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☆ Silicon Valley's General Catalyst makes first investment into Saudi Arabia through fintech Lean Technologies
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Silicon Valley venture capital firm General Catalyst has made its first investment in Saudi Arabia through fintech startup Lean Technologies, which just closed a Series B round worth $67.5 million. General Catalyst has $30 billion in assets under management and has backed major U.S. tech companies like Snap , Stripe and AirBnb . Lean Technologies' fundraising round also saw participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Stanley Druckenmiller's Duquesne Family Office, and Arbor Ventures, among others, bringing the Riyadh-based firm's total funding to over $100 million to date, according to a Sunday statement from the company. For three of those investors — General Catalyst, Stanley Druckenmiller and Bain Capital — this investment is their first in the kingdom. "If you look at the region's growth over the last three to five years, it's been phenomenal, but there is still so much more room for growth."

Persons: Catalyst, Stanley Druckenmiller's, Stanley Druckenmiller, Hisham Al, Falih, it's Organizations: Lean Technologies, Bain Capital Ventures, Stanley, Stanley Druckenmiller's Duquesne Family Office, Arbor Ventures, Bain Capital, CNBC Locations: Silicon, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Riyadh, Saudi

☆ More Iran sanctions and 'drill baby, drill': Oil market's future is still uncertain under Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-06 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesU.S. oil producers are looking forward to less regulations on crude production under a Donald Trump presidency, meaning higher oil supply and consequently lower prices. At the same time, the increased likelihood of trade wars under Trump could dampen global economic growth and slow oil demand. "But medium-term downside risk to oil demand and thus oil prices from downside risk to global GDP from a potential escalation in trade tensions." watch nowTrump expressed his enthusiasm for increased U.S. oil production while giving a speech from the Republican campaign headquarters in Florida on Wednesday, just hours before his victory was confirmed. "The only thing that will cause drill baby drill to happen is higher oil prices based on these margins."

Persons: St, Luke Sharrett, Donald Trump, it's, Trump, Goldman Sachs, Robert F, Kennedy, Jr, Bobby, Biden, Cole Smead, Smead, Patrick Pouyanne Organizations: Chevron Corp, Bloomberg, Getty, Trump, Republican, West Texas Intermediate, Brent, Smead, Energy Information Administration, CNBC, doesn't Locations: Malo, Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, U.S, Iran, Florida, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Abu Dhabi

Saudi state oil giant Aramco reported a 15.4% drop in net profit in the third-quarter on the back of "lower crude oil prices and weakening refining margins," but maintained a 31.05 billion dividend. The company reported net income of $27.56 billion in the July-September period, topping a company-provided estimate of $26.9 billion. The print is also a 5% drop from the previous quarter, which came in at $29.1 billion, as lower global oil prices, weaker demand and prolonged OPEC+ production cuts led by Saudi Arabia continue to impact crude prices. Earnings before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) came in at $51.45 billion in the third quarter, down 17% year-on-year. The earnings align with a broader trend across oil majors, whose third-quarter profits have also suffered from declines in crude prices and refining margins.

Organizations: Aramco, Al Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Al Rajhi, OPEC

In late-September reports, strategists at J.P. Morgan and Fitch Ratings had predicted two additional interest rate trims by the end of 2024 and expect such reductions to continue into 2025. The CME Group's FedWatch tool puts the probability of a 25-basis-point cut at this week's November meeting at 98%. The current probability of the benchmark rate being taken down by another 25 basis points at the December meeting is 78%. "The end of financial repression, of zero interest rates and zero inflation, that era is over. Interest rates will be higher, will be challenged around the world.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Saudi Arabia —, aren't, Morgan, CNBC's Sara Eisen —, Goldman Sachs, Carlyle, Morgan Stanley, Jenny Johnson, Franklin Templeton, Larry Fink, " Fink, David Solomon, Ted Pick, Pick, Francis Fukuyama Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Reuters, Wall, Federal Reserve, Fed, Fitch, Saudi, Future Investment Initiative, Standard Chartered, CNBC, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: Reuters RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, U.S, BlackRock

☆ Next U.S. president shouldn't surrender America's energy dominance, TotalEnergies CEO warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Whoever wins the 2024 U.S. election should work to preserve America's energy dominance rather than risk losing it, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne told CNBC on Monday. The U.S. is the world's largest oil producer, accounting for 22% of the global total, according to the Energy Information Administration, with Saudi Arabia next, producing 11%. The vast majority of U.S. crude is consumed within the country, which is also the world's largest oil consumer. Roughly 64% of total U.S. crude oil production is shale and the French international energy firm CEO said the U.S. will also soon be No. Looking ahead to the election, former President Donald Trump and the Republican party have long been proponents of U.S. shale production, pushing for deregulation of the industry and an expansion of drilling projects — drawing the ire of climate activists and many on the left.

