| Saudi Arabia’s non-oil sector sees decade-high growth as PMI hits 60.5
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector saw its strongest growth for a decade in January, with the Kingdom’s Purchasing Managers’ Index rising to 60.5, driven by surging new orders and business activity, a new survey showed. |
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| Saudi minister leads delegation to India to bolster industrial and mining ties
Saudi Arabia and India are set to strengthen commercial and mining ties, with key agreements expected during a four-day visit by the Kingdom’s industry minister. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s investment licenses jump 68% to over 14k
Saudi Arabia issued 14,321 investment licenses in 2024, reflecting a 67.7 percent year-on-year increase and underscoring the Kingdom’s growing appeal as a business hub. |
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| Closing Bell: Saudi Arabia’s main index closes in green at 12,434
Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rebounded on Tuesday, as it gained 56.90 points or 0.46 percent to close at 12,433.93. |
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| Mining firm Ma’aden to issue US dollar-denominated sukuk
The Saudi Arabian Mining Co., or Ma’aden, intends to issue US dollar-denominated sukuk under its International Trust Certificate Issuance Program, scheduled to launch Feb. 4, a bourse filing revealed. |
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| E-commerce share in Saudi Arabia’s retail sector to hit 46% by 2030: Visa official
Saudi Arabia’s consumer retail spending is projected to experience significant growth in the coming years, with e-commerce expected to account for 46 percent of the overall retail sector by 2030, according to a Visa executive. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s Debt Capital Market set to reach $500bn by end of 2025: Fitch Ratings
Saudi Arabia’s Debt Capital Market is expected to hit $500 billion by the end of 2025, fueled by the Kingdom's economic diversification efforts under Vision 2030, according to Fitch Ratings. |
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| CMA, Insurance Authority to boost sector oversight
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s insurance sector is set to see improved supervision and enhanced growth prospects following a new agreement between the Kingdom’s Capital Market Authority and the Insurance Authority. |
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| Banking, healthcare to drive Saudi bourse profits in 2025
Saudi Arabia: Saudi stock market profits are set to grow by 8 percent in 2025, with the petrochemical sector driving the increase, according to a new report by SNB Capital. |
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| GCC equity markets surge in January
Saudi Arabia: Equity markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries saw strong growth in January, with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia emerging as top performers, according to an analysis. |
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| Kuwait expects 12% rise in budget deficit to $20bn
Kuwait: Kuwait’s government projected its budget deficit to rise by 11.9 percent to 6.31 billion Kuwaiti dinars ($20.4 billion) for the fiscal year 2025-2026, up from the 5.6 billion dinars shortfall estimated for the current fiscal period. |
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| Japan's Tokai Optical launches manufacturing operations at SAIF Zone
United Arab Emirates: Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) has further solidified its position as an attractive hub for global businesses with the launch of operations by Tokai Optical, a leading Japanese prescription lens manufacturer. |
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| SRTI Park, Enterprise Ireland sign partnership agreement
SRTI Park, Enterprise Ireland sign partnership agreement |
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| KSA's military spending surges to $75.8bn
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s military spending has increased at an annual rate of 4.5 percent since 1960, reaching $75.8 billion in 2024. This accounts for 3.1 percent of global defense spending, according to a senior official. |
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| PIF-backed Derayah Financial Targets $1.5bn in IPO with share price up to 8$
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s independent digital investment platform Derayah Financial Co. has set the price range for its initial public offering at SR27 ($7.20) to SR30 per share, valuing the company at up to SR7.49 billion. |
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| Saudi Electricity to settle $1.5bn in historical obligations to the state
Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Electricity Co. will settle its historical obligations to the state, totaling SR5.687 billion ($1.5 billion), following an executive panel approving a final settlement of the disputed legacy amounts. |
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| stc leads MENA telecom with $57.7bn market cap
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s stc Group has emerged as the largest listed telecom operator in the Middle East and North Africa, with a market capitalization of $57.7 billion as of Jan. 28, according to a Forbes analysis. |
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| TA’ZIZ announces $1.7 billion award to build first methanol plant in UAE
United Arab Emirates: TA’ZIZ announced today an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract award of $1.7 billion (AED6.2 billion) to SAMSUNG E&A for the construction of one of the world’s largest methanol plants in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Al Dhafra region, Abu Dhabi. |
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| KSA launches February ‘Sah’ savings with 4.94% return
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has launched the second round of its subscription-based savings product, Sah, for 2025, offering a competitive return of 4.94 percent for February. |
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| Oman trade surplus hits 2% $18.5bn in November
Oman: Oman’s trade surplus rose 2 percent year on year by the end of November, reaching 7.14 billion Omani rials ($18.5 billion), up from 6.99 billion rials in the same period of 2023. |
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| Fitch affirms Saudi Arabia rating at ‘A+’; outlook stable
Fitch Ratings has affirmed Saudi Arabia’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating at ‘A+’ with a Stable Outlook, the agency said on Friday. |
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| Saudi banking sector dominating TASI trading, latest report reveals
Saudi Arabia’s banking sector led trading on the Kingdom’s stock exchange in 2024’s fourth quarter with a 17 percent market share, according to Tadawul’s latest report. |
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| Saudi Arabia provides 39.4 percent of Japan’s oil imports in December
Saudi Arabia provided Japan with 39.4 percent of its oil imports in December 2024, amounting to 31.05 million barrels, according to figures released by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Agency of Natural Resources and Energy. |
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| Startup of the Week – Egypt’s Qara targets Saudi Arabia following $2.6m funding round
Egypt-based supply chain technology company Qara is preparing to expand into Saudi Arabia, leveraging a $2.6 million funding round to support its entry into the Kingdom. |
