Saudi firm buys gold from central bankSaudi firm buys gold from African central bank
Mon May 22, 2006 12:24 PM GMT
RIYADH (Reuters) - A private Saudi jeweller has bought 36 tonnes of raw gold from an African central bank for 1.8 billion riyals, a company spokesman said on Monday, confirming a newspaper report.
When asked about the report in leading Saudi business daily al-Eqtisadiah, the spokesman said: "That is correct."
He declined to elaborate.
The newspaper quoted Suleiman al-Othaim, board chairman of the Riyadh-based al-Othaim Gold and Jewellery firm, as saying the gold would be delivered in the fourth quarter of this year.
"The deal was concluded directly (with the unidentified African central bank) without any intermediary," the newspaper quoted him as saying.
It did not say when the transaction took place.