Persons: Patrick Pouyanne, Pouyanne, CNBC's Dan Murphy, Donald Trump Organizations: CNBC, Energy Information Administration, French, U.S, Republican Locations: U.S, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi

☆ 'Too much doom and gloom': OPEC chief is bullish on oil demand despite extended production cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"Well, for OPEC, we have demand growth this year at 1.9 million barrels a day," OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais told CNBC's Dan Murphy Monday at the Adipec energy conference in Abu Dhabi. watch nowThe Vienna-based oil producer group in mid-October downwardly revised its projections for oil demand growth in the near-term, forecasting growth of 1.93 million barrels a day this year and 1.64 million barrels a day in 2025. This compared to previous forecasts of 2.03 million and 1.74 million barrels a day, respectively. The forecasts come amid a slowing Chinese economy, which has significantly hit oil demand and abundant global supply. When asked about concerns over China's economic trajectory, the OPEC chief replied: "We have China growing at 0.6 million barrels a day this year ...

Persons: Haitham Al Ghais, CNBC's Dan Murphy, Al Ghais Organizations: OPEC, International Energy Agency Locations: Abu Dhabi, Vienna, Paris, China, United States, U.S

☆ Franklin Templeton CEO says focus is on 'doing what's right' for clients amid SEC probe
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

RIYADH — Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson said the firm is focused on doing right by its clients, in her first public comments after the company saw its worst quarter for financial outflows in its history and the Securities and Exchange Commission started a probe into suspicious trading at its fixed-income unit. Franklin Templeton's fixed-income business has also dealt with years of underperformance, which many investors expected to reverse course as money moves into bonds and other fixed-income products, which make up about 30% of the firm's assets. Johnson told CNBC Wednesday that the issue with Western Asset Management was damaging, but stressed that it stemmed from an isolated case, and that supporting clients was Franklin Templeton's top focus. "We've had an issue at Western which is isolated to an individual and a subset of strategies, but there's definitely been outflows in those strategies," Johnson told CNBC's Dan Murphy in Riyadh. "I mean, the good news — Western has a significant amount of other strategies that are outside of this and have a lot of global clients there, but we've definitely been hurt by the issues on those three strategies."

Persons: Franklin Templeton, Jenny Johnson, Ken Leech, Franklin Templeton's, Johnson, Franklin, We've, CNBC's Dan Murphy Organizations: Securities and Exchange Commission, Western Asset Management, SEC, Financial Times, CNBC Wednesday, Franklin Templeton's Locations: RIYADH, California, outflows, Riyadh

☆ Sovereign debt is the biggest risk to global growth in 2025, Saudi finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

RIYADH — National debt is a major threat to markets in the near future, Saudi Arabia's finance minister said, expressing particular concern over lower income countries as well as what he described as rapidly growing global fragmentation. "I think globally, the serious, serious issue that we need to watch is sovereign debt issues, particularly in low income countries and emerging economies that do not have the fiscal buffers to lean into in case of disruptions in the market," Mohammed Al-Jadaan told CNBC's Dan Murphy Wednesday from the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh. "And hopefully between the IMF and the G20 we will find a solution, and we will be ready to support the world economy in case of shocks in that area, but it is an area that we need to watch, as global leaders, to make sure that it doesn't surprise us." Global public debt hit a record $97 trillion in 2023, prompting the United Nations to call for urgent reforms for governments and financial systems around the world.

