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Saudi Arabia Establishes Red Sea Development Company

Public Investment Fund Logo
Public Investment Fund Logo
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Saudi Arabia Establishes Red Sea Development Company

Public Investment Fund Logo
Public Investment Fund Logo

The Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Investment registered the Red Sea Development Company (RSDC) as a closed joint-stock company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in a new milestone in tourism.

The Red Sea project was launched by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, PIF Deputy Chairman of Board of Directors, in July 2017. It is a luxury and sustainable international tourist destination on the west coast of Saudi Arabia and one of the three major projects of PIF.

The ministry assigned John Pagano, the former managing director for development of the Canary Wharf Group in London, as the company’s chief executive officer.

The fund announced that RSDC's establishment underlines the importance of this pivotal project, which will enhance the economic growth of Saudi Arabia through the development of the country's tourism sector.

The company will create a special economic zone with its own regulatory framework, visas on entry, relaxed social norms, and improved business regulations, which will enable it to develop and deliver a world-class international tourist destination.

"The destination will provide a unique sense of place for visitors and offer nature lovers, adventurers, cultural explorers and guests looking to escape and rejuvenate, a wide range of exclusive experiences, combining luxury, tranquility, adventure and beautiful landscapes," said John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Development.

The project is located along the western coast of Saudi Arabia, between the cities of al-Wajh and Umluj, 500 km north of Jeddah. It covers an area of 34,000 square kilometers and will serve as a tourist destination throughout the year, providing visitors with a variety of unique experiences.

The first phase of the project will include hotels and residential units, along with a new coastal town, an airport and a marina, and is due for completion by late 2022.

The project aims to develop exceptional tourist resorts on more than 50 natural islands between the cities of al-Wajh and Umluj and will contribute to the Saudi gross development product.

Saudi Arabia has natural sites that are among the most beautiful and diverse in the world. It also has historic cities such as Madain Salih which is known for its urban beauty and great historical significance, located near the Red Sea project.

Work is expected to be carried out within a special legal and regulatory framework that is being developed in line with the best international practices. In addition, plans are underway for easy entry procedures to allow visitors from most nationalities as well as a strict environmental system to ensure the protection of the Kingdom's natural resources.

Saudi Arabia is working to ensure that the Red Sea tops the list of the world's main eight destinations for eco-tourism. The kingdom is targeting the sea as one of the top 10 luxury beach destinations in the world, while the project will boost the Kingdom's position globally and place it on the global tourism map.

The project is expected to attract large volumes of global and domestic investment, thereby contributing to the growth of Saudi Arabia's GDP by billions, as well as huge development gains through the creation of thousands of jobs.
 
The listing of RSDC comes after the ministry also officially incorporated the Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), the entertainment, sport and cultural destination being built 40 kilometers outside Riyadh.

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Business

Saudi Economy Grows 2.8% as Non-Oil Sector Drives Expansion

A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)
A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)
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Saudi Economy Grows 2.8% as Non-Oil Sector Drives Expansion

A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)
A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s economy maintained positive growth despite regional tensions and oil market volatility, reflecting strong fundamentals and the continued impact of diversification efforts. Expansion in non-oil activities remained the key driver, supporting stability and strengthening the economy’s ability to adapt to global shifts.

The General Authority for Statistics said in flash estimates that real GDP grew 2.8% in the first quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, with non-oil sectors contributing about 60% of the increase.

All major sectors posted gains. Non-oil activities rose 2.8%, the oil sector grew about 2.3%, and government activities increased 1.5% year on year.

Growth momentum

Economists told Asharq Al-Awsat the first-quarter expansion highlights the Kingdom’s structural shift, with oil no longer the main engine of growth. Non-oil sectors now lead, accounting for roughly 60% of the expansion.

They said the figures show diversification policies are delivering tangible results, strengthening economic stability and improving resilience to global and regional volatility. Sustained momentum, they added, reflects successful policies to build a broader, more durable production base and support long-term growth.

Mega projects

Naif Al-Ghaith, chief economist at Riyad Bank, said the economy is moving toward a more diversified and sustainable model, with growth set to accelerate as reforms continue and mega projects expand.

“All indicators point to a positive outlook in the medium and long term. Despite geopolitical events, the consumer confidence index in March showed an expansionary trend, as did the Riyad Bank Purchasing Managers' Index in April, along with private sector optimism, signaling a faster recovery in growth momentum in the coming quarters,” he said.

Al-Ghaith said the data confirm strong progress in diversification driven by non-oil growth, adding that the economy is building solid foundations away from oil volatility. He said government policies have opened new investment opportunities in sectors including tourism, entertainment, technology, energy and infrastructure.

He added that the state continues to invest billions in mega projects to generate future revenues, alongside efforts by the Public Investment Fund to accelerate diversification through targeted local and international investments.

Geopolitical challenges

Hisham Abu Jameh, senior adviser at Naif Al Rajhi Investment, said the first-quarter performance reflects a balance between growth and the ability to absorb temporary external pressures, with GDP maintaining a positive pace despite geopolitical risks and energy market swings.

He said the economy is no longer heavily reliant on oil and is better positioned to absorb shocks thanks to more diverse income sources.

Abu Jameh said the non-oil sector remains a key stabilizer. Despite slower growth than in previous periods, it continues to expand, supported by sectors such as tourism, services and logistics.

He said this reflects the success of reforms under Saudi Vision 2030 and of ongoing efforts to boost investment and private-sector participation.

