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Saudi Investments on the Rise in China Pakistan Economic Corridor

FILE PHOTO: A container is loaded on to the first Chinese container ship to depart after the inauguration of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor port in Gwadar, Pakistan November 13, 2016. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A container is loaded on to the first Chinese container ship to depart after the inauguration of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor port in Gwadar, Pakistan November 13, 2016. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/File Photo
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Saudi Investments on the Rise in China Pakistan Economic Corridor

FILE PHOTO: A container is loaded on to the first Chinese container ship to depart after the inauguration of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor port in Gwadar, Pakistan November 13, 2016. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A container is loaded on to the first Chinese container ship to depart after the inauguration of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor port in Gwadar, Pakistan November 13, 2016. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/File Photo

A delegation of Saudi businessmen, investors and members of trade and industry chambers visited Wednesday Pakistan’s Gwadar port, the main hub for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor linked to the Silk Road initiative.

During the visit, the delegation reviewed investment opportunities at the port as well as in the special economic zones created by the Economic Corridor.

Saudi ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf al-Maliki indicated that Gwadar has many commercial and investment benefits for Saudi investors.

He pointed out that the Pakistani government promised to provide them with incentives and services.

Maliki stressed that the Kingdom is keen to invest in the Economic Corridor, saying Saudi investments at Gwadar port will be announced soon, a move that contributes to boosting Pakistan’s economic stability.

Adviser to the Saudi Minister of Energy, Ahmed al-Ghamdi, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Saudi-Pakistani Coordination Council for Economic Collaboration will inform businessmen and other government agencies in Saudi Arabia about investment opportunities in the Pakistani port.

“Saudi Arabia is seeking to find an investment opportunity in Pakistan in general and in the port (Gwadar) in particular given its strategic area,” he said.

The adviser revealed that several Saudi state projects in mining, energy, oil, electricity and renewable energy, are underway in Balochistan province.

For his part, a member of the Council of Saudi Chambers, Khalil Mansour al-Afraa, stressed that the Council’s efforts come in tandem with the search for investment opportunities in industry and infrastructure by Saudi businessmen.

Afra revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that an exhibition for businessmen from Pakistan and China will be held at the port in March.

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Business

Gold Climbs to Over One-month High after Fed Rate Cut; Silver Hits Fresh Record

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: Silver jewelry is displayed in the Manhattan Jewelry district on December 9, 2025, in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: Silver jewelry is displayed in the Manhattan Jewelry district on December 9, 2025, in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP
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Gold Climbs to Over One-month High after Fed Rate Cut; Silver Hits Fresh Record

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: Silver jewelry is displayed in the Manhattan Jewelry district on December 9, 2025, in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 08: Silver jewelry is displayed in the Manhattan Jewelry district on December 9, 2025, in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP

Gold rose on Thursday to hit its highest level in more than a month after the US Federal Reserve's quarter-point rate cut pushed the dollar lower, while silver surged to a fresh record high.

Spot gold was up 1.2% at $4,275.39 per ounce, as of 11:49 a.m. ET (16:49 GMT), reaching its highest level since October 21. US gold futures for February delivery gained 1.9% to $4,303.90 per ounce.

Spot silver added 3.2% to $63.77 per ounce, hovering near the session’s record high of $63.93, Reuters reported.

"Silver seems to be pulling gold up with it and it's also pulling up platinum and palladium...there's a lot of momentum behind it right now," said Marex analyst Edward Meir.

The US dollar slipped to over seven-week low against a basket of rival currencies, making greenback-priced gold more affordable for overseas buyers.

"Inflation hasn't really come back down to the Fed's 2% target, so, when you're lowering rates in an inflationary environment that is still not optimum, and that's very bullish for gold," Meir added.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday delivered its third consecutive quarter-point cut, while policymakers also signaled a likely pause in further reductions as they monitor labor market trends and inflation that "remains somewhat elevated.”

Lower interest rates tend to be favorable to gold, as it is a non-yielding asset.

US President Donald Trump has advocated for lower interest rates since the start of his second term in January, and his nominee for the next Federal Reserve chair is expected to maintain that stance. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett is currently viewed as the leading candidate for the position.

Investors now await the monthly US non-farm payrolls report, set to be released on December 16, for fresh cues on the Fed's policy path.

Meanwhile, India's pension regulator on Wednesday permitted investments in gold and silver ETFs for the country's pension funds.

Elsewhere, platinum gained 2.5% to $1,698.10, while palladium rose 1.3% to $1,494.88.

