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☆ Saudi Aramco upholds dividend despite drop in first-quarter profits
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Saudi Aramco's first-quarter net profit fell 14% year-on-year amid lower oil prices and production. Net income for the three months up to March 31 came in at $27.3 billion, down from $31.9 billion for the same period last year, the company reported. The figure was in line with analyst expectations, according to Reuters. Aramco announced its free cash flow for the quarter at $22.8 billion, down from $30.9 billion in the first quarter of 2023, and cash flow from operating activities at $33.6 billion compared to last year's $39.6 billion. Still, the Saudi state oil giant will be delivering a total $31 billion dividend to the Saudi government and other shareholders, comprised of a $20.3 billion base dividend and a "fourth performance-linked dividend distribution of $10.8 billion" which will be paid in the second quarter, the company's earnings statement said.

Persons: Saudi Aramco's Organizations: Saudi, Aramco Locations: Saudi

☆ U.S. oil rises as Israel tells Palestinians to evacuate Rafah, Saudi Aramco increases prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In this article @LCO.1@CL.1 Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTPalestinians, including children, collect usable belongings in the heavily damaged buildings after Israeli attacks in Rafah, Gaza on February 12, 2024. Building targeted in the Israeli attacks and surrounding structures were damaged as Israel's air, land and sea attacks continue on the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu via Getty Images) Jehad Alshrafi | Anadolu | Getty ImagesU.S. oil rose Monday, trying to recover from last week's steep declines, after Israel told Palestinians to evacuate the southern Gaza city of Rafah, and Saudi Aramco raised its official crude prices. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon WTI vs. BrentBut tensions in the Middle East are rising again after the Israel Defense Forces told some 100,000 Palestinians to leave the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have stalled again, with the two sides accusing each other of sabotaging a deal.

Persons: Jehad Alshrafi, Brent Organizations: Getty, Anadolu, Saudi Aramco, West Texas Intermediate Brent, Natural Gas, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Anadolu, Israel, Saudi, Iran, U.S

☆ Saudi Arabia's oil giant boss speaks up for China, saying its massive production of solar panels and EVs helps affordability
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser praised China for making solar panels and electric vehicles affordable. Saudi Arabia is fostering closer ties with China and wooing Chinese investments and business partnerships. Unlike the West, Saudi Arabia is cozying up to China. "There are lots of opportunities for China to invest in Saudi Arabia," Alibrahim told the media outlet. In March last year, China brokered a détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran, prompting concerns over waning US influence in the Middle East.

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser, China's overcapacity, Janet Yellen, Olaf Scholz, China Nasser's, Faisal Alibrahim, Alibrahim, Jon Alterman Organizations: Saudi, Service, Saudi Aramco, World Energy, Financial Times, West, Nikkei, Aramco, Center for Strategic, International Studies, China Economic, Security Locations: China, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco, Saudi, Rotterdam, East Asia, Beijing, Saudi Arabian, Iran, United States

☆ Big Oil’s green-bashing stokes backlash as campaigners hit out at 'talking points from the 1970s'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-20 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Aramco and Saudi ministry officials have previously advocated for ongoing investment in hydrocarbons to avoid energy shortages until renewables can fully meet global energy demands. Nasser's comments drew applause from the audience at CERAWeek — an annual energy conference by S&P Global that's known as the "industry's Super Bowl." Other oil and gas executives at the event echoed Nasser's views, but spoke less directly about the state of the energy transition. Separately, Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods on Monday said that demand for petroleum products is "still very, very healthy." And the impact that price has on demand," Woods told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser's, Wael Sawan, Darren Woods, hasn't, Woods, CNBC's Organizations: Aramco, Saudi, Shell, Reuters, Exxon Mobil Locations: Houston , Texas, Saudi Aramco, Europe

