Good morning, ladies and gents, and happy THURSDAY. We wrap up the week with the latest on investment, debt markets, and the IPO scene that just keeps on giving.

Leading this morning’s news well: Ronn Motors is planning to establish hydrogen truck factories under a USD 4 bn initiative, while both Al Rajhi Bank and Saudi National Bank tapping into the sukuk market with new issuances. The Kingdom’s capital markets are also buzzing, marked by Sab Invest’s launch of the first quant ETF, and Hawyia Auctions pricing its Nomu IPO.

ALSO- The earnings season is in full swing, with Zain KSA, Marafiq and so many companies reporting their 1Q earnings. The details on all these stories, and more, are below.

HAPPENING TODAY-

Today is the last day for qualified investors to subscribe to Adeer Real Estate’s 20%stake offering on Tadawul’s parallel market Nomu. Each investor can subscribe to a minimum of 10 shares and a maximum of 250k at SAR 85 apiece. The final allocation of shares is slated for 12 May.

⚠️ WEATHER- The wind and dust just isn’t letting up: Dust storms and strong winds are expected to continue across parts of the Eastern Province, Riyadh, and Najran. Thunderstorms with winds and rain are also possible in Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha, and the highlands of Makkah and Madinah.

Riyadh is expected to see a high of 36°C and a low of 22°C today, while Jeddah’s mercury will go as high as 30°C and as low as 24°C. Makkah will see a 39°C high and 22°C low.

HAPPENING TOMORROW-

Season 2 of PFL MENA kicks off tomorrow with a full fight card, featuring Abdullah Al Qahtani vs. Islam Reda in the featherweight main event among other fiery matchups.

PSAs-

#1- Saudis to be tested for occupational fitness: The Human Resources and Social Development Ministry (HRSD) is seeking public feedback on mandatory fitness testing regulation for current and new government employees, as well as private and not-for-profit employees, the Saudi Gazette reports. You can weigh in on the draft through the Istitlaa platform until Monday, 19 May.

When will it apply? The testing is set to assess workers’ physical health and psychological aptitude, specifically when they start new jobs or professions, take on positions requiring regular medical checks, return from injury or long leave, among other cases.

#2- Fishing and pleasure boat owners in Jazan whose boats have been inactive for a year have until 5 June to visit the General Authority of Transport’s regional branch, the Authority said in a post on X. Boats unaddressed by the deadline may be removed by authorities without liability as part of efforts to enhance the maritime sector and improve the urban landscape.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

The Trump administration is considering renaming the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf in its official records, a move that will be announced during the upcoming US president’s visit to the Kingdom, the Associated Press reports, citing two unnamed US officials. The dispute over the naming of the Arabian Gulf area has been a long one that dated back centuries.

Not the most important thing on the agenda: Trump’s visit to the region is shaping up to be a busy one, where he will be accompanied by a host of US business executives to attend the Saudi-US Investment Forum on 13 May. The forum takes place a day before a rumored GCC-US summit that will reportedly host all regional leaders in a meeting with Trump to discuss Gulf investments in the US, arms agreements, and AI, in addition to regional issues including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran-US nuclear negotiations.

Some 20 French aviation companies are coming to Saudi Arabia to explore investment prospects and partnerships next week, Aleqtisadiah reports, citing French Embassy-affiliated Business France. The visit, held in collaboration with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), aims to drive investments in aviation, airports, and maintenance.

IN CONTEXT- The initiative comes amid rising French investment in the country, which has exceeded EUR 17 bn in 2024, positioning France as the Kingdom’s second-largest investor. Currently, 350 French companies operate in Saudi Arabia, including 170 with permanent presence. Recent delegations have also explored prospects in renewable energy, hydrogen, and technology sectors.

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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Global powers are rushing to calm the flammable situation in South Asia, while Pakistan is vowing a swift response that it promised will target military assets and stay clear from civilians. India’s widespread attacks in Kashmir and other provinces ended up killing 31 and injuring dozens, while Pakistan’s retaliation is estimated to have caused 12 casualties and tens of injuries.

OVER IN THE US- The Trump administration is planning to ease Biden’s last-minute restrictions on exports of advanced AI chips, introduced in January and set to take effect on May 15. The tiered system — which divided countries into three tiers that were allowed to receive unlimited, capped, or no exports — will reportedly be cancelled, and likely replaced with new rules aiming at handing the US more control over chips abroad. Shares of chipmakers rose on the news, with Nvidia up over 3%.

ALSO WORTH READING THIS MORNING-

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