Saudi Dussur Signs 4 Joint Ventures, Global Acquisition Deal

The signing ceremony of the JV of Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The signing ceremony of the JV of Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Dussur Signs 4 Joint Ventures, Global Acquisition Deal

The signing ceremony of the JV of Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The signing ceremony of the JV of Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments (Dussur) announced the signing of five new shareholders' agreements, including four joint ventures and one global acquisition deal.

Dussur, owned by PIF, Aramco, and SABIC, signed the agreement at a special event attended by Minister of Energy and Investment Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar al-Khorayef, Minister of Education Hamad al-Sheikh.

The event was held at King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC).

The first JV agreement was signed with Korea's SeAH Changwon Integrated Specialty Steel Co. Ltd (SeAH) to establish the first local seamless stainless-steel pipe production plant in Saudi Arabia.

The total investment for establishing the joint venture is estimated at $270 million. SeAH and Dussur will invest up to $140 million with a percentage share of 51 percent and 49 percent, respectively.

The Saudi Industrial Development Fund will provide the remaining financing for the joint venture.

The second joint venture agreement was signed between Dussur, Tatweer Educational Transportation Services Company, and CHTC KINWIN Automobile to establish the first state-of-the-art bus manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia with an annual production capacity of 3000 buses.

The project is in line with Vision 2030 and is significant as it is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and will support the localization of the automotive industry and the development of the automotive ecosystem.

The Jeddah-based joint venture company will manufacture and assemble several bus models in the first phase, using three engine technologies: Internal combustion engine, pure electrical, and hydrogen fuel cell.

The company will primarily serve the growing local demand, which is currently met by imports, and the growing demand for buses for Hajj and Umrah, schools, tourism, and public transportation.

The third JV agreement announced at the event was between Dussur and 3D Systems to establish the Center for Innovation and Additive Manufacturing in the Kingdom.

It will provide on-demand printing and application engineering solutions for critical industries such as energy, aerospace, defense, and healthcare.

The initiative will support the Kingdom's path to industrialization by localizing disruptive technologies, contributing to supply security, and building unique capabilities for future jobs.

Dussur and Baker Hughes signed the fourth joint venture agreement to build a blending and chemical reaction facility with a production capacity of 30,000 tons to produce demulsifiers, scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, and biocides.

The facility will be located in Jubail City, Saudi Arabia.

Dussur also announced the successful completion of an acquisition agreement with the international private equity consortium Broad Peak Global (BPG) and Asia Green Fund (AGF) to acquire the Clean Technologies business of DuPont de Nemours.

The new, independent company will be named Elessent Clean Technologies. It is worth noting that the new company is a global leader in chemical catalysts and advanced equipment, specializing in environmental sustainability technologies in the metals, fertilizer, chemicals, and oil refining sectors.

CEO of Dussur Raed al-Rayes stated that the company measures the development impact of projects before investing.

Rayes explained that Dussur portfolio has managed to attract more than SR1 billion worth of foreign investment and create more than 2,600 direct jobs by 2030, with an employment nationalization of no less than 65 percent, reaching as high as 90 percent in some projects.

The Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company is a strategic industrial investment firm that partners with world-class experts to form state-of-the-art joint ventures, including M&A in the industrial sectors.



Gold Advances on US–Iran Tensions as Markets Weigh Fed Policy Path

UK gold bars and gold Sovereign coins are displayed at Baird & Co in Hatton Garden in London, Britain, October 8, 2025. REUTERS/Hiba Kola/File Photo
UK gold bars and gold Sovereign coins are displayed at Baird & Co in Hatton Garden in London, Britain, October 8, 2025. REUTERS/Hiba Kola/File Photo
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Gold Advances on US–Iran Tensions as Markets Weigh Fed Policy Path

UK gold bars and gold Sovereign coins are displayed at Baird & Co in Hatton Garden in London, Britain, October 8, 2025. REUTERS/Hiba Kola/File Photo
UK gold bars and gold Sovereign coins are displayed at Baird & Co in Hatton Garden in London, Britain, October 8, 2025. REUTERS/Hiba Kola/File Photo

Gold prices extended gains on Thursday after rising more than 2% in the previous session, as lingering tensions between the United States and Iran prompted a flight to safety, while investors evaluated the Federal Reserve's monetary policy path.

Spot gold rose 0.2% to $4,989.09 per ounce by 1227 GMT. US gold futures for April delivery held steady at $5,008.60.

"Geopolitical concerns are front and centre with reports that, if the US were to take military action against Iran, it could go on for several weeks," said Jamie Dutta, market analyst at Nemo.money, Reuters reported.

Some progress was made during Iran talks this week in Geneva but distance remained on some issues, the White House said on Wednesday.

FED LARGELY UNITED

Top US national security advisers met in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday to discuss Iran and were told all US military forces deployed to the region should be in place by mid-March.

Meanwhile, the Fed's January minutes showed it largely united on holding interest rates steady, but divided over what comes next, with "several" open to rate hikes if inflation remains elevated, while others were inclined to support further cuts if inflation recedes.

The weekly jobless claims data, due later in the day, and Friday's Personal Consumption Expenditures report, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, will provide further clues on the central bank's policy trajectory.

Markets currently expect this year's first interest rate cut to be in June, according to CME's FedWatch Tool.

Non-yielding bullion tends to do well in low-interest-rate environments.

