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Venture Capital Investments Climb 65% in Saudi Arabia

A leap in investment growth is registered for technology startups in Saudi Arabia in H1 2021 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A leap in investment growth is registered for technology startups in Saudi Arabia in H1 2021 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Venture Capital Investments Climb 65% in Saudi Arabia

A leap in investment growth is registered for technology startups in Saudi Arabia in H1 2021 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A leap in investment growth is registered for technology startups in Saudi Arabia in H1 2021 (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Investments worth SAR 630 million ($168 million) have been channeled to Saudi startups in H1 2021, achieving a whopping 65% growth rate compared to the same period last year, a venture capital investment report revealed.

In its H1 2021 Saudi Arabia Venture Capital report, compiled in co-operation with Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVCC), the data platform “Magnitt” explained that even though 2020 was a positive year for daring investments in the Kingdom, 2021 was the year to show record-breaking investment flows into Saudi startups.

The $168 million pumped into Saudi startups in H1 2021 accounted for about 94% of the money extended to the Kingdom’s startups in 2020.

Saudi Arabia surpassed Egypt to be ranked second by share of total Middle East and North Africa (MENA) funding, while accounting for 21% of the region’s venture capital transactions.

Moreover, the Kingdom accounted for 14% of venture capital funding invested in MENA startups in H1 2021, according to Magnitt.

Fintech startups raised 1700% more capital YoY. Together, FinTech and food and beverage startups accounted for 44% of the capital invested in Saudi Arabia in the first half.

About 75% of investors that backed startups in Saudi Arabia in the first half were based within the country, the report said.

Governor of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monshaat) Saleh Alrasheed confirmed the Authority’s interest in offering services, programs, and supporting initiatives to entrepreneurs.

The Authority does so to build SME market competition and boost growth. Invigorating financing for SMEs is also an objective of Monshaat’s policies.

Alrasheed added that the establishment of the SVCC in 2018 had significantly and directly contributed to developing Saudi Arabia’s venture capital investment landscape.

SVCC is a government company established by Monshaat within the Financial Sector Development Program. The company aims to develop a venture capital system by investing 2.8 billion riyals ($750 million).

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Gold Bounces Back on Softer Dollar, US-Iran Concerns; Silver Rebounds

Gold and silver bars are stacked in the safe deposit boxes room of the Pro Aurum gold house in Munich, Germany, January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
Gold and silver bars are stacked in the safe deposit boxes room of the Pro Aurum gold house in Munich, Germany, January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
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Gold Bounces Back on Softer Dollar, US-Iran Concerns; Silver Rebounds

Gold and silver bars are stacked in the safe deposit boxes room of the Pro Aurum gold house in Munich, Germany, January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth
Gold and silver bars are stacked in the safe deposit boxes room of the Pro Aurum gold house in Munich, Germany, January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth

Gold rebounded on Friday and was set for a weekly gain, helped by bargain hunting, a slightly weaker dollar and lingering concerns over US-Iran talks in Oman, while silver recovered from a 1-1/2-month low.

Spot gold rose 3.1% to $4,916.98 per ounce by 09:31 a.m. ET (1431 GMT), recouping losses posted during a volatile Asia session that followed a fall of 3.9% on Thursday. Bullion was headed for a weekly gain of about 1.3%.

US gold futures for April delivery gained 1% to $4,939.70 per ounce.

The US dollar index fell 0.3%, making greenback-priced bullion cheaper for the overseas buyers.

"The gold market is seeing perceived bargain hunting from bullish traders," said Jim Wyckoff, senior analyst at Kitco Metals.

Iran and the US started high-stakes negotiations via Omani mediation on Friday to try to overcome sharp differences over Tehran's nuclear program.

Wyckoff said gold's rebound lacks momentum and the metal is unlikely to break records without a major geopolitical trigger.

Gold, a traditional safe haven, does well in times of geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

Spot silver rose 5.3% to $74.98 an ounce after dipping below $65 earlier, but was still headed for its biggest weekly drop since 2011, down over 10.6%, following steep losses last week as well.

"What we're seeing in silver is huge speculation on the long side," said Wyckoff, adding that after years in a boom cycle, gold and silver now appear to be entering a typical commodity bust phase.

CME Group raised margin requirements for gold and silver futures for a third time in two weeks on Thursday to curb risks from heightened market volatility.

Spot platinum added 3.2% to $2,052 per ounce, while palladium gained 4.9% to $1,695.18. Both were down for the week.

