Saudi Arabia, Jordan Discuss Complementary Projects North of NEOM

A view of the NEOM project. (NEOM via Twitter)
A view of the NEOM project. (NEOM via Twitter)
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Saudi Arabia, Jordan Discuss Complementary Projects North of NEOM

A view of the NEOM project. (NEOM via Twitter)
A view of the NEOM project. (NEOM via Twitter)

Saudi Arabia and Jordan discussed last week efforts to activate the opportunities available north of NEOM project, from the Jordanian side.

Jordan’s side of the border boasts ports and ready infrastructure that could be used immediately for projects that serve both countries and boost Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the region.

Chairman of Jordan’s Investment Commission Khalid Wazani said the NEOM project is attracting more Saudi-Jordanian investments that will be established in the Aqaba port city, including the enhancement of the existing business there.

He pointed out that the Jordanian side of NEOM includes Aqaba port and Marsa Zayed. It is expected to become a platform for exchange of expertise and consultations that will yield complementary projects related to NEOM.

This will make it easier for investors to benefit from the port, Wazani noted.

In a statement Friday, he stressed that the expected results, convergence of views and the achievement of some of the project’s objectives will serve Saudi Vision 2030 and the region in general, including Egypt and Jordan, which are part of NEOM.

He made his remarks following a meeting in Riyadh with member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Securities and Investment Committee at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce Mohammed al-Sayer.

The meeting was attended by a number of Jordanian officials and investors from both countries representing different sectors.

In October 2017, the $500 billion NEOM project was launched by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

Located in the Kingdom’s far northwest, NEOM will provide opportunities for development with a total area of 460 km on the banks of the Red Sea and a total area of 26,500 square meters.



Oil Prices Ease as Markets Weigh China Stimulus Hopes

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
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Oil Prices Ease as Markets Weigh China Stimulus Hopes

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Oil edged lower on Thursday in light holiday trade as the dollar's strength offset hopes for additional fiscal stimulus in China, the world's biggest oil importer.

Brent crude futures settled down 32 cents, or 0.43%, at $73.26 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude closed at $69.62, down 0.68%, or 48 cents, from Tuesday's pre-Christmas settlement.

Chinese authorities have agreed to issue 3 trillion yuan ($411 billion) worth of special treasury bonds next year, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources, as Beijing ramps up fiscal stimulus to revive a faltering economy.

"Injecting a stimulus into a nation's economy creates increased demand, and increased demand pushes prices higher," said Tim Snyder, chief economist at Matador Economics, Reuters reported.

The World Bank on Thursday raised its forecast for China's economic growth in 2024 and 2025, but warned that subdued household and business confidence, along with headwinds in the property sector, would keep weighing it down next year.

The US dollar continued to edge up higher after hitting a milestone last week. A stronger dollar makes oil more expensive for holders of other currencies.

The latest weekly report on US inventories, from the American Petroleum Institute industry group, showed crude stocks fell last week by 3.2 million barrels, market sources said on Tuesday.

Traders will be waiting to see if the official inventory report from the Energy Information Administration confirms the decline. The EIA data is due at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT) on Friday, later than normal because of the Christmas holiday.

Analysts in a Reuters poll expect crude inventories fell by about 1.9 million barrels in the week to Dec. 20, while gasoline and distillate inventories are seen falling by 1.1 million barrels and 0.3 million barrels respectively.

Elsewhere, southbound traffic in Turkey's Bosphorus Strait was set to resume on Thursday, having been halted earlier in the day after a tanker suffered an engine failure, shipping agent Tribeca said.