☆ CNBC Daily Open: U.S. consumer sentiment stays steady
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Wall Street gainsU.S. stocks ended higher on Monday as investors look ahead to monetary policy decision from the Federal Reserve. BYD push into emerging marketsChinese automaker BYD is aggressively expanding into emerging markets given policy uncertainty in the U.S. and Europe. They are really starting to become very creative in the AI world," he said of the company, known for its government contract work in defense and intelligence.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Blackwell, Amin Nasser, BYD, Brian Stutland, Palantir Organizations: CNBC, Wall Street, Federal Reserve, Dow, Nasdaq, Bank of, Equity, Investments Locations: Asia, San Jose, Aramco, Saudi Aramco, U.S, Europe, Thailand, Brazil, Indonesia, Hungary, Uzbekistan

☆ CNBC Daily Open: U.S. consumer sentiment stays stable amid inflation worries
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Overnight, U.S. stocks ended higher with the Federal Reserve's policy meeting in focus. [PRO] Bullish on PalantirBrian Stutland of Equity Armor Investments calls Palantir a "promising AI investment" and a "serious player" in the space. They are really starting to become very creative in the AI world," he said of the company, known for its government contract work in defense and intelligence.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Blackwell, Amin Nasser, Brian Stutland, Palantir Organizations: CNBC, Nikkei, CSI, Federal, Dow, Nasdaq, Bank of Japan, Equity, Investments Locations: Seng, Bank, San Jose, Aramco, Saudi Aramco

☆ Saudi Aramco CEO says energy transition is failing, world should give up 'fantasy' of phasing out oil
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Amin Nasser, chief executive officer of Saudi Aramco, speaks at the 2024 CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston, Texas, US, on Monday, March 18, 2024. HOUSTON — Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said Monday that the energy transition is failing and policymakers should give up the "fantasy" of phasing out oil and gas, as demand for fossil fuels is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. "In the real world, the current transition strategy is visibly failing on most fronts as it collides with five hard realities," Nasser said during a panel interview at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston, Texas. The Paris-based International Energy Agency forecast last year that peak oil, gas and coal demand would come in 2030. Nasser suggested that the IEA is focusing on demand in the U.S. and Europe and needs to focus on the developing world as well.

Persons: Amin Nasser, Nasser Organizations: P Global, International Energy Agency Locations: Saudi Aramco, Houston , Texas, HOUSTON, Paris, U.S, Europe

☆ Gas prices have surged to four-month highs. Don’t panic
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

A gas price spike might be the last thing President Joe Biden needs to convince skeptical voters about his economic agenda. But experts say there is no reason to panic about gas prices, at least not yet. Gas prices always rise at this time of the year. Of course, there’s always the potential for unexpected events that could spike gas prices. If anything, De Haan said the earlier-than-expected jump in gas prices this year could cause prices to peak sooner than usual.

Persons: it’s, That’s, Joe Biden, Bespoke’s Paul Hickey, ” Hickey, “, ”, Patrick De Haan, Andy Lipow, Lipow, there’s, GasBuddy’s De Haan, De Haan Organizations: New, New York CNN, AAA, Federal, Investment, CNN, Whiting, BP Locations: New York, Indiana —, Michigan, Illinois, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Saudi Aramco, Ukraine

☆ Novo Nordisk market cap surpasses Tesla on new obesity pill trial data
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Liselotte Sabroe | AFP | Getty ImagesWegovy obesity drug maker Novo Nordisk surpassed Tesla in market value, after fresh early trial data showed positive results for its new experimental weight loss pill. Novo Nordisk is now the 12th most valuable company in the world, with a market cap of $604 billion — ahead of Tesla's $569 billion, according to FactSet data. 8The uptick of Thursday extends a months-long rally for Novo Nordisk, as excitement grows around weight loss drugs and their potential wider applications. The early amycretin data marks a fresh milestone for Novo Nordisk, potentially offering a more effective and less intrusive alternative to its already widely successful injection-based Wegovy and Ozempic drugs. Wegovy showed weight loss of 6% in a 12-week trial, while Ozempic is a diabetes treatment.

