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Madinah to Host 120 Startups During Int’l Investment Forum

Saudi Arabia hosts several events to expand the work of small and emerging enterprises (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia hosts several events to expand the work of small and emerging enterprises (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Madinah to Host 120 Startups During Int’l Investment Forum

Saudi Arabia hosts several events to expand the work of small and emerging enterprises (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia hosts several events to expand the work of small and emerging enterprises (Asharq Al-Awsat)

King Salman International Conference Center in Madinah will host 120 startups, including 60 global companies, in the Startup Investment Forum (SIF) from February 21 to 23.

The Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monshaat) recently launched the Accelerator and Startup Studio Funds, which targets promising technology fields such as e-commerce, finance, artificial intelligence, and software.

The conference will host MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition on the forum's sidelines. The event provides international facilities with the opportunity to expand their business in the Saudi market and meet local investors.

The Saudi Ministry of Investment facilitates the entry of startups into the Kingdom, issuing their licenses at a discounted rate, and supporting them to obtain the Saudi Commercial Registration (CR) after the entrepreneurship license.

Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Sector at the Ministry Mohammed al-Amr said SIF contributes to achieving a set of goals by developing innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Amr explained that entrepreneurs and business leaders who seek to expand in the Saudi market through this platform would receive investments from companies and individual investors.

He added that the Kingdom believes entrepreneurship and emerging companies achieve economic diversification, sustainability, and increasing investment opportunities in new and emerging sectors following Vision 2030.

Amr added that international startups would understand the diverse and dynamic entrepreneurship system that characterizes the Kingdom through the forum.

Companies will also find investment opportunities and get exclusive access to a vast network of investors, businessmen, and government agencies wishing to support pioneering and innovative institutions.

The director-General of Entrepreneurship and Humanitarian Initiatives at Community Jameel, Mohammed Abdulgaffar, explained that the Saudi initiative, in partnership with the Ministry of Investment, reflects the importance of the forum and its potential to achieve the Kingdom's ambitions.

Jameel Community seeks to boost the relationship between startups and investors in the country and establish partnerships between local and international institutions.

Abdulgaffar explained that the forum includes an exhibition of more than 60 international startups and 60 innovative Saudi facilities from the MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition.

SIF also attracts local, regional, and international investors to the local market and contributes to achieving broader economic ambitions in line with Vision 2030.

The forum will bring together companies from Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Poland, Georgia, Greece, the UK, and the US. It will include workshops provided by senior executives from several entities in Saudi Arabia and abroad.

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Business

Oil Drops 1% as US, Iran Pledge to Continue Talks

The sun rises behind the Tishrin oil field in the eastern Hasakah countryside, northeastern Syria (AP)
The sun rises behind the Tishrin oil field in the eastern Hasakah countryside, northeastern Syria (AP)
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Oil Drops 1% as US, Iran Pledge to Continue Talks

The sun rises behind the Tishrin oil field in the eastern Hasakah countryside, northeastern Syria (AP)
The sun rises behind the Tishrin oil field in the eastern Hasakah countryside, northeastern Syria (AP)

Oil prices fell 1% on Monday as immediate fears of a conflict in the Middle East eased after the US and Iran pledged to continue talks about Tehran's nuclear program over the weekend, calming investors anxious about supply disruptions.

Brent crude futures fell 67 cents, or 1%, to $67.38 a barrel on Monday by 0444 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $62.94 a barrel, down 61 cents, or 1%.

"With more talks on the horizon the immediate ‌fear of supply disruptions ‌in the Middle East has eased ‌quite ⁠a bit," IG ‌market analyst Tony Sycamore said.

Iran and the US pledged to continue the indirect nuclear talks following what both sides described as positive discussions on Friday in Oman despite differences. That allayed fears that failure to reach a deal might nudge the Middle East closer to war, as the US has positioned more military forces in the area.

Investors are also worried about possible disruptions to supply ⁠from Iran and other regional producers as exports equal to about a fifth of the world's ‌total oil consumption pass through the Strait of ‍Hormuz between Oman and Iran.

