ֱ

Egypt offers over 1,300 industrial plots to boost economic development 

Egypt offers over 1,300 industrial plots to boost economic development 
The initiative underscores the state’s commitment to local production and sustainable industrial growth. Reuters/File
Short Url
Updated 8 min 4 sec ago

Egypt offers over 1,300 industrial plots to boost economic development 

Egypt offers over 1,300 industrial plots to boost economic development 

RIYADH: Egypt has announced offering 1,386 fully serviced industrial plots across 23 governorates and 35 industrial zones, totaling 6.8 million sq. meters, in a bid to accelerate industrial development and attract local and foreign investment. 
The offering, part of the government’s 11th industrial land tender, will be conducted via the country’s digital platform from Sept. 1-11, the Ministry of Industry and Transport said in an official Facebook post. 
Plot sizes range from 240 sq. meters to 500,000 sq. meters and cover sectors including food, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals, as well as engineering, medical supplies, building materials, and textiles. 
The initiative underscores the state’s commitment to local production and sustainable industrial growth, coinciding with rising confidence in the Egyptian pound, with Standard Chartered noting in August that at least half of $12.5 billion in investment pledges from Qatar and Kuwait is expected to be disbursed by the end of 2025. 
“The tender is designed to provide flexible options for investors,” Kamel El-Wazir, deputy prime minister for industrial development and minister of industry and transport, said in the Facebook post. “We continue to create an attractive and transparent environment to support sustainable industrial growth across Egypt.” 
He highlighted the diversity of plot sizes to suit projects of all scales — small, medium, and large — ranging from 240 sq. meters to 500,000 sq. meters. 
The plots are offered at the actual cost of utilities to facilitate investor access and reduce financial burdens. Annual usufruct fees are set at 5 percent of the ownership price per sq. meter. 
Investors may apply for two opportunities, one as a primary choice and another as an alternative, providing flexibility and broader access. Allocation priority will go to applicants who previously submitted valid proposals but were unsuccessful and did not reclaim their deposits. 
El-Wazir noted that the offering is supported by unprecedented incentives from previous rounds, including a 50 percent discount on application study fees, removal of bid and financial guarantee charges, a reduced deposit of 10 percent of land value, and a simplified feasibility study form, all designed to encourage broader investor participation. 
Following application submission, the Industrial Development Authority will evaluate all entries and announce results within two weeks of the tender’s closing date.


ֱ surpasses 2025 homeownership target a year early 

ֱ surpasses 2025 homeownership target a year early 
Updated 29 sec ago

ֱ surpasses 2025 homeownership target a year early 

ֱ surpasses 2025 homeownership target a year early 

JEDDAH: ֱ surpassed its 2025 homeownership target a year early, with 65.4 percent of families owning homes in 2024, an official report showed. 

According to the Housing Program’s 2024 annual report, the Kingdom had aimed for 65 percent by 2025, meaning it has already achieved 102 percent of the goal. The report, titled Facilitating the Journey to Homeownership and Sustainability, noted that the Kingdom now aims to raise the rate to 70 percent by 2030. 

Since 2016, the homeownership rate has risen from 47 percent, reflecting the effectiveness of the Housing Program in supporting Vision 2030 objectives.  

“Today, we live under an ambitious Vision that places the individual at the heart of its objectives. In pursuit of a dignified life for all, efforts and plans are in place to empower and build a vibrant society where people live in safety and stability,” the report quoted Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail.

In a post on his X handle, Al-Hogail added: “We are advancing with firm determination to continue achieving milestones within the Housing Program, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, supporting sustainable urban development and enhancing the quality of life for every Saudi family.” 

The minister emphasized that the program’s success is attributed to the provision of accessible financing solutions, innovative housing options, and the development of urban communities. The program also focuses on leveraging modern digital technologies to offer a flexible and efficient journey toward finding suitable housing that meets citizens’ aspirations and needs. 

