Saudi, Egyptian Private Sectors Linked to Revitalize Business

 The Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee had recently held its 17th session in Cairo, SPA
The Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee had recently held its 17th session in Cairo, SPA
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Saudi, Egyptian Private Sectors Linked to Revitalize Business

 The Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee had recently held its 17th session in Cairo, SPA
The Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee had recently held its 17th session in Cairo, SPA

Official information revealed a new directive issued by the Federation of Saudi Chambers called on the private sector to view an e-guide for members of the Egyptian Businessmen Association in a step to facilitate communication between the two parties.

Saudi Commerce Minister Majid Al-Qasabi had confirmed that Saudi Arabia aims to be the first trading partner for Egypt during the next five years.

He noted that there are 6,200 Saudi companies in Egypt with investments exceeding $30 billion, in addition to the presence of 274 Egyptian brands and more than 574 companies in Saudi markets.

According to the information, the latest step comes within the framework of the continuous cooperation between the two countries to enhance trade relations and revitalize business between Egyptian companies and their Saudi counterparts.

Therefore, the Egyptian Businessmen Association, a “non-governmental and non-profit entity,” launched an e-directory that includes detailed data for its members.

The Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee in Cairo had recently held its 17th session, co-chaired by Al-Qasabi and Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Neveen Gamea in the presence of government officials representing various sectors in the two countries.

During his speech at the inauguration ceremony, Al-Qasabi conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HPrince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, commending deep-rooted relations between the two countries that are based on the bonds of religions, fraternity, dialogue, history and joint interests of both countries.

Minister Al-Qasabi said that the committee is an extension of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on the importance of joint action to further enhance brotherly ties, boost cooperation, and move to a higher level, noting that the Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee is one of the active committees between the two countries that has been held annually, except in 2020 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

He also expressed aspiration for these meetings to enhance trade between the two countries, where the total trade volume in 2020 amounted to $8 billion, down by 15% when compared to 2019 due to the repercussions of the pandemic on global economies, reiterating that what matters now is to enhance the post-pandemic bilateral cooperation to boost economic cooperation and benefit from opportunities generated from the pandemic, as well as protecting investments in the two countries.

Al-Qasabi also expressed appreciation to Gamea and members of the technical teams for their efforts and their keenness to discuss all that can enhance cooperation between the two countries in all fields in a bid to push forward this cooperation until reaching fruitful outcomes to serve joint interests.



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)
TT

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.