Sector contributions

Data from the General Authority for Statistics showed non-oil sectors led growth, contributing 1.7 percentage points, followed by oil at 0.7 percentage points and government activities at 0.3 percentage points. Net taxes on products added 0.2 percentage points.

Seasonally adjusted data showed GDP fell 1.5% in the first quarter from the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by a 7.2% drop in oil activities. Non-oil sectors grew 0.8%, while government activities rose 0.2%.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, oil activities were the main drag, cutting 1.7 percentage points from growth. Non-oil and government activities each added 0.1 percentage points.

Business

Oil Prices Whipsaw while US Stocks Glide Near their Record Heights

Facilities of the PCK Schwedt refinery in Schwedt, northeastern Germany, are seen at the company's plant on April 30, 2026 - (File Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
Facilities of the PCK Schwedt refinery in Schwedt, northeastern Germany, are seen at the company's plant on April 30, 2026 - (File Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
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Oil Prices Whipsaw while US Stocks Glide Near their Record Heights

Facilities of the PCK Schwedt refinery in Schwedt, northeastern Germany, are seen at the company's plant on April 30, 2026 - (File Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
Facilities of the PCK Schwedt refinery in Schwedt, northeastern Germany, are seen at the company's plant on April 30, 2026 - (File Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)

Oil prices whipsawed on Thursday and surged toward their highest levels since the war with Iran began, only for the leaps to quickly vanish. The US stock market, meanwhile, is gliding following more strong profit reports from big companies like Alphabet.

The S&P 500 rose 0.1% and is a bit below its all-time high set earlier this week, as companies continue to deliver fatter profits for the start of 2026 than analysts expected despite high oil prices and uncertainty about the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 413 points, or 0.8%, as of 10 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.3% lower, Reuters reported.

Alphabet led the way and rose 5.8% after the owner of Google and YouTube reported profit for the latest quarter that almost doubled analysts’ expectations. Investments in artificial intelligence “are lighting up every part of the business,” CEO Sundar Pichai said.

The steadiness on Wall Street followed manic swings in the oil market, where prices surged overnight on worries that the Iran war will affect the flow of crude for a long time. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers, keeping them pent up in the Arabian Gulf and away from customers worldwide, while a US Navy blockade is preventing Iran from selling its own oil.

Traders are always buying and selling contracts for different kinds of oil, going out for many months. In the most actively traded part of the market for Brent crude, the international standard, the price got as high as $114.70 overnight for a barrel of Brent to be delivered in July. It then regressed to $109.80, down 0.6%, which is still well above the roughly $70 per barrel that Brent was selling for before the war.

So far during the war, the peak price for the most actively traded Brent contract is $119.50, which was set last month.

In a less actively traded corner of the Brent market, the price for a barrel to be delivered in June briefly went above $126 overnight before pulling back toward $114.

That easing, along with the continuing flood of better-than-expected profit reports from US companies, helped to keep Wall Street stable near its records.

Caterpillar, Eli Lilly, O’Reilly Automotive and Royal Caribbean all rallied more than 6% after delivering profits for the latest quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. That’s crucial for investors because stock prices tend to follow the track of corporate profits over the long term.

Still, a better-than-expected result isn’t always enough to boost a stock’s price if it’s already shot much higher.

Meta Platforms tumbled 9.9% even though the company behind Facebook and Instagram made more profit last quarter than expected. Investors focused more on Meta’s increased forecast for how much it will spend on data centers and other investments this year as it builds out its AI capabilities, up to a range of $125 billion to $145 billion.

Doubts are still high among some investors about whether all the AI spending by Meta and other companies will produce enough profit and productivity to make it worth it.

Microsoft fell 4.5% after it likewise raised its forecast for investments and other capital spending. But analysts also said accelerating trends at its Azure business were encouraging.

Amazon slid 0.8% after blowing past analysts’ expectations for earnings in the latest quarter.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased after oil prices gave up their big overnight gains. Reports also suggested that US economic growth accelerated by less in the first three months of the year than economists expected, while a measure of inflation worsened in March by about as much as expected.

A separate report said that fewer US workers applied for unemployment benefits last week in an indication of fewer layoffs even though companies are announcing large cuts to workforces.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.38% from 4.42% late Wednesday.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed.

London’s FTSE 100 jumped 1.3% after the Bank of England kept its main interest rate on hold.

Germany's DAX returned 0.7%, and France's CAC 40 slipped 0.2% after the European Central Bank also held its own interest rates steady. That followed similar decisions by the US Federal Reserve on Wednesday and the Bank of Japan on Tuesday to keep their rates unchanged.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 1.3%, while stocks added 0.1% in Shanghai after a report said China’s factory activity slowed slightly in April but remained in expansion territory for the second month.

Business

Saudi GDP Grows 2.8% in First Quarter

The Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)
The Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)
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Saudi GDP Grows 2.8% in First Quarter

The Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)
The Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)

Saudi Arabia's real gross domestic product grew 2.8% in the first quarter, year-on-year, preliminary government estimates showed on Thursday.

Non-oil activities grew 2.8% in the quarter, and oil activities increased 2.3% from the prior-year period, the General Authority of Statistics data ⁠showed.

On a quarterly basis, growth shrank 1.5% in the three months to March 31 compared to the fourth quarter, driven by a decline in oil activities.

Oil activity decreased 7.2% from the fourth quarter, while non-oil activity was almost flat.