Persons: Liselotte Sabroe, Eli Lilly, amycretin, Martin Holst Lange, Lange Organizations: AFP, Getty, Novo Nordisk, Tesla, Microsoft Corp MSFT, Apple Inc, AAPL, NVIDIA Corp NVDA Technology, Saudi Aramco, SA Energy, Inc, AMZN Consumer, GOOGL, Berkshire Hathaway BRK.B, Company LLY Healthcare, Broadcom Inc, AVGO Technology, Taiwan Semiconductor TSM, Novo Nordisk NVO, Finance, JPMorgan Chase JPM, Reuters Locations: Bagsvaerd, Copenhagen, Denmark, Danish, London, Saudi, Mar, Europe

☆ Sam Altman rejoins OpenAI board of directors as investigation into his ouster comes to a close
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 18, 2024. OpenAI on Friday announced its new board and the wrap-up of an internal investigation by U.S. law firm WilmerHale into the events leading up to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's ouster. Sam Altman will also rejoin OpenAI's board. "We have unanimously concluded that Sam and Greg are the right leaders for OpenAI," Bret Taylor, chair of OpenAI's board, said in a release. Since then, OpenAI has announced new board members, including former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

Persons: Sam Altman, OpenAI, WilmerHale, Sam Altman's, OpenAI's, Sue Desmond, Hellmann, Melinda Gates, Nicole Seligman, Fidji Simo, Adam D'Angelo, Larry Summers, Bret Taylor, Greg, Sam, Taylor, Altman, Bret, Larry, Mira Murati, Mira, Helen Toner, Tasha McCauley, Ilya Sutskever, Ilya, Elon Musk, Greg Brockman, Musk, –, Toner, McCauley, Altman's Organizations: Economic, Friday, Melinda Gates Foundation, Pfizer, Advisors, Science, Technology, Global, Sony, Sony Entertainment, Paramount Global, Meira, Inc, Shopify, OpenAI, Microsoft, Fortune, Lawyers, CNBC, SpaceX, Nvidia Locations: Davos, Switzerland, President's, OpenAI's San Francisco, U.S, Saudi Aramco

☆ Berkshire Hathaway topped $600,000 a share last week, aiming at $1 trillion market value
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The swift rally has pushed Berkshire's market cap above $863 billion as of Friday's close, making it the seventh most valuable company in the U.S. Road to 600k It took Berkshire Class A shares about two years to go from $500,000 to $600,000. In terms of market cap weighting and earnings contribution to the S & P 500, Berkshire is now the best candidate to join the crowd, Strategas said. High price tag Berkshire's original Class A shares carry one of the highest price tags on Wall Street . Berkshire's Class B shares have gained more than 11% this year and also hit an intraday record of $399.15 earlier this week.

Persons: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, Tesla, Tesla —, Eli Lilly, Strategas, Buffett, Ben Graham Organizations: U.S, BNSF Railway, Geico Insurance, U.S ., PetroChina, Alleghany, Occidental Petroleum, Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Tesla, Strategas Securities, Broadcom Locations: Warren Buffett's, U.S, Omaha, Berkshire, Saudi Aramco

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia's oil giant Saudi Aramco said Tuesday it will not try to increase its maximum daily oil production to 13 million barrels a day after receiving an order from the country's Energy Ministry. The firm, known formally as the Saudi Arabian Oil Co., said it would maintain its maximum output at 12 million barrels a day. However, crude oil prices globally have fallen over recent months as demand has been soft. Aramco reported earning $161 billion last year, claiming the highest-ever recorded annual profit by a publicly listed company and drawing immediate criticism from activists worried about climate change. Political Cartoons View All 253 Images

Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Aramco, country's Energy Ministry, Saudi Arabian Oil Co, Brent, Aramco Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Saudi

☆ Saudi Aramco Abruptly Drops Plans to Expand Oil Production
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Aramco said Tuesday that it would call off plans to expand its oil output, a remarkable turnaround by one of the world’s leading petroleum producers. Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, said it had been directed by the government in Riyadh to maintain its “maximum sustainable capacity” of crude oil production at 12 million barrels a day, and give up a drive to increase it to 13 million barrels a day by 2027, a plan announced several years ago. But it could be a sign that the Saudis are changing their thinking about future supply and demand for their oil. Global oil supplies have recently been stronger than the Saudis anticipated because of strong growth in output from shale drilling in the United States, which is now the world’s leading oil producer, and other sources. “The decision probably reflects a view that the world does not need as much Saudi oil as was previously expected,” said Neil Beveridge, an analyst at Bernstein, a research firm.