Business

Europe, Türkiye Agree to Work Toward Updating Customs Union

European Union (R) and Turkish flags fly at the business and financial district of Levent in Istanbul, Türkiye September 4, 2017. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
European Union (R) and Turkish flags fly at the business and financial district of Levent in Istanbul, Türkiye September 4, 2017. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
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Europe, Türkiye Agree to Work Toward Updating Customs Union

European Union (R) and Turkish flags fly at the business and financial district of Levent in Istanbul, Türkiye September 4, 2017. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
European Union (R) and Turkish flags fly at the business and financial district of Levent in Istanbul, Türkiye September 4, 2017. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

The European enlargement chief and the Turkish foreign minister said on Friday they had agreed to continue work toward modernizing the EU-Türkiye customs union and to improve its implementation, Reuters reported.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in the capital Ankara on Friday.

"They shared a willingness to work for paving the way for the modernization of the Customs Union and to achieve its full potential in order to support competitiveness, and economic security and resilience for both sides," they said in a joint statement afterward.

The sides also welcomed the gradual resumption of European Investment Bank (EIB) operations in Türkiye and said they intended to support projects across the country and neighbouring regions in cooperation with the bank.

Business

Bitcoin Falls 8% and Asian Shares Mostly Slip after Wall Street is Hit by Tech Stock Losses

FILE PHOTO: Representation of Bitcoin cryptocurrency in this illustration taken September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Representation of Bitcoin cryptocurrency in this illustration taken September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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Bitcoin Falls 8% and Asian Shares Mostly Slip after Wall Street is Hit by Tech Stock Losses

FILE PHOTO: Representation of Bitcoin cryptocurrency in this illustration taken September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Representation of Bitcoin cryptocurrency in this illustration taken September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

US futures and Asian shares traded mostly lower on Friday, tracking Wall Street’s losses as technology stocks again dragged on markets.

Bitcoin sank to roughly half its record price, giving back all it gained since US President Donald Trump won the White House for his second term.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was up 0.8% to 54,253.68, recovering from losses earlier this week, with technology-related stocks leading gains. SoftBank Group rose 2.2% and chipmaker Tokyo Electron rose 2.6%. Japan will also be holding its general election on Sunday, in which Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expects to win a stronger public mandate for her policies.

Shares of Toyota Motor were up 2%. The carmaker said Friday its CEO Koji Sato will be stepping down in April, and is to be replaced by Chief Financial Officer Kenta Kon, The Associated Press said.

South Korea’s Kospi lost 1.4% to 5,089.14, weighed down by tech shares. Samsung Electronics, the country’s biggest listed company, fell 0.4%. Chipmaker SK Hynix was also down 0.4%.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.4% to 26,519.60. The Shanghai Composite index was down 0.3% to 4,065.58.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 shed 2% to 8,708.80.

Taiwan’s Taiex was mostly flat. India's Sensex traded 0.1% lower.

Against the backdrop of the technology sell-off this week, bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, saw dimming enthusiasm and was trading about 8% lower at just under $65,000 early Friday, after it briefly sank over 12% to below $64,000 on Thursday. That’s down from a record of above $124,000 in October.

The future for the S&P 500 was 0.2% lower, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1%.

On Thursday, the S&P 500 fell 1.2% to 6,798.40, its sixth loss in the seven days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.2% to 48,908.72. The Nasdaq composite dropped 1.6% to 22,540.59.

Technology stocks were among the worst hit as concerns persist over whether massive AI investments by many of the Big Tech firms will pay off.

Chipmaker Qualcomm sank 8.5% despite better-than-expected quarterly revenues. Alphabet lost 0.5% as investors were focused on its huge spendings on AI.

Amazon fell 11% in after hours trading Thursday after it announced plans to boost capital spending by more than 50% to $200 billion in AI and other areas.

American artificial intelligence startup Anthropic ’s new AI tools also fueled the sell-off of software stocks on Wall Street this week, as its sophistication means many traditional software development services and products could be disrupted or replaced.

Gold and silver prices have been volatile this week following a monthslong rally as investors moved into safe haven assets prompted by factors including elevated geopolitical tensions. Gold prices fell 0.6% on Friday to $4,858.60 per ounce, after nearing $5,600 last week.

Silver prices dropped 5.5% to $72.52 per ounce after rising earlier this week. It lost more than 31% last Friday.

In other dealings early Friday, US benchmark crude oil gained 35 cents to $63.64 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 36 cents to $67.91 a barrel.

The US dollar fell to 156.74 Japanese yen from 157.03 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1789, up from $1.1777.