Persons: Mohammed Al, Jadaan, CNBC's Dan Murphy Organizations: Saudi, Future Investment, IMF, Global, United Nations Locations: RIYADH, Riyadh

☆ Saudi sovereign wealth fund announces $2 billion deal for new Brookfield Middle East platform
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Brookfield Asset Management, under which the wealth fund will serve as a strategic anchor investor for the asset manager's newly announced private equity vehicle for the region, Brookfield Middle East Partners. Signed at the eighth edition of Future Investment Initiative, Saudi Arabia's flagship annual economic conference in Riyadh, the non-binding agreement marks the kingdom's latest push for financial partnerships that boost private equity investment and economic development within its borders. The move is in line with Saudi Arabia's recently-updated Investment Law, which seeks to attract more foreign direct investment — it's set itself a lofty target of $100 billion in annual FDI by 2030. Currently, that figure has averaged around $12 billion per year since Vision 2030 was announced in 2017, according to data from the kingdom's investment ministry — still a long way from that goal. The PIF, the kingdom's $925 billion sovereign wealth fund, has deployed billions in capital around the world as it aims to diversify Saudi Arabia's revenue streams away from oil, materializing the central goal of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 campaign.

Persons: —, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Yasir al Rumayyan, Bruce Flatt Organizations: Saudi, Public Investment Fund, Wednesday, Brookfield Asset Management, Brookfield Middle East Partners, Future Investment Initiative, Saudi Arabia's, Brookfield, Brookfield Academy Locations: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ Larry Fink says the Fed won't cut interest rates as much as markets expect this year
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Federal Reserve won't cut interest rates as much as markets expect because "embedded inflation" is too high, Blackrock CEO Larry Fink said Tuesday, speaking at a CEO-studded panel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Biden administration's legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, have pushed those efforts forward. "Today, I think we have governmental policies that are embedded inflationary, and, with that being said, we're not gonna see interest rates as low as people are forecasting," Fink said. The Fed cut its benchmark rate by 50 basis points in September, signaling a turning point in its management of the U.S. economy and in its outlook for inflation. In late-September reports, strategists at J.P. Morgan and Fitch Ratings predicted two additional interest rate cuts by the end of 2024, and expect such reductions to continue into 2025.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Larry Fink, Saudi Arabia . Fink, " Fink, onshoring, we're, Fink, Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Carlyle, Morgan Stanley Organizations: BlackRock, New York Times DealBook, Jazz, Lincoln Center, U.S . Federal, Blackrock, Saudi, Future Investment Initiative, Biden, Infrastructure Investment, Jobs, Fed, Fitch, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Standard Chartered Locations: New York City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, China, U.S

☆ Morgan Stanley CEO says the era of zero interest rates and inflation 'is over'
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

RIYADH — The days of easy money and zero interest rates are firmly in the past, Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick said Tuesday, speaking at a panel of finance CEOs in Riyadh. "The end of financial repression, of zero interest rates and zero inflation, that era is over. Interest rates will be higher, will be challenged around the world. And the end of 'the end of history' — geopolitics are back and will be part of the challenge for decades to come," Pick said, referencing the famous 1992 Francis Fukuyama book, "The End of History and the Last Man," which argued that conflicts between nations and ideologies were a thing of the past with the ending of the Cold War. Repressed rates and easy monetary policy have been in the rearview mirror since 2022, when — after slashing rates to near zero to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic — the Federal Reserve cranked its benchmark rate up by around 500 basis points over the course of 18 months.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Ted Pick, Pick, Francis Fukuyama Organizations: Federal Reserve Locations: RIYADH, Riyadh

☆ Foreign investors flock to flagship Saudi economic conference — but face less free-flowing cash
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-28 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A delegate arrives at the King Abdulaziz Conference Centre in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh to attend the Future Investment Initiative (FII) forum. The kingdom's $925 billion sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, saw its assets jump 29% to 2.87 trillion Saudi riyals ($765.2 billion) in 2023 — and local investment was a major driver. "Value meaning hiring, developing the asset management ecosystem, creating new products, bringing in talent, and investing in Saudi capital markets also. Oil prices and the Saudi economy appear to so far have stayed largely unscathed, dropping 4% early Monday after Israel's weekend strike on Iran. A key reason for that may be the rapprochement deal the kingdom signed with Iran, brokered by China, in March 2023.watch now

Persons: Nureldine, it's, Omar Yacoub, Yacoub, Fadi Arbid, Brent, Arbid, Yemen's, Israel Organizations: King Abdulaziz Conference Centre, Future Investment Initiative, Afp, Getty, Investment Initiative, CNBC, U.S, ABS Global, Public Investment Fund, Saudi, Saudi Arabia's, Amwal Capital Partners, OPEC, Eastern, Ritz, Carlton, Israel Locations: Saudi Arabia's, Riyadh, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, —, Dubai, Carlton Riyadh, Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Tel Aviv, China

Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Al Meer (center) and Qatar Tourism Chairman Saad bin Ali Al Kharji (left) speak with Elon Musk (right) via Starlink on board the flight. Qatar Airways launched Tuesday its inaugural Boeing 777 flight equipped with Elon Musk's Starlink internet, paving the way for a new era of in-flight connectivity across its entire fleet by next year. To demonstrate the milestone, Qatar Airways CEO Badr Al Meer held a video call with Starlink founder Musk while flying at 35,000 feet from Doha to London. Qatar Airways' move to introduce free high-speed internet across its fleet is a direct challenge to competitor airlines who typically offer lower-speed and often patchy paid services, or status-restricted wi-fi access to the flying public. Over time I think you'll find it just gets better and better," Musk said before Al Meer gave him a video tour of the cockpit.

Persons: Badr Al Meer, Saad bin Ali Al Kharji, Elon Musk, Elon Musk's, Musk, We're, Al Meer, Saad bin Ali Al, Kharji Organizations: Qatar Airways Group, Qatar Tourism, Qatar Airways, Boeing, Elon, Qatari, Airbus Locations: Qatar, Starlink, Doha, London, Qatari

The UAE has shown it can “guarantee the safety and the security” of chips “if and when they are being deployed and used here,” Peng Xiao, CEO of UAE AI firm G42, told CNBC at a conference in Dubai on Tuesday. “I cannot read the mind of the U.S. policymakers, but in many ways, I understand their position,” Xiao told CNBC. “At the same time from our side, we've shown from the UAE side how transparent we are and how we can guarantee the safety and the security of this technology,” he added. The United States has previously warned over G42's ties to China and its work with companies in Beijing, which Washington considers a possible security threat. In February, the group sold its stake in Chinese companies including Bytedance in a bid to reassure American partners.

Persons: ” Peng Xiao, Joe Biden, “, ” Xiao, Kiril Evtimov, Evtimov Organizations: United, United Arab Emirates ’, CNBC, Nvidia, AMD, Bloomberg, “, Washington, Bytedance Locations: United Arab, U.S, Washington, UAE, Dubai, China, United States, Beijing

☆ Saudi sovereign wealth fund allocates $5.2 billion in green bonds project amid diversification push
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-11 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The PIF became the first sovereign wealth fund to issue a green bond back in October 2022. The mammoth sovereign wealth fund, which oversees $925 billion in assets, has a capital expenditure requirement of $19.4 billion for what it deems "eligible green projects," according to the PIF's annual report. Saudi Arabia has a stated goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060 and has poured billions of dollars into what it says are sustainable development projects. It describes a water sustainability project planned for Neom that will develop "a fully-circular system to achieve water positivity" enabling "100% wastewater recapture and energy-neutral recycling." Neom Green Hydrogen — a joint venture between Neom and Saudi firms ACWA Power, Air Products — will be the world's largest green hydrogen plant and will operate "entirely on renewable energy," according to the report.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Philip Oldfield Organizations: Saudi, Public Investment Fund, Renewable Energy, Green, Sustainable Water Management, United Nations Sustainable, University of New, ACWA Power, Air Products Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, University of New South Wales, Neom

Nintendo has kept players interested in its ageing Switch console series through key games with characters such as Super Mario and Zelda. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) trimmed its holding in Nintendo Co., a day after reports that a senior executive at the kingdom's mammoth sovereign wealth fund said it was considering upping its stake. The PIF reduced its stakehold in the Japanese video game giant to 7.54% from 8.58% previously, according to a Japanese regulatory filing. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is also the chairman of Savvy Games Group. Nintendo has been grappling with a slowing console gaming market and an aging product by way of its flagship Switch hybrid console — its best-selling gear ever, which sold 143.4 million units worldwide.

Persons: Mario, Zelda, Prince Faisal bin Bandar, Saud —, —, Prince Faisal, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, it's Organizations: Nintendo, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Nintendo Co, Games, Tokyo, Kyodo, Games Group, Microsoft, Sony Locations: Sultan, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ Satellite imagery shows Iranian oil tankers at country’s major terminal disappearing amid fears of Israeli counterattack
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A general view of the Port of Kharg Island Oil Terminal in Iran on March 12, 2017. Fatemeh Bahrami | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesSatellite imagery revealed a number of oil tankers vacating the waters around Iran's key Kharg Island oil loading terminal, amid fears of an Israeli counterattack on Tehran's energy infrastructure. Their empty VLCC supertankers vacated the country's largest oil terminal, Kharg Island, yesterday," tracking firm TankerTrackers.com wrote in a post on the X social media platform on Thursday evening. VLCC tankers are specifically designed to transport large volumes of crude oil. Kharg Island: Iran's largest oil terminalLocated fifteen miles off Iran's northwestern coast, the Kharg Island terminal handles more than 90% of the country's crude exports.

