Saudi has gigaprojects worth USD 1.3 tn

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Al Falih talks potential economic cooperation with Germany

Good morning, wonderful people. We have a jam-packed issue for you today, including the latest industrial production index and updates on the Kingdom’s gigaprojects landscape and debt capital markets.

HAPPENING TODAY-

#1- EFG Hermes’ annual conference continues today in London, giving investors “unique and unparalleled access to leading equities in MENA and key frontier emerging markets.” The event will wrap this Thursday, 12 September.

What to watch out for today: Today’s session of the conference at London’s Emirates Stadium will feature Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority head Mohamed Farid, who will be taking part in a fireside chat that will dive into the latest in capital markets, regulations and fintech, EFG Hermes said in a statement statement (pdf).

** EnterpriseAM Saudi will have exclusive coverage of the signature fireside chats from the conference in tomorrow morning’s edition.

#2- The Saudi junior handball team will face its Korean counterpart in the final round of the main stage of the Asian Championship in Jordan, state news agency (SPA) reported. The team that comes out on top will qualify for next year’s Junior World Championship in Slovenia.

WEATHER- Expect cloudy days in Riyadh and Jeddah today, with a high of 43°C today and a low of 30°C in the capital. Meanwhile, Jeddah will see a high of 39°C, and a low of 32°C.

PSAs-

#1- Businesses have until next Sunday, 15 September to submit excise tax returns for July and August, the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority (Zatca) said in a statement. Excise tax applies to products associated with health risks or harming the environment, including soft and energy drinks, and tobacco products, Zatca notes.

#2- Businesses and online stores must obtain a license before organizing commercial contests, as required by the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, according to state news agency SPA. Violations can result in up to three years in prison and / or fines of up to SAR 1 mn.

The fine print: Businesses are permitted to organize contests up to twice a year, with each lasting no more than 60 days. Contest rules, entry methods, and prizes must be clearly defined, with proof of prize ownership. The license must include the organizer's name, contest dates, and the ministry's license number in all advertisements. Purchases cannot be a requirement for entry, and organizers or their family members are barred from participating. Prizes must be distributed within seven days of final recipients being announced.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih looked into potential economic and financial cooperation with Germany during his meeting yesterday with German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck and German Finance Minister Christian Lindner, among other officials, Al Falih said on X.

IN CONTEXT- Al Falih said last week he planned to drum up support among customers and partners in Germany and other European countries for Saudi’s proposed move to export green products to Europe — which singles Italy out as our “partner of choice.”

#2- EFG Hermes is working on six IPOs in Saudi Arabia over the next few months, with four scheduled to take place before the end of the year and two others taking place during 1Q 2025, investment banking co-CEO Mohamed Ebeid told Asharq Business. Earlier this year, EFG Holding announced plans to increase its staff in Saudi Arabia by 30% to 47 people as its investment bank arm gears up to be involved in a number of IPOs in the Kingdom.

#3- Two Egyptian companies looking to expand to Saudi: SEKEM subsidiary Isis Organic plans to build a factory in Saudi Arabia with EGP 80 mn (SAR 6.2 mn) in investments, Al Borsa reported, citing General Manager Mohamed Anwer. Meanwhile, Egyptian food solutions provider startup Brotinni is looking to expand into the Saudi and UAE markets in 3Q 2025, Al Mal reports, citing co-founder and CEO Dalia Abou Omar.

#4- The Public Investment Fund is expected to open a Beijing office before the end of this year as it mulls launching offices in other Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Shenzhen, China’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chang Hua told Aleqtisadiah.

#5- Monks hops over from Dubai: Monks, the operating brand of Martin Sorrell's advertising vehicle S4 Capital, is relocating its Middle East headquarters to Riyadh from Dubai, Bloomberg reported. Martin Sorell is the founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital, which merged with MediaMonks and MightyHive, to form Media.Monks, which later dropped “Media” from its name.

IN CONTEXT- The move comes amid a broader government initiative aimed at incentivizing foreign companies to relocate their regional headquarters to the Kingdom via tax exemptions among other benefits.

#6- The Kingdom’s domestic events industry is projected to grow to USD 3.45 bn in 2029, up from USD 2.38 bn this year, backed by events such as MDL Beat, LEAP, and F1, according to a Mordor Intelligence report seen by AETOSWire. Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam are becoming hotspots for the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions sector, creating competition in the sector with traditional hubs like Dubai and Doha.

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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

The much-anticipated Harris-Trump debate ended with a bang, not a whimper, as the two presidential hopefuls repeatedly accused each other of lying and clashed on the economy, January 6, abortion rights, Gaza, migration, and of course crowd sizes throughout the night.

Trump remained firm on his insistence that he won the 2020 election against Biden, going on to say that there was “so much proof” — conveniently without providing any. Doubling down, Trump alleged that Democrats were ferrying in undocumented migrants across the border to “get them to vote.”

Harris was keen to present Trump as a danger to democracy, telling the camera that the former president “incited a violent mob to attack our nation's Capitol, to desecrate our nation’s Capitol” after being “fired by 81 mn people.”

“She hates Israel. If she is president I believe that Israel will not exist in two years from now,” Trump argued, adding in Trumpian fashion that the war would have “never started” if he were still in the White House.

The economy was also an important point of contention, with Harris accusing Trump of leaving the country with the “worst unemployment since the Great Depression.” Trump hit back with how she and Biden had handled inflation that has “been a disaster for people, for the middle class, for every class.”

At points the debate got personal and verged on name-calling, with Harris telling Trump that world leaders described him as a “disgrace” and Trump calling Harris “the worst vice-president in history.”