Spot silver rose 0.9% to $77.87 per ounce after climbing more than 5% on Wednesday.

Silver is "supported by tight supply and low COMEX stock levels ahead of the delivery period of the March contract. However, given the extent of the historic correction earlier this month, silver is not back on safer ground until it trades back above $86," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

Spot platinum fell 0.6% to $2,059.55 per ounce, while palladium lost 1.7% to $1,686.47.


Oil Prices Extend Gains on Concerns of Potential US-Iran Conflict

FILE PHOTO: The Phillips 66 Lake Charles Refinery is pictured in West Lake, Louisiana, US, June 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Phillips 66 Lake Charles Refinery is pictured in West Lake, Louisiana, US, June 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman/File Photo
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Oil Prices Extend Gains on Concerns of Potential US-Iran Conflict

FILE PHOTO: The Phillips 66 Lake Charles Refinery is pictured in West Lake, Louisiana, US, June 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Phillips 66 Lake Charles Refinery is pictured in West Lake, Louisiana, US, June 12, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman/File Photo

Oil prices rose on Thursday as the US and Iran attempted to ease a standoff in talks over Tehran's nuclear program while both sides heightened military activity in the key oil-producing region.

Brent futures climbed 23 cents, or 0.3% to $70.58 a barrel by 0735 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 25 cents, or 0.4%, to trade at $65.44 a barrel.

Both benchmarks settled more than 4% higher on Wednesday, posting their highest settlements since January 30, as traders priced in the risk of supply disruptions in the event of ‌a conflict.

"Oil prices are ‌rallying as the market becomes increasingly concerned over the potential ‌for ⁠imminent US action ⁠against Iran," said ING analysts in a Thursday note.

Iranian state media reported the country had shut down the Strait of Hormuz for a few hours on Tuesday, without making clear whether the waterway had fully reopened. About 20% ⁠of the world's oil supply passes through the waterway.

"Tensions between Washington ‌and Tehran remain high, but the prevailing view ‌is that full-scale armed conflict is unlikely, prompting a wait-and-see approach," said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, chief strategist of ‌Nissan Securities Investment, a unit of Nissan Securities.

"US President Donald Trump does not ‌want a sharp rise in crude prices, and even if military action occurs, it would likely be limited to short-term air strikes," Kikukawa added.

A degree of progress was made during Iran talks in Geneva this week but distance remained on some issues, the White House said on Wednesday, ‌adding that it expected Tehran to come back with more details in a couple of weeks.

Iran issued a notice to ⁠airmen (NOTAM) that ⁠it plans rocket launches in areas across its south on Thursday from 0330 GMT to 1330 GMT, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration website.

At the same time, the US has deployed warships near Iran, with US Vice President JD Vance saying Washington was weighing whether to continue diplomatic engagement with Tehran or pursue "another option".

Meanwhile, two days of peace talks in Geneva between Ukraine and Russia ended on Wednesday without a breakthrough, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accusing Moscow of stalling US-mediated efforts to end the four-year-old war.

US crude and gasoline and distillate inventories fell last week, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Wednesday, contrary to expectations in a Reuters poll that crude stocks would rise by 2.1 million barrels in the week to February 13.

Official US oil inventory reports from the Energy Information Administration are due on Thursday.


Madinah Sees Tourism Surge Ahead of Ramadan, Spending Tops $13.9 Billion

A cluster of buildings and hotels surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque (SPA). 
A cluster of buildings and hotels surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque (SPA). 
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Madinah Sees Tourism Surge Ahead of Ramadan, Spending Tops $13.9 Billion

A cluster of buildings and hotels surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque (SPA). 
A cluster of buildings and hotels surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque (SPA). 

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, has toured hospitality facilities and visitor services in Madinah as part of the “Spirit of Ramadan” inspection tour, which also included Jeddah and Makkah.

New data show visitor numbers exceeded 21 million over the past year, a 12 percent increase from 2024, while total tourism spending reached SAR 52 billion (about $13.9 billion), up 22 percent.

The visit focused on assessing the sector’s readiness for the Ramadan season, evaluating service quality, and supporting ongoing and upcoming tourism projects.

Madinah posted strong tourism performance in 2025, driven by higher visitor inflows and expanded hospitality capacity, reinforcing its position as a leading religious destination within Saudi Arabia’s tourism landscape.

Demand growth has been matched by a sharp rise in supply. Licensed hospitality facilities increased to 610, up 35 percent, while the number of licensed rooms surpassed 76,000, a 24 percent gain, strengthening the city’s ability to accommodate during peak seasons such as Ramadan and Hajj.

Travel and tourism offices also grew to more than 240, reflecting a 29 percent expansion in supporting services.

Al-Khateeb said the entry of international hospitality brands and new projects over the past five years underscores both sectoral growth and rising investor confidence in the Kingdom’s tourism ecosystem.

“The landscape today is different. The sector is growing steadily, supported by a system that empowers investors and facilitates their journey, with a promising future ahead,” he said.

To expand hotel capacity, the minister inaugurated the Radisson Hotel Madinah, a project worth more than SAR 39 million (around $10 million) and financed by the Tourism Development Fund.

The 2025 performance signals a shift from traditional seasonal growth toward more sustainable expansion built on diversified offerings, improved service quality, and a stronger contribution to the local economy.