Persons: Fatemeh, TankerTrackers.com, Hassan Nasrallah —, Samir Madani, Sara Vakhshouri, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: Anadolu Agency, Getty, National Iranian Tanker Company, Copernicus, Sentinel, Sentinel Hub CNBC, CNBC, Kharg, SVB Energy, Brent, West Texas Locations: Kharg, Iran, Israel, Persian, London

☆ As Netanyahu vows Iran payback, markets watch for dangers of further escalation
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-02 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Markets are now braced for what could follow a likely Israeli retaliation against Iran. watch nowOil prices gained over 5% in the previous session following the missile strike, before tapering to a 2.5% climb. Oil infrastructure 'tempting targets for Israel'Lewis Sage-Passant, an adjunct professor of intelligence at Sciences Po in Paris, described energy markets as jittery, as investors watch for Israel's next moves. Even without direct targeting, much of the world's oil infrastructure sits under these missile's flight paths, so naturally everyone is very nervous." Questions remain whether a strong Israeli response would restore deterrence or trigger further escalation from Iran and tip the nations into a full-blown war.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Hassan Nasrallah, Lewis Sage, Jake Sullivan, Roger Zakheim, what's, Zakheim, Abbas Araghchi, Sara Vakhshouri Organizations: Reuters Israel's, Brent, West Texas, Isles, RBC Wealth Management, Sciences Po, Israel, Energy, U.S . National, Ronald Reagan Institute, Investments, Saab, BAE Systems, Thales, Rheinmetall, Iran's, SVB Energy Locations: Ashkelon, Israel, Tel Aviv, Iran, Tehran, London, Asia, Paris, U.S, Washington

☆ Saudi Arabia slashes growth forecasts, sees wider budget deficits
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia cut its growth forecasts and raised its budget deficit estimates for the fiscal years 2024 to 2026, looking ahead to a period of higher spending and lower projected oil revenues. The GDP growth projection for 2025 has also been cut from a previous estimate of 5.7% to 4.6%; while the outlook for 2026 has been trimmed from 5.1% to 3.5%. "It also focuses on transformative spending to promote sustainable economic growth, improve social development, and enhance quality of life." The Finance Ministry projected a wider budget shortfall of about 2.9% of GDP for 2024, compared with a previous projection of 1.9% for the year. It predicted deficits of 2.3% and 2.9% in 2025 and 2026, respectively, also wider than previous estimates.

Organizations: Ministry of Finance, Saudi, Finance Ministry Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ Iran's response to Israel will be a choice between revenge and survival. Markets say it's choosing survival
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves before voting in the country's presidential election, in Tehran, Iran July 5, 2024. Iran's generals and its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have pledged revenge, but their actions and language suggest a more measured response so far. "Iran's response options aren't good. on September 16, 2024 in Tehran, Iran. FILE PHOTO: Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah gestures as he addresses his supporters during a rare public appearance at an Ashoura ceremony in Beirut's southern suburbs November 3, 2014.

Persons: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hassan Nasrallah, pagers, "⁠, Behnam ben Taleblu, Ismail Haniyeh, Khamenei, Iran's, Masoud Pezeshkian, Majid Saeedi, Pezeshkian, Yemen's, Sina Toossi, Houssam, Toossi, Yoav Gallant, Naim Qassem, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hasan Shaaban Organizations: Iran's, Reuters, Lebanese, Brent, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, CNBC, Islamic, Getty, Center for International, Anadolu, Israeli, Hamas, Hezbollah Locations: Tehran, Iran, Israel, Beirut, OPEC, Islamic Republic, Red, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Beirut's

☆ 'We have much more on the way, if they will continue,' Israel's president says as death toll from Lebanon attack tops 550
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Asked if Israel will launch a full-scale ground operation in Lebanon, Herzog insisted that his country did not want war. watch nowHezbollah has continued firing rockets into northern Israel since the attack, most of which have landed in open areas or been intercepted by air defenses. On Saturday, the group launched a salvo of more than 100 missiles into northern Israel, wounding at least five people, Israeli authorities said. Lebanon's health ministry said Israel's strikes on Monday killed at least 558 people, including 50 children, and injured more than 1,800. Israel's leaders have vowed that evacuated residents of northern Israel will be able to return to their homes.

