SAIB reports $139 million Q1 net profit
its assets increased by 20.08 percent to $43.65bn.
Biden signals US-Saudi thaw with prince meeting on Mideast trip
US President Joe Biden will meet with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman next month. The White House ended weeks of speculation Tuesday, announcing that Biden will travel to Israel, the Palestinian West Bank, and Saudi Arabia from July 13-16 -- his first trip to the Middle East since taking...Biden to visit Middle East from July 13-16; meet Saudi crown prince
US President Joe Biden will make history next month with a direct flight between Israel and Saudi Arabia where he will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The White House ended weeks of speculation Tuesday, announcing that Biden will travel to Israel, the Palestinian West Bank and Saudi Arabia from...Oil revenues help boost MENA economic growth
Economic growth in the MENA region is forecast to accelerate to 5.3% in 2022 before slowing to 3.6% in 2023, according to the World Bank. Find out the country-wise breakup.Saudi Arabia adopts online registration for Hajj to combat scams
Saudi Arabia has required would-be hajj pilgrims from many Western countries to apply for visas via a government portal online, a move intended to crack down on "fake" travel agencies, officials told AFP on Monday. The new system was put in place as the kingdom prepares to welcome 850,000 Muslims...NEOM awards contracts for construction of high-speed transportation tunnels
NEOM has awarded two contracts to two consortiums for the construction of two tunnels with a length of 28 kilometers dedicated to high-speed transportation and freight services in the infrastructure of the “The Line". The first consortium includes FCC Construction SA, Chinese State Construction and Engineering, and a Saudi company,...High taxes on tobacco in MENA weans users off habit
The use of tobacco by people across the world has gone down, and the Middle East has been no exception, where many users have kicked the habit.Visa-free travel to Saudi Arabia for GCC residents
Under the new visa scheme, all GCC residents with a valid resident and work visa issued by the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qataris immigration authorities will be allowed entry into Saudi Arabia for business, tourism, and Umrah purposes, with the exception of Hajj – the annual Islamic pilgrimage.Ladun to list on Nomu
The Saudi firm's IPO was priced at $4.8 per share.Saudi telco to raise capital by 150%
Bonus shares to be granted by capitalizing $7.9 bn from retained earnings.Sudan ship sinks with 15,800 sheep on board
An overladen ship crammed with thousands of sheep capsized Sunday off Sudan's Red Sea coast drowning the animals on board but with all crew surviving, port officials said.Discoveries give Saudi geotourism an edge in region
Aside from fossil discoveries, one of the unique geological phenomena discovered in Saudi Arabia is basalt columns. These one-of-a-kind columns are magnificent and incredibly accurate geometric shapes that erupted from the ground without human intervention. They owe their existence to the molten lava that burst out of the ground in...Saudi Arabia seizes 302,255 Captagon pills at Al-Haditha port
Saudi Arabia has seized a new consignment of banned drugs being brought into the kingdom at Al-Haditha port.Chinese firm bags $974m Madinah tunnel project
Saudi Arabia has awarded the building of a five-kilometer-long tunnel in the city of Madinah to a Chinese construction firm, to be built at the cost of $974 million. The project also involves the construction of a pedestrian bridge. Al-Amida road will serve as an alternative to the current ring...Savola Foods buys Egybelg
The Saudi firm plans to invest $91m in Egypt.Saudi Industrial Production Index rises by 26 percent in April
Saudi Arabia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) in April 2022 increased by 26.7 percent compared to the same month last year. The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said the IPI continued to show positive growth rates due to the high production in mining, quarrying and manufacturing activity. The IPI is an...UAE secures 32% of Japan’s crude oil needs in April
The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy in Tokyo.reported that the amount of crude oil that Japan imported during that month amounted to 87.59 million barrels.Saudi GDP up nearly 10 percent in Q1 on oil activities
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Saudi Arabia grew by 9.9 percent in Q1 of 2022 compared to Q1 of 2021, and the seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 2.6 percent compared to Q4/2021. The GDP Report for Q1 2022 released Tuesday by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), said this....GCC economies to grow by 5.9% in 2022: World Bank
The current rebound is due mainly to strong growth in oil exporters boosted by rising oil revenues and a general waning of the pandemic’s adverse impacts in highly vaccinated countries. The growth, however, will slow abruptly in 2023 and 2024 across the region, the report adds.GCC sees rise in non-oil sectors’ contribution to GDP