Persons: ”, Neil Beveridge, Bernstein Organizations: Saudi Aramco, Aramco Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, United States

☆ Watch the full CNBC Leaders interview with Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch the full CNBC Leaders interview with Saudi Aramco CEO Amin NasserAmin Nasser, Aramco CEO, speaks with CNBC's Sara Eisen from the World Economic Forum in Davos in an exclusive interview.

Persons: Amin Nasser Amin Nasser, CNBC's Sara Eisen Organizations: CNBC, Saudi, Aramco, Economic Locations: Davos

☆ Saudi Arabia goes big in Davos as it looks to become a top AI tech hub for the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

A pop-up showcasing Saudi Arabia's Neom development features among the most prominent on the Davos promenade in 2024. But Saudi Arabia is keen to capture some of the limelight, and talent, from its neighbor on the Arabian Peninsula — an ambition laid bare on the Davos Promenade this year. "He's driving entrepreneurship, he's diversifying the economy ... And there are a lot of people that are really interested in working in Saudi Arabia," said Bremmer. "In the Emirates and in Saudi Arabia, you have millions of people that need upskilling, particularly Saudi Arabia which has a much larger population," Hidary said. Hidary, who was recently in Saudi Arabia, says that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are looking at countries like Singapore and Israel that have supported start-ups and are driven by technology.

Persons: Mohammed al, Jadaan, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Ian Bremmer, he's, Bremmer, Jamal Khashoggi, King Abdullah, KAUST, Harri Jarvelainen, Vera Futorjanski, Futorjanski, Israel Jack Hidary, Hidary, — CNBC's Karen Gilchrist Organizations: Saudi, CNBC, United Arab, prince's, —, Economic, Al, U.S, Eurasia Group, MBS, World Bank, Research Technology Centers, King, King Abdullah University of Science, Technology, UCLA, Riyadh's, Center, AI Research, AI, Artificial Intelligence Authority, Veritas Ventures, Emirates Locations: Davos, CNBC DAVOS, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Neom, Saudi, Riyadh, China, Istanbul, UAE, Singapore, Israel, Emirates

☆ Microsoft tops Apple as world's most valuable public company
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft ended Friday's U.S. trading session as the most valuable publicly traded company, surpassing Apple after briefly topping the iPhone maker during intraday trading Thursday. Apple said Thursday that former Vice President Al Gore will retire from the company's board next month after serving as a director since 2003. Microsoft, meanwhile, got a vote of confidence Thursday after discussing its artificial intelligence capabilities to developers at an event in San Francisco. The analysts have the equivalent of a buy rating on Microsoft shares. Apple had been the most valuable public company for over a year, following brief periods when that distinction was held by Saudi Aramco and Microsoft.

Persons: James Cordwell, Apple, Al Gore, Piper Sandler Organizations: Microsoft, Apple, Saudi Aramco Locations: Atlantic, San Francisco

☆ Microsoft briefly tops Apple as most valuable public company
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft on Thursday briefly yanked the title of most valuable publicly traded company from Apple in early trading. Also last week, Microsoft said device makers will soon introduce Windows PCs with a Copilot key on their keyboards for fast access to the software maker's artificial intelligence assistant. Microsoft also stole from Apple the bragging rights for most valuable public company in 2018 and in 2021. But two years ago, Apple became the first company to exceed $3 trillion in market capitalization. Oil and gas production company Saudi Aramco briefly controlled the title before Apple took it back.

Persons: Apple, iPhones, Piper Sandler Organizations: Microsoft, Apple, The New York Times, U.S . Department of Justice, Barclays, Saudi Aramco, CNBC PRO

☆ U.S. crude oil falls 4% as Saudi price cut heightens global demand worries
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

An employee in a branded helmet is pictured at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. U.S. crude oil declined 4% on Monday after Saudi Arabia slashed its prices, raising renewed worries that the market is oversupplied at the same time as demand is weakening. The Saudi price cut comes amid persistent market weakness due in large part to record U.S. crude production and softening demand in China. Maybe the landing might not be so soft," Phil Flynn of The Price Futures Group wrote on Monday. U.S. crude exports also rose by more than 1 million barrels per day to 5.2 million barrels per day in the same period.

