Saudi Arabia Mobilizes Private Sector for Meetings with US Companies During Trump Visit

The Saudi-American Business Forum meets at the Federation of Saudi Chambers last year. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi-American Business Forum meets at the Federation of Saudi Chambers last year. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Mobilizes Private Sector for Meetings with US Companies During Trump Visit

The Saudi-American Business Forum meets at the Federation of Saudi Chambers last year. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi-American Business Forum meets at the Federation of Saudi Chambers last year. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia is mobilizing its private sector to engage directly with the high-level American business delegation that will be accompanying US President Donald Trump as he visits the Kingdom on Tuesday.

Trump’s Gulf tour, which begins in Saudi Arabia before moving on to the UAE and Qatar, is expected to focus heavily on economic issues.

Top executives from leading US firms will join the president, with a number of significant agreements covering several sectors expected to be inked. Among the prominent names set to attend are BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, Blackstone Chairman Stephen Schwarzman, and Google/Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat.

The executives will take part in the US-Saudi Investment Forum, which will be held in Riyadh on the day of Trump’s arrival. According to sources, the Saudi Investment Promotion Authority is coordinating closely with domestic private sector firms to ensure strong participation and to prepare for bilateral meetings between Saudi and US companies.

The forum will spotlight cross-sector investment opportunities and partnerships between the two countries, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s intent to position itself as a key global investment hub. Trump, in recent remarks, praised the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund and hinted that the US is considering launching its own.

On Tuesday, he teased “major announcements” ahead of his visit during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Saudi Arabia is aiming to expand its commercial and investment ties with the United States by $600 billion over the next four years. In a recent phone call, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman highlighted the potential benefits of Trump’s proposed economic reforms and expressed interest in leveraging them to drive mutual growth.

The Kingdom is also seeking closer cooperation with Washington on global challenges, including slowdowns in international economic growth.

While Saudi-US relations have long been anchored by decades of strategic partnership, Saudi officials say Vision 2030 has further integrated the Kingdom into the global economy, allowing it to play a more influential and proactive role in shaping regional and global prosperity.



Gulf Stock Markets Slip Amid Escalating Iran-Israel Conflict and Fed Policy Uncertainty

Traders monitor stock information displayed on screens at the Qatar Stock Exchange. (Reuters)
Traders monitor stock information displayed on screens at the Qatar Stock Exchange. (Reuters)
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Gulf Stock Markets Slip Amid Escalating Iran-Israel Conflict and Fed Policy Uncertainty

Traders monitor stock information displayed on screens at the Qatar Stock Exchange. (Reuters)
Traders monitor stock information displayed on screens at the Qatar Stock Exchange. (Reuters)

Major stock markets across the Gulf declined on Tuesday, as heightened geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel weighed on investor sentiment and fueled concerns over regional stability. Investors also remained on edge ahead of a key interest rate decision by the US Federal Reserve.

Reports from Iranian state media described a series of explosions and intense anti-aircraft fire lighting up the skies over Tehran. Simultaneously, air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv following a barrage of Iranian missile launches.

Amid the growing tensions, US President Donald Trump, speaking after departing early from the G7 summit in Canada, urged civilians to evacuate the Iranian capital.

At the same time, markets are closely watching developments in Washington, where the Federal Reserve is set to begin a two-day policy meeting. The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged, but investors are eagerly awaiting signals from Chair Jerome Powell on the future path of monetary policy, particularly any indications of upcoming rate cuts to support a slowing global economy.

Against this backdrop, Gulf equity markets ended the day mixed. Saudi Arabia’s benchmark Tadawul All Share Index slipped 0.41%, while the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange lost 0.51%. Dubai’s main index was down 0.64%.

Other markets followed suit. Qatar’s index dropped 0.51%, Muscat’s bourse fell 0.33%, and Egypt’s EGX 30 posted the largest regional decline, falling 1.02% amid heightened investor anxiety.

However, a few markets bucked the trend. Kuwait’s exchange rose 0.65%, while Bahrain’s index gained 0.30%, supported by selective buying and relative insulation from the geopolitical fallout.