Saudi Arabia Boosts its Food Security

Saudi Arabia enhances its food security by attracting the largest global meat company (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia enhances its food security by attracting the largest global meat company (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Saudi Arabia Boosts its Food Security

Saudi Arabia enhances its food security by attracting the largest global meat company (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia enhances its food security by attracting the largest global meat company (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia is boosting its food security by allocating industrial land of ​​more than 25,000 square meters in the second industrial city in Jeddah to the largest international meat company.

The Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (Modon) signed a privatization contract with Seara Arabian for Food Industries, the investment arm in the Middle East and North Africa region of the Brazilian JBS group.

JBS is a global leader in protein-based food production and contributes to boosting the export of national products and meeting the local market's needs for various meat products, with a total of 50,000 tons annually.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Osama al-Zamil announced that MODON is ready and capable of attracting and localizing quality industries with added value to the national economy.

Zamil explained that it will help achieve the objectives of the national strategy for industries under Vision 2030.

He added that the project would support the integration of food industry supply chains by facilitating and attracting investors to the targeted areas.

It will also provide support and joint logistical services that boost the efficiency of food factories within these clusters and enhance their contribution to the national export system.

Zamil said that MODON has succeeded since its inception in increasing the number of food and beverage factories in its industrial cities by 200 percent, from 318 to nearly 1,000 factories.



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)
TT

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.