In 2024, over 122,000 families benefited from housing support, with more than 21,000 eligible families achieving homeownership through developmental housing pathways. 

Additionally, the year saw the signing of over 13,000 contracts for land products offered by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, approximately 16,000 contracts for self-construction, over 49,000 contracts for ready-made units, and more than 27,000 off-plan sales contracts. 

The report also noted a rise in the total mortgage value from SR818 billion ($218 billion) to over SR859 billion, indicating increased efficiency in the housing market. 

Furthermore, affordability metrics improved, with the percentage of household income spent on housing decreasing from 41 percent to 40.2 percent. As a result, citizen satisfaction increased from 80 percent in 2023 to 89 percent in 2024. 


Turkiye economy grew 4.8% in Q2, above expectations

Turkiye economy grew 4.8% in Q2, above expectations
Updated 01 September 2025

Turkiye economy grew 4.8% in Q2, above expectations

Turkiye economy grew 4.8% in Q2, above expectations

ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s economy grew by 4.8 percent in the second quarter, above expectations despite a prolonged monetary tightening effort, official data showed on Monday.

Second-quarter gross domestic product grew 1.6 percent from the previous quarter on a seasonally and calendar-adjusted basis, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed.

Economists said the quarter had benefited from having more working days than in the same period the year before, and from last year’s low base.

In a Reuters poll, the economy was forecast to have grown by 4.1 percent in the second quarter and by 2.9 percent for 2025 as a whole.

The government forecasts 4 percent growth this year. It is expected to update its forecasts early this month.

Growth in the first quarter was revised up to 2.3 percent from 2 percent, the data also showed, while economic expansion was revised up slightly to 3.3 percent from the previous 3.2 percent last year.

The institute also published a document along with the data detailing the revision of its Gross Domestic Product series as part of efforts to align with the European System of National Accounts.

In December, the central bank started an easing cycle after having kept the main policy rate steady for eight months. Inflation has dipped from as high as 75 percent last year.

The central bank tightened policy in April in a move to ensure stability following market turmoil that erupted over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival.

The bank recently returned to policy easing last month, with inflation falling to around 33 percent and said the impact of tight policy can be seen in a slowdown in demand conditions.


Gold climbs on US rate-cut bets; silver hits 14-year high

Gold climbs on US rate-cut bets; silver hits 14-year high
Updated 01 September 2025

Gold climbs on US rate-cut bets; silver hits 14-year high

Gold climbs on US rate-cut bets; silver hits 14-year high
  • Fed’s Daly says it’ll soon be time to recalibrate policy
  • Silver rises more than 2% to trade above $40 per ounce
  • Platinum up more than 1%

Gold hit a more than four-month high on Monday, as increased bets for a US Federal Reserve interest rate cut this month lifted bullion’s allure, while silver rose above $40 per ounce for the first time in more than a decade.

Spot gold rose 1.2 percent to $3,486.86 per ounce by 8:41 a.m. Saudi time, hitting its highest point since April 23. US gold futures for December delivery gained 1.1 percent to $3,554.60.

“Dovish comments from San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly helped traders looked past a higher core PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures) read on Friday, and kept the door open for a 25-basis-point rate cut this month,” City Index senior analyst Matt Simpson said.

A US appeals court has also deemed most of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs illegal, weighing further on the dollar and sending gold to a four-month high, Simpson said.

Data showed that the US PCE price index rose 0.2 percent month-on-month, and 2.6 percent year-on-year, both in line with expectations.

In a social media post on Friday, Daly reiterated her support for a rate cut, given the risks to the labor market.

Non-yielding gold typically performs well in a low-interest-rate environment.

On the trade front, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Sunday the Trump administration is continuing its talks with trading partners despite a US appeals court ruling that most of Trump’s tariffs are illegal.

Spot silver jumped 2.2 percent to $40.56 per ounce, the highest level since September 2011.

“The US bank holiday is contributing to thinner liquidity, which is also exacerbating some of the moves in gold and silver,” said KCM Trade’s chief market analyst, Tim Waterer.

