Saudi: SEC Secures $2.6 Billion in Local Syndicated Facility Agreement

The Oil Demand Sustainability Program signed a cooperation agreement with SAL Saudi Logistics Services. (SPA)
The Oil Demand Sustainability Program signed a cooperation agreement with SAL Saudi Logistics Services. (SPA)
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Saudi: SEC Secures $2.6 Billion in Local Syndicated Facility Agreement

The Oil Demand Sustainability Program signed a cooperation agreement with SAL Saudi Logistics Services. (SPA)
The Oil Demand Sustainability Program signed a cooperation agreement with SAL Saudi Logistics Services. (SPA)

The Saudi Electricity Company signed with nine local banks a syndicated facility agreement valued at SAR 10 billion ($2.6 billion).

The seven-year facility is provided by Al Rajhi Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, Saudi British Bank, Saudi National Bank, Riyad Bank, Bank Albilad, Bank AlJazira, Qatar National Bank KSA and Saudi Investment Bank.

In a statement, Saudi Electricity said that the collateral-free facility was intended to be used for financing general corporate purposes, including capital expenditure.

Saudi Electricity CEO Khaled Al-Gnoon emphasized that the company was working to improve efficiency and reliability, and to achieve a quantum leap in developing and automating the electric service provided to a growing base of nearly 11 million subscribers.

On a different note, the Oil Demand Sustainability Program signed a cooperation agreement with SAL Saudi Logistics Services, which provides for the replacement of wooden pallets with plastic pallets, in a move aimed at supporting the transition towards sustainability in the field of logistics and loading.

The Oil Demand Sustainability Program was launched in 2020, with the participation of several government agencies, companies and research centers. The program works to enhance the added value that can be achieved from hydrocarbons, by developing innovative hydrocarbon materials, and promoting their sustainable use, in addition to supporting the localization of the associated supply chain in the Kingdom.

The agreement was signed by the Head of the Executive Office of the Petroleum Demand Sustainability Program, Eng. Mohammad Haitham Al-Tayyar, and the Managing Director and CEO of SAL Saudi Company for Logistics Services, Faisal Al-Beddah.

Al-Beddah noted that the use of polymeric materials in the manufacture of pallets had several economic and environmental benefits.

He explained that plastic pallets were more sustainable, produced less carbon emissions, were recyclable and reusable, and preserved vegetation.

SAL Saudi Logistics Services provides integrated logistical services in the field of cargo handling across all Saudi airports.

It also offers integrated logistical solutions services to its partners from the sports, entertainment, culture and arts sectors to contribute to achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.



Gold Firms as US Tariff Uncertainty, Cooler Inflation Data Lend Support

An employee takes granules of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
An employee takes granules of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
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Gold Firms as US Tariff Uncertainty, Cooler Inflation Data Lend Support

An employee takes granules of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
An employee takes granules of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo

Gold prices edged up on Thursday as persisting uncertainty over tariffs drove safe-haven demand, while a cooler-than-expected US inflation print supported the dollar by bolstering rate cuts expectations.
Spot gold gained 0.1% to $2,934.08 an ounce as of 0745 GMT, while US gold futures eased 0.1% to $2,943.70.
"I think $3,000 is the next logical target, likely to be reached sometime over the next several months," said Marex analyst Edward Meir.
"The CPI data was encouraging but I suspect that the tariff increase has yet to be picked up in the inflation data."
The US consumer price index increased less than expected last month, data showed, but the improvement is likely temporary given the aggressive US import tariffs, which are expected to make most goods more expensive in the months ahead.
Lower inflation leaves more room for the Federal Reserve to cut rates and non-yielding gold thrives in a low-interest rate setting.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump triggered a trade war, increasing the tariffs on goods from China to 20% and imposing a new 25% duty on Canadian and Mexican imports.
He later dialed back, providing a one-month exemption for any goods that meet the rules of origin under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade.
Trump also reversed course on a pledge to double tariffs on steel and aluminium from Canada to 50%, hours after announcing the higher tariffs.
The tariffs are widely expected to stoke inflation and economic uncertainty and had pushed gold to a record high of $2,956.15 on February 24.
Investors now await the US Producer Price Index (PPI) data due at 1230 GMT for further insights into the Fed's monetary policy.
Spot silver fell 0.8% to $32.97 an ounce, platinum lost 0.7% to $977.05 and palladium shed 0.5% to $943.72.