Saudi Arabia Stresses Importance of Cooperation to Support Global Economic Recovery

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speaks during the Second Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Washington (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speaks during the Second Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Washington (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Saudi Arabia Stresses Importance of Cooperation to Support Global Economic Recovery

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speaks during the Second Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Washington (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speaks during the Second Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Washington (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Saudi Arabia underlined the importance of international cooperation to support global economic recovery and prevent negative repercussions amid the current international circumstances.

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammad Al-Jadaan revealed the Kingdom’s continuous efforts to support people and countries in need, including its recent provision of urgent support in the amount of $10 million for Ukrainian refugees in neighboring countries.

The minister’s comments came on Thursday during the Second Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Washington that was held under the presidency of Indonesia, on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Fahad Al-Mubarak, Governor of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), emphasized the need to secure the necessary flexibility to address various national circumstances and priorities, highlighting the importance of the circular carbon economy approach, which was adopted at the Riyadh G20 summit.

The meeting was attended by G20 members, invitee countries, including Ukraine, as well as international and regional organizations. G20 Finance Ministers and the Central Bank Governors continued the discussion on the agenda of the previous meeting held in Jakarta in Feb. 2022, namely the global economy and its risks, global health issues, international financial architecture, and sustainable finance.

The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors will continue the dialogue at the Third Meeting, which will be held in Bali on July 15-16, 2022.

Meanwhile, Al-Jadaan met on Wednesday with US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank.

The meeting touched on bilateral economic relations, the economic impact resulting from geopolitical developments and the Covid-19 pandemic, and the means to face increasing challenges and maintain global economic recovery.



Dollar Strengthens on Elevated US Bond Yields, Tariff Talks

A teller sorts US dollar banknotes inside the cashier's booth at a forex exchange bureau in downtown Nairobi, Kenya February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File photo
A teller sorts US dollar banknotes inside the cashier's booth at a forex exchange bureau in downtown Nairobi, Kenya February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File photo
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Dollar Strengthens on Elevated US Bond Yields, Tariff Talks

A teller sorts US dollar banknotes inside the cashier's booth at a forex exchange bureau in downtown Nairobi, Kenya February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File photo
A teller sorts US dollar banknotes inside the cashier's booth at a forex exchange bureau in downtown Nairobi, Kenya February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File photo

The dollar rose for a second day on Wednesday on higher US bond yields, sending other major currencies to multi-month lows, with a report that Donald Trump was mulling emergency measures to allow for a new tariff program also lending support.

The already-firm dollar climbed higher on Wednesday after CNN reported that President-elect Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency as legal justification for a large swath of universal tariffs on allies and adversaries.

The dollar index was last up 0.5% at 109.24, not far from the two-year peak of 109.58 it hit last week, Reuters reported.

Its gains were broad-based, with the euro down 0.43% at $1.0293 and Britain's pound under particular pressure, down 1.09% at $1.2342.

Data on Tuesday showed US job openings unexpectedly rose in November and layoffs were low, while a separate survey showed US services sector activity accelerated in December and a measure of input prices hit a two-year high - a possible inflation warning.

Bond markets reacted by sending 10-year Treasury yields up more than eight basis points on Tuesday, with the yield climbing to 4.728% on Wednesday.

"We're getting very strong US numbers... which has rates going up," said Bart Wakabayashi, Tokyo branch manager at State Street, pushing expectations of Fed rate cuts out to the northern summer or beyond.

"There's even the discussion about, will they cut, or may they even hike? The narrative has changed quite significantly."

Markets are now pricing in just 36 basis points of easing from the Fed this year, with a first cut in July.

US private payrolls data due later in the session will be eyed for further clues on the likely path of US rates.

Traders are jittery ahead of key US labor data on Friday and the inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. 20, with his second US presidency expected to begin with a flurry of policy announcements and executive orders.

The move in the pound drew particular attention, as it came alongside a sharp sell-off in British stocks and government bonds. The 10-year gilt yield is at its highest since 2008.

Higher yields in general are more likely to lead to a stronger currency, but not in this case.

"With a non-data driven rise in yields that is not driven by any positive news - and the trigger seems to be inflation concern in the US, and Treasuries are selling off - the correlation inverts," said Francesco Pesole, currency analyst at ING.

"That doesn't happen for every currency, but the pound remains more sensitive than most other currencies to a rise in yields, likely because there's still this lack of confidence in the sustainability of budget measures."

Markets did not welcome the budget from Britain's new Labor government late last year.

Elsewhere, the yen sagged close to the 160 per dollar level that drew intervention last year, touching 158.55, its weakest on the dollar for nearly six months.

Japan's consumer sentiment deteriorated in December, a government survey showed, casting doubt on the central bank's view that solid household spending will underpin the economy and justify a rise in interest rates.

China's yuan hit 7.3322 per dollar, the lowest level since September 2023.