Royal Commission Prepares Infrastructure to Attract Investments in Jazan

Saudi officials signed an investment and construction agreement in the presence of the chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY), Khalid al-Salem (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi officials signed an investment and construction agreement in the presence of the chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY), Khalid al-Salem (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Royal Commission Prepares Infrastructure to Attract Investments in Jazan

Saudi officials signed an investment and construction agreement in the presence of the chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY), Khalid al-Salem (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi officials signed an investment and construction agreement in the presence of the chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY), Khalid al-Salem (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY) signed investment and construction agreements worth over $266 million with several investors in Jazan City.

The city concluded the agreements in the presence of chairman Khalid al-Salem who confirmed that the new contracts contribute to achieving the city's goals.

Salem explained that the new deals provided an infrastructure attracting investments in the food and mining manufacturing industries, establishing a vibrant community, increasing GDP output, creating new direct and indirect jobs, and boosting self-sufficiency in the targeted sectors.

CEO of Jazan City for Basic and Transformational Industries Fahd al-Qurashi signed the agreements, which would create more than 300 direct and indirect jobs.

The investment agreements were signed with several companies, including Public Investment Fund-owned Saudi Coffee Company, to develop and build a coffee processing factory using the latest technology.

RCJY signed an agreement worth $80 million with United Feed Co. to build a grain and animal feed factory.

The Royal Commission pumped nearly $109 million, including construction contracts and the development of the city's infrastructure, following top standards.

The city also signed two investment agreements with Namariq Arabian Services to develop a residential complex accommodating 7,000 people and an investment exceeding $38.6 million. They signed a deal to build 320 housing units for families at an investment of over $38 million on an area of 250,000 square meters for the two projects.

The importance of investment contracts and agreements stems from boosting investment and infrastructure development, which contributes to supporting the national economy, empowering the private sector, diversifying sources of income, expanding the production base, and creating sustainable job opportunities in the region.



US Applications for Jobless Claims Fall to 201,000, Lowest Level in Nearly a Year

A help wanted sign is displayed at a restaurant in Chicago, Ill., Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
A help wanted sign is displayed at a restaurant in Chicago, Ill., Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
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US Applications for Jobless Claims Fall to 201,000, Lowest Level in Nearly a Year

A help wanted sign is displayed at a restaurant in Chicago, Ill., Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
A help wanted sign is displayed at a restaurant in Chicago, Ill., Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

US applications for unemployment benefits fell to their lowest level in nearly a year last week, pointing to a still healthy labor market with historically low layoffs.

The Labor Department on Wednesday said that applications for jobless benefits fell to 201,000 for the week ending January 4, down from the previous week's 211,000. This week's figure is the lowest since February of last year.

The four-week average of claims, which evens out the week-to-week ups and downs, fell by 10,250 to 213,000.

The overall numbers receiving unemployment benefits for the week of December 28 rose to 1.87 million, an increase of 33,000 from the previous week, according to The AP.

The US job market has cooled from the red-hot stretch of 2021-2023 when the economy was rebounding from COVID-19 lockdowns.

Through November, employers added an average of 180,000 jobs a month in 2024, down from 251,000 in 2023, 377,000 in 2022 and a record 604,000 in 2021. Still, even the diminished job creation is solid and a sign of resilience in the face of high interest rates.

When the Labor Department releases hiring numbers for December on Friday, they’re expected to show that employers added 160,000 jobs last month.

On Tuesday, the government reported that US job openings rose unexpectedly in November, showing companies are still looking for workers even as the labor market has loosened. Openings rose to 8.1 million in November, the most since February and up from 7.8 million in October,

The weekly jobless claims numbers are a proxy for layoffs, and those have remained below pre-pandemic levels. The unemployment rate is at a modest 4.2%, though that is up from a half century low 3.4% reached in 2023.

To fight inflation that hit four-decade highs two and a half years ago, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rates 11 times in 2022 and 2023. Inflation came down — from 9.1% in mid-2022 to 2.7% in November, allowing the Fed to start cutting rates. But progress on inflation has stalled in recent months, and year-over-year consumer price increases are stuck above the Fed’s 2% target.

In December, the Fed cut its benchmark interest rate for the third time in 2024, but the central bank’s policymakers signaled that they’re likely to be more cautious about future rate cuts. They projected just two in 2025, down from the four they had envisioned in September.