The region's countries have embarked on ambitious transformative plans to reduce dependence on oil and diversify their economies.Saudi Arabia begins compensation for Jeddah clearance project
Saudi Arabia has begun compensating residents who lost property to a massive redevelopment project in the coastal city of Jeddah that has spurred rare expressions of public anger, state media said. "The delivery of the first batch of compensation for the removed properties has begun," the official Saudi Press Agency...Asian markets mixed as US jobs data give Fed room to hike rates
Asian markets were mixed Monday following a steep drop on Wall Street in response to a forecast-topping US jobs report that gave the Federal Reserve room to continue hiking interest rates.Saudi Arabia, Spain to strengthen partnerships in sustainable tourism
Spain’s experience and expertise in tourism has already helped Saudi Arabia and more Spanish businesses will hopefully join the leading tourism players already working with the kingdom, Saudi tourism minister Ahmed Al Khateeb has said. “I was very pleased to share our vision and plans with Spanish businesses in Riyadh...UAE, KSA bourses to stay range-bound until 2022-end
The volatility in oil prices will affect the markets. If there is a higher-than-expected decline, the markets may feel the heat, Junaid Ansari of Kamco Invest tells TRENDS.GCC slams Islamophobic remarks by top officials of India’s ruling party
Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, on Sunday condemned remarks about the Prophet Mohammed made by top officials in India's ruling party that were described as "Islamophobic". The remarks by a spokesperson for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party last week were blamed for clashes in an Indian state.Saudi Arabia aims to triple foreign tourism in 2022: Minister
Saudi Arabia aims to triple foreign tourism this year as pandemic restrictions ease, hajj pilgrims return and the first elements of the crown prince's signature projects open, its tourism minister told AFP Sunday. The kingdom inaugurated tourist visas in September 2019, just months before the coronavirus pandemic decimated the industry...Saudi authority to hold real estate auctions in Riyadh, Madinah
Saudi Arabia's Center for Attribution and Liquidation, or Infath, has said that between June 7 and 15, it will be holding five public real estate auctions in Riyadh and Madinah, with areas exceeding 100,000 square meters. Auctions display 117 real estate assets, including commercial, residential, and agricultural lands, villas, and...Bioethics: Towards a moral practice of medicine
Bioethicists must support and advance the rights of women through new policies and ensure that established regulations and policies are implemented in support of patients. Bioethicists must also strive to alert practitioners to the social and cultural challenges, she adds.US President delays trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel
US President Joe Biden has pushed back a possible trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia, US media reported Saturday. The trip would reportedly happen around the time Biden travels to a NATO summit in Spain and Group of Seven summit in Germany later this month.UAE blazes a trail with AI, leads Europe and MENA
The Gulf country leads EMEA in the leverage of data, data science, and AI for the purposes of decision making and business growth, the latest Dataiku report points out.Saudi stocks lead declines among Gulf bourses
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index finished 1.3% lower, hurt by a 2.1% fall in oil giant Saudi Aramco and a 1.2% decline in country's biggest Islamic lender Al Rajhi Bank.KSA teams up with Novartis to ramp up pharmaceutical capacity
Saudi Arabia has partnered with Novartis, the Swiss pharmaceutical company, to ramp up the kingdom's bio pharmaceutical capacity.US president confirms ‘possibility’ of Saudi Arabia trip
US President Joe Biden confirmed Friday he was considering a trip to Saudi Arabia. The New York Times and other US media, quoting anonymous sources, have reported that Biden would go ahead with the long-rumored Saudi stop during an upcoming overseas tour. CNN said that Biden would meet Saudi Arabia's...Cybersecurity challenges keep Gulf region on its toes
About 25% of ransomware data theft attacks in the GCC are reported from the UAE followed by Saudi Arabia (15.5%), Qatar (7%), Oman and Kuwait (2% each), and Bahrain (1%).Third Gulf Forum for Voluntary Work to be held in December
A meeting between the Committee of Heads of Red Crescent Societies and bodies in GCC concluded its 18th meeting. The committee issued a set of decisions including approving the Saudi Red Crescent Authority's bid to organize the third Gulf Forum for Voluntary Work for the Red Crescent bodies and societies...Saudi Cabinet endorses setting up of Health Holding Co.
