Israel, UAE Sign Free Trade Pact into Effect

People walks past a crescent moon-shaped decoration during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al-Seef in Dubai on March 26, 2023. (AFP)
People walks past a crescent moon-shaped decoration during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al-Seef in Dubai on March 26, 2023. (AFP)
TT

Israel, UAE Sign Free Trade Pact into Effect

People walks past a crescent moon-shaped decoration during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al-Seef in Dubai on March 26, 2023. (AFP)
People walks past a crescent moon-shaped decoration during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Al-Seef in Dubai on March 26, 2023. (AFP)

Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday signed a free trade pact into effect, reducing or removing tariffs on about 96% of goods traded between the nations, Israel's Foreign Ministry said.

The countries first reached the agreement last May, promising to boost bilateral trade after they normalized ties in 2020 in a US-brokered deal.

The deal will also allow Israeli companies to gain access to government tenders in the UAE, the ministry said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, who on Sunday gave a final signature for the tariff arrangement within the trade pact, said it would "strengthen the connection" with the UAE.



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
TT

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.