Both ‍benchmarks fell more than 2% last week on the easing tensions, their ‍first decline in seven weeks.

However, Iran's foreign minister said on Saturday Tehran will strike US bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by US forces, showing the threat of conflict is still alive.

"Volatility remains elevated as conflicting rhetoric persists. Any negative headlines could quickly reignite risk premiums in oil prices this week," said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at ⁠Phillip Nova.

Investors are also continuing to grapple with efforts to curb Russian income from its oil exports for its war in Ukraine. The European Commission on Friday proposed a sweeping ban on any services that support Russia's seaborne crude oil exports.

Refiners in India, once the biggest buyer of Russia's seaborne crude, are avoiding purchases for delivery in April and are expected to stay away from such trades for longer, refining and trade sources said, which could help New Delhi seal a trade pact with Washington.

"Oil markets will remain sensitive to how broadly this pivot away from Russian crude unfolds, whether ‌India’s reduced purchases persist beyond April, and how quickly alternative flows can be brought online," Sachdeva said.

Business

Indian Refiners Avoid Russian Oil in Push for US Trade Deal

An employee walks inside the premises of an oil refinery of Essar Oil in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo
An employee walks inside the premises of an oil refinery of Essar Oil in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo
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Indian Refiners Avoid Russian Oil in Push for US Trade Deal

An employee walks inside the premises of an oil refinery of Essar Oil in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo
An employee walks inside the premises of an oil refinery of Essar Oil in Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, India, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo

Indian refiners are avoiding Russian oil purchases for delivery in April and are expected to stay away from such trades for longer, refining and trade sources said, a move that could help New Delhi seal a trade pact with Washington, according to Reuters.

The US and India moved closer to a trade pact on Friday, announcing a framework for a deal they hope to conclude by March that would lower tariffs and deepen economic cooperation.

Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Reliance Industries are not accepting offers from traders for Russian oil loading in March and April, said a trader who approached the refiners.

These refiners, however, had already scheduled some deliveries of Russian oil in March, refining sources said. Most other refiners have stopped buying Russian crude.

A foreign ministry spokesperson said: “Diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy” to ensure energy security for the world's most-populous nation.

Although a US-India statement on the trade framework did not mention Russian oil, President Donald Trump rescinded his 25% tariffs on Indian goods, imposed over Russian oil purchases, because, he said, New Delhi had “committed to stop directly or indirectly” importing Russian oil.

New Delhi has not announced plans to halt Russian oil imports.

India became the top buyer of discounted Russian seaborne crude after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, spurring a backlash from Western nations that had targeted Russia's energy sector with sanctions aimed at curtailing Moscow's revenue and making it harder to fund the war.

One regular Indian buyer is Russia-backed private refiner Nayara, which relies solely on Russian oil for its 400,000-barrel-per-day refinery. Sources said Nayara may be allowed to keep buying Russian oil because other crude sellers pulled back after the European Union sanctioned the refiner in July.

Nayara also does not plan to import Russian crude in April due to a month-long refinery maintenance shutdown, a source familiar with its operations said.

Nayara did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Indian refiners may change their plan and place orders for Russian oil only if advised by the government, sources said.

Trump's order said US officials would monitor and recommend reinstating the tariffs if India resumed oil procurement from Russia.

Sources said last month that India was preparing to cut Russian oil imports below 1 million bpd by March, with volumes eventually falling to 500,000–600,000 bpd, compared with an average 1.7 million bpd last year. India's Russian oil imports topped 2 million bpd in mid-2025.

The intake of Russian oil by India, the world's third-biggest oil consumer and importer, declined to its lowest level in two years in December, data from trade and industry sources show.

 

Business

IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
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IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies (EME) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions.

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki, SPA reported.

The agreement aims to strengthen coordination in economic and financial policy areas, including surveillance and lending activities, data and analytical exchange, capacity building, and the provision of technical assistance, in support of regional financial and economic stability.

Both sides affirmed that the MoU represents an important step toward deepening their strategic partnership and strengthening the regional financial safety net, serving member countries and enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.