Saudi Arabia's cabinet has endorsed the setting up of Health Holding Co. and charter of the National Health Insurance Center.Saudi personal finance market posts 4.4% jump to $18.96bn
Saudi Arabia's finance companies have provided a whopping $18.96 billion in personal finance loans to the kingdom's citizens during the first three months of the current year, posting a 4.4 percent jump over the previous quarter.Saudi women break another barrier to be auto mechanics
An auto repair garage in Saudi Arabia is turning to an untapped source for new car mechanics: Saudi women, who just four years ago weren't even allowed to drive.OPEC to boost oil production as prices surge and EU bans Russian imports
Major oil producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia on Thursday decided to open taps wider than expected amid soaring prices and hard on the heels of an EU ban on Russian oil imports. Analysts had expected OPEC+ producers to stick to their policy of modest output increases, as they...OPEC debates oil output boost amid Russian isolation
Major oil producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia hold talks Thursday on whether to adjust output, hard on the heels of an EU ban on Russian oil imports. Analysts had expected OPEC+ producers to likely stick to their policy of only increasing output modestly, as they have done since...Middle East construction set to build on oil prices
Crude price rise will potentially lead to a greater surplus in local govt budgets, which can be used for construction and development investment, Gary Tracey of JLL tells TRENDS.Russian foreign minister hails OPEC+ agreements on Saudi visit
European Union leaders agreed on Monday to ban more than two-thirds of Russian oil imports as part of the sixth package of crippling sanctions on Moscow. Media reports said OPEC was considering whether to remove Russia from an agreement that has locked producers into limited output increases.Saudi Arabia, Jordan discuss ways to enhance maritime transport relations
A joint panel of the two countries discuss the mechanism to develop and modernize previous agreements related to maritime transport.Disney+ releases a sneak peek at the content line up for MENA region
Disney+ has finally unveiled an extensive sneak peek at the line-up for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).US warns Yemen truce talks in ‘trouble’ as it pushes for extension
The United States warned Tuesday that talks on Yemen's two-month truce were in "trouble" as it pushed for an extension to help support millions at risk. Talks to extend the pause in fighting "haven't ended yet but seem to be in a bit of trouble," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US...Saudi central bank net foreign assets climb by $1.07bn in April
The net foreign assets of Saudi central bank rose by SR4.0 billion ($1.07 billion) to SR1.63 trillion in April, according to the data published on the website of SAMA. The kingdom's net foreign assets increased by 0.2 percent from SR1.63 trillion in March. Over the same period, the central bank's...UAE, Saudi Arabia set new halal economy goals for GCC
Beside halal food business, Islamic banking holds the largest share of the Sharia-compliant industry, says Nik Joharris Nik Ahmad, country head of Maybank Islamic Dubai-DIFC.Saudi Arabia, Seychelles to expand cooperation in tourism sector
Saudi Arabia and Seychelles will form a partnership to boost cooperation and exchange expertize in tourism sector which includes planning, investment, and developing tourism sites and projects. Saudi’s tourism ministry signed an MoU with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles regarding the same. The MoU aims at...Agthia eyes KSA expansion
The company to set up a manufacturing facility in Jeddah.UAE and Qatar top 2021 GCC economies
The two Gulf countries score high consistently on all seven parameters used to measure the status of an economy.East Pipes lands $131m deal
The firm will supply pipes to Saline Water Corporation.