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Saudi Airlines' Deals Revive Competition Locally, Regionally

A Saudia, also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, plane lands at Rafik al-Hariri airport in Beirut, Lebanon June 29, 2017. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
A Saudia, also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, plane lands at Rafik al-Hariri airport in Beirut, Lebanon June 29, 2017. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
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Saudi Airlines' Deals Revive Competition Locally, Regionally

A Saudia, also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, plane lands at Rafik al-Hariri airport in Beirut, Lebanon June 29, 2017. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
A Saudia, also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, plane lands at Rafik al-Hariri airport in Beirut, Lebanon June 29, 2017. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi

The world’s largest aviation companies are taking part in the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, in which Gulf aviation companies also participate as competitors through major deals. Saudi aviation companies are also in the spotlight being backed by government plans which allow them to keep pace with the Kingdom’s vision and achieve progress at air transport level.

While US giant Boeing has been suffering after the grounding of its MAX 737 aircraft in March following two deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, France’s giant Airbus is expected to increase its sales.

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the Kingdom's national airline, said it ordered 65 A320neo-type aircraft from Airbus, worth more than $7.4 billion, giving an early push to the European manufacturer at the Show.

The Saudi airline plans to boost its A320neo fleet to up to 100 aircraft from 35 now. The deal includes 15 aircraft of the new A321 XLR type, capable of flying up to 8,700 kilometers (5,400 miles).

In addition to the aircraft order, the agreement included coordinating and enhancing means of cooperation to support Saudi Arabia's local content in aerospace, aeronautical engineering and aviation, strengthening local technical capabilities, training human resources and creating jobs in the sector.

Director General of Saudia Saleh bin Nasser al-Jasser said that another new deal will be announced over the coming few months, including the purchase of modern, wide-bodied aircraft to implement further development and expansion plans both locally and internationally.

In January 2017, Flynas, the national Saudi carrier and leading low cost airline in the Middle East, announced adding 120, A320 Neo aircraft, to its fleet. The SR32 billion deal was considered the second largest of its kind in the Middle East.

It also signed a $8.6 billion worth deal to buy 80 Airbus A320neo narrow body jets, including the upgrade of an earlier order. The agreement includes purchasing options for a further 40 A320neo jets.

As Saudi Vision 2030 stresses transferring the Kingdom into a global logistics hub by providing competitive logistics services, several transport companies were established in Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi Arabia is a pioneer in the field of aviation and civil aviation industry at the regional and international levels," Abdulhamid Aba al-Arri, an expert in civil aviation, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He explained Saudi Arabia’s significance on the civil aviation’s map by issuing effective legislation at the international level as part of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

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Business

Saudi Integration of Energy, Industry, and Mining Aims to Maximize National Wealth

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman visits a national factory in the capital Riyadh. (SPA)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman visits a national factory in the capital Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Integration of Energy, Industry, and Mining Aims to Maximize National Wealth

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman visits a national factory in the capital Riyadh. (SPA)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman visits a national factory in the capital Riyadh. (SPA)

The appointment of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman as Saudi Arabia’s minister of industry and mineral resources, while retaining the energy portfolio, reflects a strategic push to strengthen integration among three of the Kingdom’s most important economic sectors. Analysts say placing energy, industry, and mining under a single ministry could accelerate policy coordination, strengthen domestic value chains, and advance the goals of Vision 2030 by diversifying the economy and maximizing the value of national resources.

The move stems from the close interdependence of the three sectors, which form an integrated chain - from energy production and mineral extraction to industrial manufacturing that transforms natural resources into higher-value products. Greater coordination is expected to enhance Saudi Arabia’s competitiveness, improve the efficiency of resource investment, and support a more diversified and sustainable industrial base.

Experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that the restructuring marks a new phase in implementing national strategies. They noted that the industrial sector has undergone major transformation since the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources was established as an independent entity and the National Industrial Strategy was launched. Bringing the Kingdom’s key economic portfolios together, they said, will better align policies and reinforce value chains in line with Vision 2030.

Economic diversification

said Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation since the launch of Vision 2030 has been guided by successive strategies culminating in the broader objective of economic diversification and increasing the contribution of key sectors to GDP.

According to Al-Buainain, the initial phases focused on building the legislative framework, developing a roadmap to achieve strategic goals, and moving into implementation, which has already delivered several targets ahead of schedule.

He credited former Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef with leading major legislative, regulatory, and executive reforms, saying he left the ministry “at the peak of its performance” after achieving its objectives.

Integrated value chains

Al-Buainain said integrating the three portfolios is expected to accelerate implementation of the National Industrial and Mining Strategy, particularly in the mining sector, which has significant potential to expand its contribution to the economy. He added that the sector requires bold decisions to accelerate progress toward Vision 2030, especially its economic diversification objectives.

He also stressed the importance of integrating economic value chains under unified decision-making. Linking the mining and energy portfolios, he said, would strengthen Saudi Arabia’s hand in attracting foreign investment by enabling it to combine highly sought-after investment opportunities with less sought-after ones, creating deal structures that maximize benefits for the Kingdom.