Persons: Isaac Herzog, stoking, Herzog, CNBC's Dan Murphy, Rabih Daher, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Joe Biden Organizations: Hezbollah, Afp, Getty, 79th United Nations General Assembly, Pentagon, Ibrahim Amro Locations: Israel, Lebanon, Iranian, Lebanese, Gaza, Marjayoun, Beirut, New York, U.N, U.S, The U.S, Damour, Ibrahim

☆ OPEC is highly bullish on long-term oil demand growth. Not everyone agrees
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Low global demand forecasts, coupled with new oil supply coming from non-OPEC countries, spell a long period of subdued crude prices. Has demand growth hit its apex, and is it just downhill from here? The oil producer group's 2024 World Oil Outlook report, released Tuesday, predicts strong energy demand growth of 24% globally between now and 2050. It also forecasts "robust medium-term growth" in oil demand reaching 112.3 million barrels per day in 2029, an increase of 10.1 million barrels per day compared to 2023. The IEA still sees global oil demand rising; it just forecasts a smaller rise, and expects it to peak by the end of the decade.

Persons: It's Organizations: Brent, International Energy Agency, The, IEA Locations: Saudi, Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, OPEC, The Paris

☆ 'Very serious escalation': Lebanese ministers warn of a dangerous next 48 hours after pager and device attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Lebanon's leadership warned that the risk of further violence and escalation is extremely high following two days of attacks involving exploding communications devices across the country. The next 48 hours, ministers told CNBC Thursday, will be particularly dangerous. Hezbollah called the act an "Israeli aggression"; Israel, meanwhile, has not commented on the blasts. "This will be a really, very, very dangerous ... 48 hours that this country will witness to see how the reaction will be." Tens of thousands of people on both the Lebanese and Israeli sides of the border have been evacuated from their homes.

Persons: Mojtaba Amani, Amin Salam, CNBC's Dan Murphy Organizations: CNBC, Hezbollah, Palestinian, Hamas, Lebanese Locations: Iran, Lebanese, Israel, Lebanon, Gaza

☆ Taiwan manufacturer rejects links to Lebanon's exploding pager attacks, names Hungarian firm
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Taiwanese pager manufacturer Gold Apollo rejected reports that it produced the devices at the center of deadly attacks in Lebanon that killed at least 12 people and injured nearly 3,000 others. Thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah members around Lebanon simultaneously exploded on Tuesday evening, sending local emergency services into overdrive as hospitals filled up with wounded patients. Hezbollah called the act an "Israeli aggression"; Israel, meanwhile, has not commented on the blasts. Tens of thousands of people in both Lebanon and Israel have been evacuated from their homes. Hezbollah's leadership has previously said it does not seek a wider war, but would fight if provoked by Israel.

Persons: Hsu Ching, kuang, Gold Apollo, Mojtaba Amani, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, — Organizations: Reuters, Consulting, CNBC, Lebanese, Palestinian, Hamas Locations: Beirut's, Lebanon, New Taipei, Budapest, Hungary, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Israel's

☆ Saudi Arabia expects to get access to Nvidia's high performance chips 'within the next year'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia is optimistic about gaining access to U.S. chipmaker Nvidia's high-performance chips, which would enable it to develop and operate the most advanced artificial intelligence models. It's a significant expectation given that the United States' strict export controls have thus far prevented the chips' export to the kingdom. Habib made the comments on the sidelines of GAIN, Saudi Arabia's international AI summit, which took place in Riyadh this week. It "will mean a lot" for Saudi Arabia to have access to the chips, Habib said — in this case, the Nvidia H200s, the firm's most powerful chips, which are used in OpenAI's GPT-4o. We worked hard in the past three years in building capacity, in human capacity, we also build data capacity as well.

Persons: Tariq Habib, Habib, CNBC's Dan Murphy, —, it's Organizations: CNBC, Saudi, AI Authority, Nvidia Locations: Saudi Arabia, United States, Riyadh, Saudi, U.S

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