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Saudi Minister of Finance Approves 2025 Annual Borrowing Plan

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Minister of Finance Approves 2025 Annual Borrowing Plan

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Abdullah Al-Jadaan approved on Sunday the Annual Borrowing Plan for the fiscal year 2025, following its endorsement by the Board of Directors of the National Debt Management Center.

The plan highlights key developments in public debt for 2024, initiatives related to local debt markets, and the funding plan and its guiding principles for 2025, in addition to the 2025 issuances’ calendar for the Local Saudi Sukuk Issuance Program in Saudi Riyal.

According to the plan, the projected funding needs for 2025 are estimated at approximately SAR139 billion. The amount is intended to cover the anticipated budget deficit of SAR101 billion for the fiscal year 2025, as outlined in the Ministry of Finance’s Official Budget Statement, and the principals’ repayment of the debts maturing in the current year, 2025, amounting to approximately SAR38 billion.

To boost the sustainability of the Kingdom's access to various debt markets and broaden the investor base, Saudi Arabia aims in 2025 to continue diversifying local and international financing channels to efficiently meet funding needs.

This will be achieved through the issuance of sovereign debt instruments at fair pricing, guided by well-defined and robust risk management frameworks.

Additionally, the Kingdom plans to benefit from market opportunities by executing private transactions that can promote economic growth, such as export credit agency financing, infrastructure development project financing, capital expenditure (CAPEX) financing, and exploring tapping into new markets and currencies based on market conditions.

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Syria Signs Landmark Offshore Oil Field Deal

Caption: A youth works at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Caption: A youth works at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
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Syria Signs Landmark Offshore Oil Field Deal

Caption: A youth works at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Caption: A youth works at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

Syria ’s state-owned petroleum company signed a memorandum of understanding with the US and Qatar on Wednesday for the development of the country’s first offshore oil and gas field.

Syrian Petroleum Company's deal with US energy giant Chevron and the Qatar-based Power International Holding was signed in Damascus in the presence of the US's special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, The AP news reported.

Syria's state news agency, SANA, said that the agreement aims to strengthen strategic partnerships in the energy sector and will cover cooperation in offshore exploration and the development of oil and gas resources in Syria’s territorial waters, as well as broader efforts to support investment and energy-sector development.

The deal marks Syria’s first formal step toward offshore energy exploration as the government seeks to expand hydrocarbon production and attract foreign partners.

Syria’s oil and gas sectors were adversely impacted by the country’s nearly 15-year conflict that killed half a million people and caused wide destruction.

Business

Gold Extends Gains as Renewed US-Iran Tensions Fuel safe-haven Bid

A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
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Gold Extends Gains as Renewed US-Iran Tensions Fuel safe-haven Bid

A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk

Gold rose further on Wednesday after logging its biggest daily gain in 17 years in the previous session, as investors flocked to the safe-haven asset amid fresh US-Iran tensions.

Spot gold was up 2.2% at $5,046.47 per ounce, as of 1218 GMT, building on a 5.9% rise on Tuesday.

US gold futures for April delivery climbed 2.7% to $5,068.90 per ounce.

"It is a confluence of risk factors that's really driving the demand. One, there is that central bank independence question, and two, there's all the geopolitical risk aspects," said WisdomTree commodities strategist Nitesh Shah, Reuters reported.

The US military said on Tuesday it shot down an Iranian drone that "aggressively" approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. The incident came as diplomats sought to arrange nuclear talks between Iran and the United States.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell should be taken to the end, raising fresh concerns about the central bank's independence.

Gold is rebounding after tumbling nearly 10% on Monday, extending losses from Friday, in the sharpest two-day sell-off in decades. The rout was triggered by Trump's announcement of Kevin Warsh as his pick to lead the Fed and compounded by CME margin hikes. The metal is currently up over 17% for the year.

Market attention will be on the ADP private payrolls report, due later in the day, for clues into the Fed's policy path. Investors currently expect at least two rate cuts in 2026.

"With the Fed still expected to cut further rates this year, this should allow gold to reach $6,200/oz later this year," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Non-yielding bullion tends to perform better in low-interest-rate environments.

Meanwhile, spot silver rose 5.7% to $90 an ounce on Wednesday. The white metal hit a month-low of $71.33 on Monday following a record high of $121.64 on Thursday last week.

Spot platinum added 4% to $2,297.58 per ounce, while palladium gained 5.3% to $1,825.

Business

Turkish Treasury Says Sold 2 Bln Euro of Eurobond, Lowest Spread in 15 Years

General view of the Istanbul Finance Center (Reuters)
General view of the Istanbul Finance Center (Reuters)
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Turkish Treasury Says Sold 2 Bln Euro of Eurobond, Lowest Spread in 15 Years

General view of the Istanbul Finance Center (Reuters)
General view of the Istanbul Finance Center (Reuters)

The Turkish Treasury said on Wednesday it sold 2 billion euros ($2.37 billion) worth of its latest 8-year eurobond at a yield of ‌5.20%, adding ‌that ‌it ⁠had the lowest ‌spread among euro-denominated issuances over the past 15 years.

The bond will mature on March ⁠10, 2034, Reuters quoted it as saying, ‌adding that the ‍yield ‍was below the ‍fair value implied by the dollar yield curve and was priced at approximately MS +242 basis points.

With this ⁠transaction, the total amount of funds raised from international capital markets in 2026 has reached approximately $5.9 billion, the Treasury said.