Economic analyst Ahmed Al-Shehri said the appointment carries significant economic implications. Energy is the primary input for industry, mining provides the raw materials, and manufacturing converts them into value-added products, he said. Bringing all three sectors under one umbrella would therefore facilitate integrated planning instead of managing each independently.

Al-Shehri added that the move would also boost local value creation by shifting policy away from exporting raw materials toward developing advanced domestic industries, increasing economic returns and creating high-skilled jobs.

He said unified policymaking would improve investment efficiency by reducing complexity and providing greater clarity for investors. Ultimately, he argued, integrating energy, industry, and mining will accelerate economic diversification by supporting Saudi Arabia’s transition from a resource-exporting economy to one driven by manufacturing and industrial production.

 

 

 

Business

Gold Falls Over 1% as Oil Rises and Strait of Hormuz Fears Reignite

An employee displays gold bars at the Korea Gold Exchange store in Seoul (AFP)
An employee displays gold bars at the Korea Gold Exchange store in Seoul (AFP)
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Gold Falls Over 1% as Oil Rises and Strait of Hormuz Fears Reignite

An employee displays gold bars at the Korea Gold Exchange store in Seoul (AFP)
An employee displays gold bars at the Korea Gold Exchange store in Seoul (AFP)

Gold prices slid more than 1% on Monday as fears of a closure of the Strait of Hormuz drove oil prices sharply higher, reviving expectations of elevated interest rates to combat inflationary pressures from escalating hostilities in the Middle East.

Spot gold dropped 1.5% to $4,060.49 per ounce by 0735 GMT. US gold futures for August delivery were down 1% at $4,069.50, Reuters reported.

US and Iranian forces have exchanged heavy ⁠missile and drone assaults, ⁠with Tehran targeting US facilities in states across the Gulf on Sunday and saying it had again closed the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Oil prices jumped about 4%, the dollar and US Treasury yields climbed, and share markets slipped in Asia.

"Any breakout of violence in the Gulf is accompanied by pressure on gold," said Nicholas Frappell, global head ⁠of institutional markets at ABC Refinery.

"The question is, if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively or partially closed, does that lead to a deflationary effect, further down the road, that might actually be supportive for gold if you have demand destruction leading to lower economic activity," Frappell added.

Kevin Warsh's first semiannual testimony before Congress as Federal Reserve chair, along with a slate of key US economic data, including June CPI, PPI and retail sales, will be closely watched this week for fresh clues on the economy, inflation and the monetary policy outlook.

Remarks from Fed policymakers, ⁠including Vice ⁠Chair Michelle Bowman and Governor Christopher Waller, later in the day are also in focus as they could provide insights on how inflationary pressures are affecting the central bank's stance on interest rate hikes.

Traders are currently pricing in a 72% chance of a US Fed interest rate hike in September, up from about 63% last week, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

COMEX gold speculators trimmed their net long positions by 1,964 contracts to 114,854 in the week to July 7, data released on Friday showed, following three consecutive weeks of increases.

Elsewhere, spot silver declined 2.5% to $58.35 per ounce, platinum shed 0.5% to $1,619.72, and palladium fell 1.5% to $1,257.82.

Business

S.Korea Flags Record 2027 Budget of Over $530 Billion as AI Chip Boom Lifts Revenues

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (R) talks with National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac (C) during the National Fiscal Strategy Meeting, chaired by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 13 July 2026. EPA/YONHAP
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (R) talks with National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac (C) during the National Fiscal Strategy Meeting, chaired by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 13 July 2026. EPA/YONHAP
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S.Korea Flags Record 2027 Budget of Over $530 Billion as AI Chip Boom Lifts Revenues

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (R) talks with National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac (C) during the National Fiscal Strategy Meeting, chaired by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 13 July 2026. EPA/YONHAP
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (R) talks with National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac (C) during the National Fiscal Strategy Meeting, chaired by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, South Korea, 13 July 2026. EPA/YONHAP

South Korea said on Monday it would draw up record budget spending of more than 800 trillion won ($530.97 billion) for fiscal 2027, supported by stronger tax revenues from the booming AI chip industry.

Budget Minister Park Hong-keun, speaking at a national fiscal strategy meeting, said the spending plan would be financed through higher tax receipts and expenditure cuts. The proposed budget compares with ⁠this year's 727.9 ⁠trillion won spending plan, excluding supplementary budgets.

The government said three "mega-projects" — investments in chips, AI data centers and physical AI — would receive top fiscal priority, adding that it would secure funding capacity through a major restructuring ⁠of existing spending programs, rather than relying solely on increased tax revenue.

President Lee Jae Myung said the government would use all available means to ensure that corporate investments proceed on schedule.

"Additional tax revenue coming at this time is a precious resource to be used at a golden time when global AI dominance will be determined," Lee said.

Budget Minister Park said ⁠the ⁠government would seek to restructure about 50 trillion won in spending, twice the level of the previous year, through a review of discretionary and mandatory expenditures and cuts to underperforming programs.

South Korea plans to launch a Future Response Fund as a strategic investment platform, setting aside tax revenue that exceeds long-term trends and investing it in four areas: youth, growth engines, regions and talent, the government said.