Persons: Brent, Phil Flynn, Flynn, Antony Blinken, Bob Yawger, Yawger Organizations: West Texas Intermediate, Saudi Aramco, OPEC, The Price Futures, Mizuho, CNBC PRO Locations: Saudi Aramco, Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, China, ., Iran, Lebanon, Strait, Hormuz, U.S, Riyadh

☆ OpenAI is paying out $51 million to a chip startup that Sam Altman personally invested in, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

OpenAI agreed to pay startup company Rain AI $51 million for when its chips are released, per Wired. OpenAI chief Sam Altman reportedly invested $1 million of his own money in the company. Saudi Aramco's VC firm Prosperity7 also invested but sold its sell shares, Bloomberg reported. AdvertisementOpenAI signed a letter of intent to spend $51 million on chip startup Rain AI, Wired reported. Saudi Aramco's investment vehicle Prosperity7 led a funding round last year that saw Rain raise $25 million , Bloomberg recently reported.

Persons: OpenAI, Sam Altman, Prosperity7, —, Gordon Wilson, Wilson, Daniel Gross, Altman, Joe Biden's, didn't Organizations: OpenAI, Saudi Aramco's VC, Bloomberg, Service, Wired, Foreign Investment, Business Locations: San Francisco, Saudi, United States

☆ Most Gulf markets fall on weak oil; Saudi gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A general view shows the Dubai Financial Market after Joe Biden wins U.S. presidency, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates November 8, 2020. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 3 (Reuters) - Most stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Sunday, in response to Friday's fall in oil prices, although the Saudi index bucked the trend to close higher. Oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - slumped more than 2% on Friday on investor scepticism over the depth of OPEC+ supply cuts and concern about sluggish global manufacturing activity. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) gained 0.4%, with oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) rising 0.5% and Arabian Pipes Co (2200.SE) advancing 5.4%. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) lost 0.7%, with Commercial International Bank (COMI.CA) declining 2%.

Persons: Joe Biden, Christopher Pike, Jerome Powell, Ateeq, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Dubai Financial, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Qatar Islamic Bank, Saudi Aramco, Arabian Pipes, Federal, Gulf Cooperation Council, U.S ., Commercial International Bank, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, Saudi, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, Ateeq Shariff, Bengaluru

Signing on to the pledge were major national oil companies such as Saudi Aramco, Brazil's Petrobras and Sonangol, from Angola, and multi-nationals like Shell, TotalEnergies and BP. The pledge is a “smokescreen to hide the reality that we need to phase out oil, gas and coal,” said a letter signed by more than 300 civil society groups. Still, Mena said that self-reporting didn't go far enough to push oil and gas companies to make changes. Earlier this year, European Union negotiators reached a deal to reduce methane emissions from the energy industry across the 27-member bloc. In his speech, al-Jaber said oil and gas companies needed to do more to research solutions to Scope 3 emissions.

Persons: Sultan al, Jaber, ”, Jean Su, Fred Krupp, Bill Hare, Hare, Marcelo Mena, Mena, John Podesta, Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Associated Press, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, Saudi Aramco, Brazil's Petrobras, Sonangol, Shell, Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental, Environmental Defense Fund, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, European Union, Gas, United Arab, Aramco, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, United Nations, Abu Dhabi, Saudi, Angola, COP28, al, fracking, philanthropies, Chile, U.S, United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia

☆ Satellites are the new climate police for oil and gas polluters
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Fifty oil and gas companies pledged to zero out methane emissions by 2030 at the UN climate summit. Satellites are the next tool that will hold oil and gas companies accountable in their promise to cut methane emissions and slow global warming. Many state-owned oil companies signed on, including the UAE's Adnoc, as well as Saudi Arabia's Saudi Aramco. This, in turn, means oil and gas companies responsible for the plumes can be notified faster and potentially take action. The country's state-owned oil companies are also absent from the "decabonization charter" announced in Dubai.