“Silver is making a move higher in response to expectations of lower US rates, while a tight supply market is helping to maintain an upward bias.”

Platinum gained 1.5 percent to $1,384.68 and palladium climbed 0.8 percent to $1,118.06.


Oil Updates — crude holds in tight range as rising output offsets Russia supply disruptions

Oil Updates — crude holds in tight range as rising output offsets Russia supply disruptions
Updated 01 September 2025

Oil Updates — crude holds in tight range as rising output offsets Russia supply disruptions

Oil Updates — crude holds in tight range as rising output offsets Russia supply disruptions
  • Russian drones knock out power facilities in Ukraine
  • Asia manufacturing data mixed, clouds economic outlook
  • OPEC+ to meet on Sept. 7

SINGAPORE: Oil prices traded in a tight range on Monday as worries about rising output and the impact of US tariffs on demand offset supply disruptions stemming from intensified Russia-Ukraine airstrikes.

Brent crude fell 30 cents, or 0.44 percent, to $67.18 a barrel by 7:00 a.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $63.73 a barrel, down 28 cents, or 0.44 percent. Trading is expected to be muted due to a US bank holiday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed on Sunday to retaliate by ordering more strikes deep inside Russia after Russian drone attacks on power facilities in northern and southern Ukraine. Both countries have intensified airstrikes in recent weeks, targeting energy infrastructure and disrupting Russian oil exports.

Markets remained concerned about Russian oil flows, with weekly shipments from its ports dropping to a four-week low of 2.72 million barrels per day, according to tanker tracker data cited by ANZ analysts in a note.

However, Russian oil exports to India are set to rise in September, traders said, despite secondary tariffs imposed on New Delhi by the US for buying oil from Moscow.

“Modi’s meeting with Putin in China will be closely watched, particularly in light of US pressures,” Michael McCarthy, CEO of Moomoo Australia, said, referring to the Indian and Russian presidents who are attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization regional security bloc in China.

A Reuters poll on Friday showed that oil prices are unlikely to gain much traction from current levels this year, as rising output from top producers adds to the risk of a surplus and US tariff threats weigh on demand growth.

The week started with a slew of manufacturing and export data from China, Japan and South Korea, among the world’s biggest crude oil importers.

Factory activity in China unexpectedly grew in August but weakened for other Asian economies as companies began to feel the pain from US tariffs, private surveys showed on Monday, clouding the outlook for the region’s fragile recovery.

Brent and WTI crude posted their first decline in four months in August, down 6 percent or more on OPEC+ supply concerns.

Investors are eyeing the Sept. 7 meeting between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies for further supply cues.

Meanwhile, US crude oil production hit a record high in June, rising 133,000 barrels per day to 13.58 million bpd, according to data released by the Energy Information Administration on Friday.

A US labor market report this week will give a crucial read into the economy’s health and test investors’ confidence that interest rate cuts are coming soon, a view that has lifted their appetite for riskier assets such as commodities.


Aramco keeps LPG prices unchanged for September

Aramco keeps LPG prices unchanged for September
Updated 31 August 2025

Aramco keeps LPG prices unchanged for September

Aramco keeps LPG prices unchanged for September

RIYADH: Saudi Aramco has kept its official selling prices for liquefied petroleum gas unchanged for September 2025, maintaining the same levels as the previous month. Propane is priced at $520 per tonne, while butane remains at $490 per tonne, according to an official statement issued on Sunday.

LPG, which includes propane and butane, is widely used for residential heating, cooking, transportation, and as a petrochemical feedstock.

Aramco’s monthly pricing serves as a benchmark for exports from the Gulf to Asia, the world’s largest LPG-consuming region.

In developing countries, state-backed programs encouraging LPG for cooking and heating are boosting domestic consumption, supported by tanker-based supply chains.

In developed markets, LPG provides a flexible and cost-effective alternative for industrial processes and transportation.