Riyadh Vows Response to Any Sanctions over Saudi Journalist's Disappearance

Saudi Arabia has rejected "any attempts to undermine it whether through threats to impose economic sanctions or the use of political pressure", an official source was quoted by the country's state-run news agency SPA as saying.

"The kingdom also affirms that it will respond to any action with a bigger one," the source pointed out.

Riyadh also pledged to respond to any steps taken against it amid mounting concern over writer's disappearance.

It also referred to the Saudi economy which the source stated that "has vital and influential roles for the global economy".

In Saturday's interview with CBS, Trump pledged "to get to the bottom" of the disappearance of Khashoggi.

The American leader threatened to impose "severe punishment" on Saudi Arabia if it turns out that Riyadh is behind the disappearance of Khashoggi

At the same time, he emphasized that Riyadh has been "vehemently denying" the allegations of its involvement in the Khashoggi case.

Trump also made it clear that he does not want to hurt US jobs by stopping military sales to Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi case.

Shortly after trading kicked off on Sunday, Saudi stocks plunged by at least seven percent, in what became the biggest drop since 2014 which comes amid an ever-increasing pressure on Riyadh over the situation around the missing Saudi journalist.

Earlier, several US companies and business leaders pulled out of an upcoming The Future Investment Initiative conference in Saudi Arabia as questions mount over the disappearance of the Saudi journalist. In addition, Bloomberg, the New York Times, the Financial Times, CNN and CNBC have all cut their ties with the conference.

Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, has been missing since October 2, when he visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents needed for his upcoming marriage.

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