Riyadh to Host Human Resources and Manpower Forum

People attend a previous edition of the Human Resources and Manpower Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
People attend a previous edition of the Human Resources and Manpower Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Riyadh to Host Human Resources and Manpower Forum

People attend a previous edition of the Human Resources and Manpower Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
People attend a previous edition of the Human Resources and Manpower Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi capital will host the sixth edition of the Human Resources and Manpower Forum and Exhibition from Oct. 27-30, featuring participation from the largest human resources and recruitment companies in the Kingdom, along with a wide international presence from 16 European, Asian, and African countries.

The annual forum is unique in the Middle East and highlights the centrality and role of human resources in various development sectors. It also reflects Riyadh’s growing status as a hub for distinguished events and exhibitions, further emphasized by the Kingdom’s successful bid to host Expo 2030.

The forum will see participation from various diplomatic missions and foreign ambassadors in the Kingdom, serving as an annual platform that brings together leading companies in the human resources and workforce sectors, both locally and globally, with HR officials from different entities, specialties, and business sectors, including domestic work.

Saudi Arabia ranks high among the most attractive countries for human capital across various fields and has made significant progress in making its labor market more appealing, particularly with the initiatives, programs, and regulations aimed at raising quality and improving services.

The forum will be held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, welcoming visitors daily from 12 PM to 10 PM.



Gold Prices Extend Gains as Equities, Bond Yields Weaken

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
TT

Gold Prices Extend Gains as Equities, Bond Yields Weaken

FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold prices extended gains to a second session on Wednesday, driven by weaker equities and bond yields, while traders eagerly await US economic data to gauge the Federal Reserve's timeline on a potential rate reduction.

Spot gold was up 0.5% at $2,675.25 per ounce, as of 1033 GMT, and trading about $10 below a record high of $2,685.42 scaled last month. US gold futures gained 0.5% to $2,691.90, Reuters reported.

"Seems the gold market wants to see a record high, with prices marginally below the late-September record high with support coming from a slightly risk-off environment with equities down," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.

Safe-haven bullion tends to be a preferred investment in a low interest rate environment and during economic and geopolitical turmoil.

"The uncertainly surrounding US elections and geopolitical tensions will also support gold going forward," said ANZ commodity strategist Soni Kumari.

The benchmark 10-year note yields slipped to more than a one-week low, making non-yielding gold more attractive.

Market participants are keeping a keen eye on US retail sales, industrial production and weekly jobless claims data, due on Thursday.

Gold needs a stronger-than-expected data to change the rate-cut trajectory, but this should still boost investment demand and drive prices to a record high in the coming months, UBS' Staunovo said.

San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said the central bank remains on track for more cuts this year as long as data meets expectations.

Delegates at the London Bullion Market Association's annual gathering predicted gold prices would rise to $2,941 over the next 12 months and silver prices would jump to $45 per ounce.

Spot silver firmed 1.1% to $31.83. Platinum rose 0.6% to $990.05 and palladium was up 0.6% to $1,015.75.

The Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX) will launch platinum and palladium futures in Q1 2025, according to the producers' council.