Saudi-Omani Forum to Witness Signing of Economic MoUs

The forum is expected to witness the signing of memoranda of understanding with the aim to enhance economic, investment and trade cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Oman. Asharq Al-Awsat
The forum is expected to witness the signing of memoranda of understanding with the aim to enhance economic, investment and trade cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Oman. Asharq Al-Awsat
TT

Saudi-Omani Forum to Witness Signing of Economic MoUs

The forum is expected to witness the signing of memoranda of understanding with the aim to enhance economic, investment and trade cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Oman. Asharq Al-Awsat
The forum is expected to witness the signing of memoranda of understanding with the aim to enhance economic, investment and trade cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Oman. Asharq Al-Awsat

An economic forum is scheduled to be held in Muscat on Monday in the presence of Saudi and Omani ministers and representatives of the private sector during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Sultanate.

The forum is expected to witness the signing of memoranda of understanding to enhance economic, investment and trade cooperation between the two countries.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Chairman of the Saudi-Omani Business Council, Nasser bin Saeed Al-Hajri, said that the visit of the Crown Prince to Muscat will demonstrate “the unity of positions ... in the face of all challenges.”

A fundamental role will be played by the Saudi and Omani Business Owners Council in supporting the volume of business and joint projects between the two sides, according to Al-Hajri, who also noted that bilateral meetings between the business councils have made many achievements, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 and the Omani Vision 2040, to diversify the economy and establish strong and joint economic entities.

According to Al-Hajri, the Muscat meetings will seek to exploit the available investment opportunities and achieve economic integration between the two sides, stressing that the political will has played a pivotal role in removing all obstacles facing the investors in the two countries.

He said that the business sectors in Saudi Arabia and Oman, shortly before and during the recent visit of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to the Kingdom, signed several agreements for partnerships in industrial cities, logistics and renewable energy, while an Omani delegation had previously offered 150 investment opportunities to Saudis worth USD4 billion in various vital fields.

According to the National Center for Statistics and Information in Oman, the volume of trade exchange between the two countries amounted to 10 billion riyals (USD2.6 billion dollars) in 2020.



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.