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| Global Labor Market Conference sees 31 deals to provide training, job opportunities in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia signed 31 deals at the Global Labor Market Conference to expand training, leadership development, and job opportunities for graduates and individuals with disabilities through specialized skills and education. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s real GDP grows 4.4%: GASTAT
Saudi Arabia’s real gross domestic product saw an annual expansion of 4.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking its highest growth in two years, official data showed. |
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| Middle East carriers witness 13% cargo demand growth in 2024: IATA
Middle Eastern air carriers saw a 13 percent increase in air cargo demand in 2024 compared to the previous year, driven by the e-commerce boom and various ocean freight restrictions, according to an analysis. |
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| Saudi stock market among top regional performers amid upward trend
The Saudi stock market was among the Arab region’s top performers in December, with the Tadawul index rising 3.39 percent amid improved liquidity and investor confidence, a new report showed. |
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| Saudi crowdfunding platform Lendo secures $690m warehouse facility led by J.P. Morgan
Lendo, a debt crowdfunding platform in Saudi Arabia, has secured a SR2.6 billion ($690 million) warehouse facility, with J.P. Morgan serving as the lead arranger. |
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| UAE Central Bank follows Fed's decision, holds interest rates
The UAE Central Bank followed the Fed’s decision to keep the base rate applicable to its overnight deposit facility at 4.4 per cent. |
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| Saudi insurance industry thrives with 16.9% revenue growth
Saudi Arabia’s insurance sector saw a 16.9 percent year-on-year revenue growth in the third quarter of 2024, driven by increases in motor, property, and medical coverage, according to a new report. |
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| Sports and entertainment driving Saudi real estate boom, say Deloitte experts
Saudi Arabia’s real estate sector is gaining momentum as investments in sports and entertainment create new opportunities for infrastructure development and economic stability, according to industry experts. |
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| Experts highlight real estate financing, foreign investment at Saudi forum
Experts at the Real Estate Future Forum emphasized the evolving landscape of property financing in Saudi Arabia, pointing to strong bank portfolios, public-private partnership opportunities, and a focus on foreign investment. |
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| GCC trade set to grow 5.5% annually, reaching $2.3 trillion by 2033: BCG report
The Gulf Cooperation Council’s trade sector is set to grow at an annual rate of 5.5 percent, reaching $2.3 trillion by 2033, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group. |
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| Closing Bell: Saudi Arabia’s main index closes in green at 12,439
Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index edged up on Wednesday, gaining 18.84 points, or 0.15 percent, to close at 12,439.48. |
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| Saudi sovereign wealth fund’s $4bn bond offering four times oversubscribed
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has successfully priced a $4 billion bond issuance, divided into two tranches. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s NHC to offer affordable homes 20% below market rates, CEO says
Saudi Arabia’s state-owned developer NHC will price units 20 percent below market rates as part of its strategy to meet the surging demand for affordable housing, revealed its CEO. |
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| Saudi telecom firm stc secures $8.7bn contract with government entity
Saudi telecom giant stc has signed a contract worth SR32.64 billion ($8.71 billion) with an undisclosed government entity to build, operate, and provide telecommunications infrastructure services. |
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| Abu Dhabi property deals up 24.2% in 2024 as foreign investment soars
Abu Dhabi’s real estate market experienced a 24.2 percent year-on-year growth in 2024, with a total of 28,249 transactions, driven by sustained demand, strategic projects, and a focus on market transparency, official data revealed. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s property market set for growth with billions in new projects
The Saudi real estate landscape is poised for substantial growth, as industry leaders, policymakers, and investors gathered at the Real Estate Future Forum in Riyadh to unveil major developments in property investment and tourism. |
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| Closing Bell: Saudi Arabia’s main index closes in green at 12,421
Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index edged up on Tuesday, gaining 47.75 points, or 0.39 percent, to close at 12,420.64. |
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| SAMA permits full public launch of STC Bank in digitalization push
The Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, has authorized STC Bank to launch its full operations in Saudi Arabia. |
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| EVIQ, BYD sign deal to expand Saudi Arabia’s EV charging network
High-speed electric vehicle charging stations are set to be installed at Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility locations across Saudi Arabia, thanks to a new deal to boost the industry. |
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| Asir region offering further $5.3bn in investment opportunities: top official
Saudi Arabia’s Asir region is working on securing a further SR20 billion ($5.3 billion) in private investments as part of its transformation into a year-round tourism destination, with significant projects already underway. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s National Housing Co. sees robust sales in 2025 amid lower interest rates
The CEO of National Housing Co. stated that lower interest rates in 2025 are expected to help the company exceed its 2024 achievements, with the reduced rates likely to boost sales. |
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| Oman, India revise deal to avoid double taxation
Oman and India have finalized an updated protocol to prevent double taxation and curb financial evasion related to income taxes, further bolstering their economic ties. |
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| Now foreigners can invest in Makkah, Madinah property
Foreigners can now invest in Saudi-listed companies owning real estate in Makkah and Madinah, following a landmark decision by the Saudi Capital Market Authority. |
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| Saudi Arabia raises local workforce quotas across key sectors
Saudi professionals in dentistry, pharmacy, accounting, and technical engineering will soon see expanded job opportunities as the Kingdom rolls out new Saudization targets under its Vision 2030 plan. |
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| Closing Bell: Saudi main index sheds, Nomu gains
Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dropped on Monday, losing by 13.27 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 12,372.89. |
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| Saudi Arabia, Italy strengthen economic ties with 26 MoUs
Saudi Arabia and Italy have signed 26 memoranda of understanding between public and private sector institutions, further enhancing their bilateral relations. |