Saudi Crown Prince Chairs Meeting of Council of Economic and Development Affairs

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince an Prime Minister, during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince an Prime Minister, during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Chairs Meeting of Council of Economic and Development Affairs

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince an Prime Minister, during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince an Prime Minister, during a cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, chaired a meeting for the council on Tuesday.

The council reviewed several economic and development issues, including a presentation submitted by the Ministry of Economy and Planning regarding local and global economic development.

The presentation included details of the most important indicators related to the national economy, especially the growth witnessed by the sectors of the national economy, as well as a large number of other sectors and activities during the past period.

It also reviewed the prospects of the global economy during the coming period and an analysis of the most prominent indicators.

The council discussed the presentation submitted by the Strategic Management Office of the Council regarding the governance of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the roles of the supporting agencies.

It reviewed a presentation submitted by the Ministry of Health regarding the latest health developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and a presentation by the Project Management Office at the Secretariat of the Council regarding the follow-up on decisions and recommendations of the Council during the fourth quarter of the past year 2022.

The council made the necessary decisions and recommendations regarding these issues.



Oil Edges Up on Strong US GDP Data

A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
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Oil Edges Up on Strong US GDP Data

A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

Oil prices were up slightly on Friday on stronger-than-expected US economic data that raised investor expectations for increasing crude oil demand from the world's largest energy consumer.

But concerns about soft economic conditions in Asia's biggest economies, China and Japan, capped gains.

Brent crude futures for September rose 7 cents to $82.44 a barrel by 0014 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude for September increased 4 cents to $78.32 per barrel, Reuters reported.

In the second quarter, the US economy grew at a faster-than-expected annualised rate of 2.8% as consumers spent more and businesses increased investments, Commerce Department data showed. Economists polled by Reuters had predicted US gross domestic product would grow by 2.0% over the period.

At the same time, inflation pressures eased, which kept intact expectations that the Federal Reserve would move forward with a September interest rate cut. Lower interest rates tend to boost economic activity, which can spur oil demand.

Still, continued signs of trouble in parts of Asia limited oil price gains.

Core consumer prices in Japan's capital were up 2.2% in July from a year earlier, data showed on Friday, raising market expectations of an interest rate hike in the near term.

But an index that strips away energy costs, seen as a better gauge of underlying price trends, rose at the slowest annual pace in nearly two years, suggesting that price hikes are moderating due to soft consumption.

China, the world's biggest crude importer, surprised markets for a second time this week by conducting an unscheduled lending operation on Thursday at steeply lower rates, suggesting authorities are trying to provide heavier monetary stimulus to prop up the economy.