Business

Saudi Industrial Production Jumps 8.9% in October, Driven by Mining Sector

 A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) (Photo: the company’s website) 
 A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) (Photo: the company’s website) 
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Saudi Industrial Production Jumps 8.9% in October, Driven by Mining Sector

 A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) (Photo: the company’s website) 
 A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) (Photo: the company’s website) 

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released preliminary data for the Industrial Production Index (IPI) for October 2025, reporting a strong 8.9 percent increase compared with the same month last year.

The rise was supported by robust performance across most major economic activities, led by mining and quarrying, manufacturing, and higher output in electricity, gas, water, and wastewater services.

On a monthly basis, the overall index inched up 0.3 percent from September 2025. Mining and quarrying, by far the heaviest-weighted component of the IPI, was the main engine of growth, posting an 11.5 percent annual rise in October. The increase was largely attributed to a sharp boost in Saudi oil production, which reached 10 million barrels per day, up from 8.9 million barrels per day in the same month of 2024.

Month-on-month, the sector continued to strengthen, with its sub-index rising 0.4 percent from September.

The manufacturing sub-index recorded a solid 5.5 percent annual expansion. This performance was driven by coke and refined petroleum products, up 8.0 percent year-on-year, and chemicals and chemical products, which posted 8.1 percent growth.

Monthly data also showed momentum: manufacturing rose 0.9 percent from September, supported by a 2.7 percent increase in chemicals and a 1.5 percent rise in refined petroleum products.

Within manufacturing, most detailed activities registered year-on-year growth. Manufacture of paper and paper products climbed 5.6 percent, while non-metallic mineral products rose 4.4 percent. However, some subsectors diverged: basic metals declined 6.3 percent year-on-year, and food products fell 4.9 percent month-on-month despite recording 1.9 percent annual growth.

In the utilities segment, the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply index grew 5.1 percent year-on-year. Water supply, wastewater, waste management, and remediation activities posted an even stronger rise of 8.5 percent.

Despite positive annual trends, electricity and gas supply fell 5.8 percent on a monthly basis, whereas water and wastewater services edged up 0.6 percent.

A breakdown by economic activity shows that October’s annual growth was heavily influenced by oil production. The petroleum activities index recorded a 10.8 percent year-on-year increase.

Non-oil industrial activities also expanded, rising 4.4 percent annually. On a monthly basis, petroleum activities grew 0.6 percent, while non-oil activities slipped 0.3 percent compared with September.

 

 

 

 

 

Business

Oil Extends Gains after US Seizure of Tanker off Venezuela

FILE PHOTO: A worker walks past infrastructure on D Island, the main processing hub, at the Kashagan offshore oil field in the Caspian sea in western Kazakhstan August 21, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A worker walks past infrastructure on D Island, the main processing hub, at the Kashagan offshore oil field in the Caspian sea in western Kazakhstan August 21, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
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Oil Extends Gains after US Seizure of Tanker off Venezuela

FILE PHOTO: A worker walks past infrastructure on D Island, the main processing hub, at the Kashagan offshore oil field in the Caspian sea in western Kazakhstan August 21, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A worker walks past infrastructure on D Island, the main processing hub, at the Kashagan offshore oil field in the Caspian sea in western Kazakhstan August 21, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

Oil rose for a second straight session on Thursday after the US seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, escalating tensions between the two countries and raising concern over further supply disruptions.
Brent crude futures rose 27 cents, or 0.4%, to $62.48 a barrel by 0101 GMT, and US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $58.79 a barrel, up 33 cents, or 0.6%.
WTI crude oil is trading higher after news that the US seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note, adding that reports of Ukraine striking a vessel from Russia’s shadow fleet also lent support, reported Reuters.
"These developments are likely to keep crude oil above our key $55 support level into year-end, barring an unexpected peace deal in Ukraine," Sycamore said.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, "we've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening."
Trump administration officials did not name the vessel. British maritime risk management group Vanguard said the tanker Skipper was believed to have been seized off Venezuela.
Traders and industry sources said Asian buyers are demanding steep discounts on Venezuelan crude, pressured by a surge of sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran and heightened loading risks in the South American country as the US boosts its military presence in the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian sea drones hit and disabled a tanker involved in trading Russian oil as it sailed through Ukraine's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea.
Investors remain focused on developments in Ukraine peace talks. The leaders of Britain, France and Germany held a call with Trump to discuss Washington's latest peace efforts to end the war in Ukraine, in what they said was a "critical moment" in the process.
On the US policy front, a sharply divided Federal Reserve cut interest rates. Lower rates can reduce consumer borrowing costs and boost economic growth and oil demand.