with specifications and regulations (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia promotes fair trade in establishment activity by verifying conformity with specifications and regulations (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Promotes Fair Trade with Mandatory ‘Metrological Verification’

Saudi Arabia promotes fair trade in establishment activity by verifying conformity with specifications and regulations (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia promotes fair trade in establishment activity by verifying conformity with specifications and regulations (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Gas stations, commercial stores, food and catering centers, and gold retailers in Saudi Arabia are now required to submit their metrological verification requests through the e-platform “Taqyees” to avoid violations, according to the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO).

The move is aligned with a transformation plan that looks to elevate services and field inspections carried out by SASO agencies and ensure fair trade, revealed information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat.

SASO informed the Saudi Investment and Commerce Ministry of the importance of implementing metrological checks on all relevant commercial institutions.

Metrological verification includes a field examination of measuring devices to ensure that they fit pre-approved models and that they work correctly and accurately according to regulations.

SASO, represented by the National Metrology Program (Taqyees), announced starting the process of qualifying the private sector to carry out metrological verification work, activating the role of legal calibration and control of measuring devices in the Kingdom.

With that being said, SASO called on private sector companies and institutions to cooperate in metrological checks on fuel pumps and non-automatic scales, apply controls for qualification verification and maintenance bodies, and issue a type approval certificate.

Entities wishing to obtain a qualification to conduct verification operations can access SASO’s website to view the technical regulations of the legal calibration system.

SASO stressed its keenness to consolidate the partnership with the private sector and work hard to provide a fair investment and commercial environment in the Kingdom.

Taqyees, a legal calibration program, is one of SASO’s initiatives within the National Transformation Program 2020.

The program aims to match legal measurement tools with standard specifications to ensure the validity of sold quantities by conducting technical tests and field verification for several measurement tools such as fuel pumps, water and electricity meters, and commercial scales.

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Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh Demand against US Inventories

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
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Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh Demand against US Inventories

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday as investors weighed firm winter fuel demand expectations against large US fuel inventories and macroeconomic concerns.

Brent crude futures were down 3 cents at $76.13 a barrel by 1003 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures dipped 10 cents to $73.22.

Both benchmarks fell more than 1% on Wednesday as a stronger dollar and a bigger than expected rise in US fuel stockpiles pressured prices.

"The oil market is still grappling with opposite forces - seasonal demand to support the bulls and macro data that supports a stronger US dollar in the medium term ... that can put a ceiling to prevent the bulls from advancing further," said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong.

JPMorgan analysts expect oil demand for January to expand by 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) year on year to 101.4 million bpd, primarily driven by increased use of heating fuels in the Northern Hemisphere.

"Global oil demand is expected to remain strong throughout January, fuelled by colder than normal winter conditions that are boosting heating fuel consumption, as well as an earlier onset of travel activities in China for the Lunar New Year holidays," the analysts said.

The market structure in Brent futures is also indicating that traders are becoming more concerned about supply tightening at the same time demand is increasing.

The premium of the front-month Brent contract over the six-month contract reached its widest since August on Wednesday. A widening of this backwardation, when futures for prompt delivery are higher than for later delivery, typically indicates that supply is declining or demand is increasing.

Nevertheless, official Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed rising gasoline and distillates stockpiles in the United States last week.

The dollar strengthened further on Thursday, underpinned by rising Treasury yields ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20.

Looking ahead, WTI crude oil is expected to oscillate within a range of $67.55 to $77.95 into February as the market awaits more clarity on Trump's administration policies and fresh fiscal stimulus measures out of China, OANDA's Wong said.