https://arab.news/pkgkq
RIYADH: The Saudi Space Commission has signed a cooperative agreement with its French counterpart, National Center for Space Studies, in the field of the peaceful use of outer space.
The agreement outlines different cooperative activities between the two firms, the Saudi firm said in a statement. It comes amid French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit in Saudi Arabia.
It provides a framework for cooperation in space activities, including exchanging information and technologies, capacity building, organizing mutual visits and meetings, holding workshops and training courses.
Both firms will also develop a mechanism for space-based climate monitoring, and create an attractive environment for investments in the sector.
Mohammed Al-Tamaimi, CEO of the Saudi Space Commission, said he is pleased to sign the cooperation agreement, as well as to benefit from the French experience in the space sector.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (selling shareholder) and stc on Sunday announced the launch of a secondary public offering of stc’s ordinary shares, Argaam reported.
“The potential transaction is in line with the PIF’s strategy to recycle its capital to new investments,” the fund said in an earlier statement.
A total of 10.02 million shares will be allocated to retail subscribers.
The offering comprises a fully marketed secondary public offering of 100.2 million stc shares, representing 5.01 percent of its share capital
The price range has been set between SR100 and SR116 per share. The final offer price will announced on Dec. 10.
Goldman Sachs Saudi Arabia, HSBC Saudi Arabia, Morgan Stanley Saudi Arabia and SNB Capital are acting as joint financial advisers for STC and joint global coordinators for STC and PIF. The Citigroup Saudi Arabia and Credit Suisse Saudi Arabia are acting as joint bookrunners, according to a bourse filing.
RIYADH: Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency, plunged around 30 percent from the year’s high of $69,000 on Nov. 10.
It, however, traded higher on Sunday, rising by 2.82 percent to $48,972 at 5:14 p.m. Riyadh time.
Ether, the second most popular cryptocurrency, traded at $4,140 up 4.16 percent, according to data from CoinDesk.
“Corrections and declines do occur in almost all markets including crypto. The current decline is considered the largest in terms of market value since the late March 2020 decline,” Abdullah Mashat, managing director of a private Saudi retail company told Arab News.
Mashat said: “Current decline is due to investors being concerned of tapering talks in the US, which resulted in the decline in stock exchanges and later this caused liquidity crunch in the crypto markets.”
Anto Paroian, COO at crypto hedge fund ARK36 said: “The market sentiments have decisively soured as a result of deepening concerns about omicron variant and its (likely) effect on the economy. The current situation resembles closely what happened in March 2020 as we’re seeing equities plunge 5 percent off recent highs and the negativity is spreading to other markets as well including the digital asset markets.
“On the other hand, the current price levels aren’t unexpected after the bulls failed to flip the $60,000 resistance multiple times in the past few weeks. During previous Bitcoin bull markets violent swings of 20-30 percent happened a few times before the market topped and let’s remember what happened in July – and how well the market rebounded afterward.”
“It must be noted, though, that one of the key Bitcoin bull market indicators — the 20-week simple moving average — has now been decisively breached so the outlook is currently bearish in the short to medium term. What’s more, since there are widespread expectations that interest rates will rise as central banks are signaling a more aggressive stance on inflation, the violent price move in the digital asset market may also suggest that some investors are preparing to go into a risk-off mode for the time being,” Paroian added.
Meanwhile, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said the Central American country had acquired an additional 150 bitcoins after the digital currency’s value slumped again, enlarging his bet on the cryptocurrency despite criticism.
Bukele said last week that El Salvador had acquired 100 additional coins to take advantage of the currency weakening.
RIYADH: Saudi Aramco on Sunday announced its entry into the Kingdom’s domestic lubricants market with the launch of a new line of products.
The oil giant timed the ORIZON® launch to coincide with the inaugural Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Jeddah.
The product line has been introduced in more than 20 cities including Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam with more locations planned. The products include synthetic and semisynthetic lubricants for gasoline engines and heavy-duty diesel engines, as well as driveline products, greases and brake fluids.
The company has also expanded the brand to include ORIZONPRO® which is a high-performance line for the industrial sector.
Yasser M. Mufti, Aramco vice president of fuels, said: “Entering the lubricants market is an important milestone for the company, as we continue to expand our presence throughout the downstream value chain.”
The launch “further complements Aramco’s presence in the Kingdom’s downstream direct-to-consumer segment, following the inauguration of our first two service stations in Riyadh and Saihat recently.”
CAIRO: The Australian government is expected to raise its economic growth forecast for 2022 in its midyear budget review, according to the country’s treasurer, Josh Frydenberg.
He said omicron’s effect, the new COVID-19 variant, is still unclear.
The country’s fiscal year runs until June.
The Australian economy narrowed by 1.9 percent in the third quarter of this year on the back of the delta variant which led to a national lockdown.
However, the treasurer said the country now enjoys one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, boosting market conditions.
France avoids more restrictions
France will try to refrain from the imposition of any health-related restrictions even as virus cases continue to rise, the country’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said.
France is also avoiding any mandatory vaccination campaigns, Bloomberg reported, citing the minister.
He said two sectors, restaurants and hospitality, were particularly hit by the wave of new cases, adding that they will receive government support.
He also stated the new variant, omicron, is yet to have an effect on the country’s economic growth.
US growth rate
Unlike other countries, US expected growth rates for both 2021 and next year were trimmed down by Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s leading investment banks.
It said this downward revision was attributed to a potential adverse effect by omicron, according to Bloomberg.
The world’s largest economy is now predicted to grow by 3.8 percent in 2021, instead of the previous 4.2 percent forecast. As for next year, the US is set to expand by 2.9 percent, down from 3.3 percent.
Meanwhile, the country’s unemployment rate plunged to a 21-month low to hit 4.2 percent in November, according to the Labor Department. This is a 2.1 percent drop compared to January’s level, a considerable decline.
However, employment growth slowed down during the month.
The economy is still expected to experience strong growth in the fourth quarter, following the previous quarter’s weak performance.
A coalition led by the French power utility company ENGIE has withdrawn from competing for a $3 billion Qatari project that aims to build a power and water desalination plant.
This happens as uncertainty about the prices of future projects lingers amid the disruption of global supply chains, Al Arabiya reported citing sources.
The withdrawal came as investment feasibility was lower than the original plan and the responsible party’s refusal to amend the terms of the contract, the report said.
Sources added the withdrawal means the Japanese investment company Marubeni alliance has won the project.
Qatar’s new project aims to produce electricity from gas with a capacity of 2.5 GW and desalinate over 100 million gallons of water per day.
