Experts to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Intellectual Property Strategy to Generate Initiatives, Attract Quality Investments

Saudi Arabia moves towards diversifying sources of income and growing the national economy through non-oil output (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia moves towards diversifying sources of income and growing the national economy through non-oil output (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Experts to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Intellectual Property Strategy to Generate Initiatives, Attract Quality Investments

Saudi Arabia moves towards diversifying sources of income and growing the national economy through non-oil output (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia moves towards diversifying sources of income and growing the national economy through non-oil output (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced the launch of the National Intellectual Property Strategy to support the Kingdom’s economy based on innovation and creativity.

According to analysts, the Strategy will push the Saudi economy towards growth and development, enhance the domestic product, bring quality investments to the Kingdom, and generate initiatives and job opportunities.

“This strategy will promote the Saudi economy’s growth and development as it will lead towards innovation and the discovery of hidden potentials in the knowledge, digital and bold economy,” said Muhammad bin Dulaim Al-Qahtani, Professor of Economics at King Faisal University.

“It will also push Saudi sectors towards competitiveness and strengthen the Kingdom’s external position in preserving intellectual property rights,” added Al-Qahtani.

Al-Qahtani also noted that the Strategy will also attract dreamers and innovation lovers to Saudi Arabia.

Moreover, the Strategy will make the Kingdom compete with developed countries in embracing ideas and innovators.

Al-Qahtani indicated that the strategy will lead the Saudi economy towards knowledge, pointing out that the knowledge economy is equivalent to triple the regular economy.

“The launch of the Strategy will contribute to supporting economic growth and social development and protecting the national economy from losses estimated at more than SAR 11 billion ($2.9 billion),” said Essam Mustafa Khalifa, member of the Saudi Economic Association.

Most of the loss referred to by Khalifa can be traced back to the piracy of computer programs and literary works and commercial fraud.

“The Strategy will also contribute to supporting and unifying efforts of sectors concerned with intellectual property rights, including the judicial authorities,” added Khalifa.

Khalifa stressed that Saudi Arabia seeks to produce legislation regarding various types of intellectual property, especially that the Kingdom is a member of the main international conventions related to intellectual property rights.

He pointed out that the Kingdom enacted several previous laws in the field of intellectual rights protection, including the trademark system, the commercial fraud prevention system, the patent system and copyright protection, and the trade names system.



Oil Edges Down amid Bearish Trump Tariff Outlook

A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Pavel Mikheyev/File Photo
A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Pavel Mikheyev/File Photo
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20

Oil Edges Down amid Bearish Trump Tariff Outlook

A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Pavel Mikheyev/File Photo
A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Pavel Mikheyev/File Photo

Oil prices declined moderately on Thursday as investors weighed the potential impact of US President Donald Trump's tariffs on global economic growth.

Brent crude futures were down 23 cents, or 0.3%, at $69.96 a barrel by 0904 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 32 cents, or 0.5%, to $68.06 a barrel.

On Wednesday, Trump threatened Brazil, Latin America's largest economy, with a punitive 50% tariff on exports to the US, after a public spat with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

He has also announced plans for tariffs on copper, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals and his administration sent tariff letters to the Philippines, Iraq and others, adding to over a dozen letters issued earlier in the week including for powerhouse US suppliers South Korea and Japan.

Trump's history of backpedaling on tariffs has caused the market to become less reactive to such announcements, said Harry Tchilinguirian, group head of research at Onyx Capital Group.

"People are largely in wait and see mode, given the erratic nature of policy making and the flexibility the administration is showing around tariffs," Tchilinguirian said.

Policymakers remain worried about the inflationary pressures from Trump's tariffs, with only "a couple" of officials at the Federal Reserve's June 17-18 meeting saying they felt interest rates could be reduced as soon as this month, minutes of the meeting released on Wednesday showed.

Higher interest rates make borrowing more expensive and reduce demand for oil, Reuters said.

Supporting oil prices however was a weaker US dollar in Thursday's Asia trading session, said OANDA senior analyst Kelvin Wong. A weaker dollar lifts oil prices by making it cheaper for holders of other currencies.

US crude stocks rose while gasoline and distillate inventories fell last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. Gasoline demand rose 6% to 9.2 million barrels per day last week, the EIA said.

Global daily flights were averaging 107,600 in the first eight days of July, an all-time high, with flights in China reaching a five-month peak and port and freight activities indicating "sustained expansion" in trade activities from last year, JP Morgan said in a client note.

"Year to date, global oil demand growth is averaging 0.97 million barrels per day, in line with our forecast of 1 million barrels per day," the note said.

Additionally, there is doubt the recent increase in production quotas announced by OPEC+ will result in an actual increase in production, as some members are already exceeding their quotas, said Tony Sycamore, an analyst at IG.

"And others, like Russia, are unable to meet their targets due to damaged oil infrastructure," he said.

OPEC+ oil producers are set to approve another big output boost for September, as they complete both the unwinding of voluntary production cuts by eight members, and the United Arab Emirates' move to a larger quota.