Persons: Adnoc, Catherine Boudreau, Erin Snodgrass, Michael Bloomberg, Sultan Al Jaber, Peter Dejong, Fred Krupp, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Melanie Robinson, Robinson Organizations: ExxonMobil, Shell, Service, United, Saturday, Environmental Defense Fund, Bloomberg, UN, Summit, EDF, IEA, RMI, European Union, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, EU, Russia —, World Resources Institute Locations: Saudi Aramco, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Los Angeles, Saudi, Argentina, EU, Glasgow, Scotland, China, Russia

☆ US compels Saudi fund to exit Altman-backed AI chip startup - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 30 (Reuters) - The Biden administration has forced a Saudi Aramco venture capital firm to sell its shares in a Silicon Valley AI chip startup backed by OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. Altman-backed Rain Neuromorphics, a startup designing chips that mimic the way the brain works and aims to serve companies using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, raised $25 million in 2022. The agency, the primary U.S. watchdog for deals with national security implications, instructed the Saudi fund to unwind that deal sometime over the past year, the report said. Altman and the U.S. Treasury, which oversees the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) process, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The US has taken action that could block AI development in the Middle East.

Persons: Biden, OpenAI, Sam Altman, Altman, Aramco's, Harshita Mary Varghese, Chris Sanders, Arun Koyyur, Sherry Jacob, Phillips, Deepa Babington Organizations: Bloomberg, Foreign Investment, Saudi, U.S . Treasury, Department of Treasury, US, Nvidia, Devices, Thomson Locations: Saudi Aramco, United States, U.S

☆ Defying Pope's calls for climate action, US Catholic bishops cling to fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Richard Valdmanis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

The ongoing investments in the U.S. reflect a long-running rift between U.S. Catholic bishops and the pope on how to address global warming. The pope's Laudato Si encyclical urged immediate action against climate change, declaring that "highly polluting fossil fuels need to be progressively replaced without delay." The Vatican bank, which is separate from APSA, also does not invest in fossil fuels, a bank official said. Notably absent are any dioceses in the U.S.Reuters reviewed the financial reports published by two dozen of the nation's more than 170 Catholic dioceses, including several of its largest, and found that few provide details on specific investments. He called the enormous financial gains by oil companies "immoral profits."

Persons: Pope Francis, Remo Casilli, Dan DiLeo, Peter Marlow, Anne, Marie Welsh, William Lori, Joshtrom Kureethadam, Chieko Noguchi, Noguchi, USCCB, Sabrina Danielsen, Danielson, Richard Valdmanis, Philip Pullella, John Mair, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Catholic, drillers, U.S . Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church, Reuters, Justice, Peace, Creighton University in, Vatican, Opportunity Fund, Collective Investment, Archdiocese, Development, American Petroleum Institute, Christian Brothers Investment Service, Investment, BP, Shell, Creighton University, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, Dubai, Creighton University in Nebraska, U.S, APSA, Vatican, Ireland, Germany, Archdiocese, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Erie , Pennsylvania, Texas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth . Erie, Erie, Baltimore, Paris, Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, India, Vatican City, Berlin, Sydney

☆ Asia's first ETF tracking Saudi equities debuts in Hong Kong
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Xie Yu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bull statues in front of screens showing Hong Kong stock prices outside Exchange Square, in Hong Kong, China, August 18, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHONG KONG, Nov 29 (Reuters) - A new exchange-traded fund (ETF) tracking Saudi equities made its trading debut in Hong Kong on Wednesday, becoming the first product of its kind in Asia amid warming bilateral relations between China and Saudi Arabia. The ETF, called CSOP Saudi Arabia ETF (2830.HK), is managed by Hong Kong-based CSOP Asset Management. "Today is a milestone in our financial cooperation with Saudi Arabia," said Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan at a launch event. Through the ETF, investors in Hong Kong will be able to trade Saudi stocks including the oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) and the Saudi National Bank (1180.SE) in Hong Kong dollars or Chinese yuan.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, CSOP, Paul Chan, Yazeed, Humied, PIF, Xie Yu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Saudi, Saudi Arabia ETF, HK, Management, Public Investment Fund, Hong, Hong Kong Financial, FTSE, Saudi Aramco, Saudi National Bank, Reuters, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, bourse, ETF, People's Bank of China, Saudi Central Bank, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Exchange, China, HONG KONG, Asia, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, FTSE Saudi Arabia, Europe, East, Africa, Beijing, Riyadh

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