Let the polls roll in: Prior to the debate, the two candidates appeared to be neck and neck for the US government’s top job. In the coming days, we’ll get more of a sense of how each candidate’s performance played with potential voters, as the US presidential elections, only 54 days away, inch closer.

MEANWHILE IN FINANCE NEWS- The US Federal Reserve has halved its proposed increase in capital requirements for the US’ biggest banks to 9% from 19%, the central bank’s top regulator Michael Barr said yesterday. The lower increase represents a big W for the banking lobby, which has decried the capital requirement hike as damaging for the economy and potentially crimping lending since it was first proposed last year.

The “reproposal,” as Barr has called it, will still introduce capital requirements related to operational risk for banks with USD 250 bn in assets — one of the key targets of banking sector lobbying efforts. Assessments of operational risk, however, will now exclude asset management and other of banks’ biggest non-lending businesses. The new proposal has also nixed provisions that adjust capital requirements based on past operational losses, and has reduced risk weighting on certain kinds of financing deals.

AND ON THE OIL MARKETS- Oil futures reached near three-year lows yesterday after OPEC’s downward revision of its demand forecasts for 2024 and 2025, Reuters reports. Brent crude futures were down USD 2.65 or 3.69% yesterday to USD 69.19 at market’s close.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

SRMG Academy’s technology journalism course will kick off in Riyadh next Sunday, 15 September. The five-day, TikTok-backed program will run until 19 September.

Fenaa Alawwal cultural center will kick off the contemporary art forum Muntada FAA next Sunday, 15 September at the Diplomatic Quarters in Riyadh. The forum runs until Thursday, 19 September.

The Federation of Saudi Chambers will hold its first iron and steel meeting in Riyadh next Monday, 16 September, the federation said on X. The meeting will feature discussion on boosting the Kingdom’s strategic iron and steel industry as well as developments in low-emission steel production in the GCC and across the global steel sector.

Smart Cities Saudi Expo 2024 runs 24-26 September at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

The two-day Kingdom Business and Luxury Travel Congress will kick off on Wednesday, 25 September, at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel and Convention.

The first-ever Billboard Arabia Music Awards will be hosted in Riyadh on 11 December. Taking place at the King Abdullah Financial District, this event is set to celebrate top Arab artists featuring live performances and surprise collaborations during Riyadh Music Week.

Saudi’s industrial production volumes rise for the first time in 2024 in July

Local industrial production index (IPI) rose 1.6% y-o-y in July — its first increase of the year — buoyed by the manufacturing and utilities sub-indexes, according to a General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) report (pdf. The IPI analyzes survey data to show changes in the volumes of industrial production across the Kingdom.

The sub-index for manufacturing climbed 4.6% y-o-y, spurred by growth in the manufacturing of electric devices, which rose 16% y-o-y, as well as paper and paper products (+12% y-o-y), food production (+10.1% y-o-y), and chemicals (+5.7% y-o-y). Manufacturing accounts for 35% of the overall IPI, making it the second-weightiest component after oil and minerals. The latest IPI report marks the sixth consecutive month that manufacturing activity in the Kingdom rose y-o-y.

Despite these gains, mining and quarrying activity fell 0.8%, driven by a reduction in oil output, which was down to 8.9 mn bbl / d during the month. The mining and quarrying sectors account for 61.4% of the overall IPI. Mining and quarrying activity rose month-on-month, however, growing 1.3% compared to June.

BUT- Mining + quarrying activity could begin to rise again soon: Riyad Capital said in a report earlier this month that Saudi crude oil production is expected to increase to 10 mn bbl / d by 4Q 2025, starting next quarter.

Non-oil output was up, while oil output declined: The IPI for oil activities dipped 1.1%, but non-oil activities grew 8.2% y-o-y, reflecting a broad-based increase across non-oil sectors.

IN CONTEXT- The government has penciled 4.5-5.0% growth in non-oil GDP this year, with Moody’s Analytics pegging the figure at a lower 3-4% per year through 2030.

Utilities were also up across the board: The electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning sub-index rose 8.2% y-o-y, while water supply and waste management activities increased by 1.1% y-o-y.

Saudi is set to host a USD 3.3 bn blockchain sports hub

A USD 3.3 bn sports blockchain hub is coming to Saudi: Alpha Jossor Investments and UK-based Blockchain Sports Ecosystem signed an MoU to develop a smart sports city at a total investment value of USD 3.3 bn to the Kingdom, according to a press release. The sports city — the exact location of which was not disclosed — will feature an advanced football training academy with high tech analytics and supplemented with a digital real estate platform for an adjoining 1.5k villas and 3.3k apartments.

The financial breakdown: The residential units will account for USD 1.6 bn of the total investment ticket, while the remaining USD 1.7 bn is being earmarked for the remainder of the hub. The residential units will be built according to a smart city model that highlights sustainable and eco-friendly practices.

The pitch: The proposed complex will use Blockchain Sport’s solutions to create a digital ID platform for its athletes, according to its website. The ecosystem will rely on AI, Extended Reality (XR), and blockchain technologies to enable advanced performance tracking of athletes. This information will be available to partner academies across 16 countries via the digital tracking platform, “allowing secure and transparent transactions” as managers look to poach athletes based on their performance insights. The platform is set to be a world-first and will apply blockchain technologies to boost processes while also ensuring better data security.

What we don’t know: It is unclear what Jossor’s role will be under this partnership. The companies also did not provide details on the construction timeline for the project.

About Blockchain Sports: The tech company is partnered with 30 football academies around the world, and has offices in eight different countries across 3 continents. It boasts a team of over 1.2k tech and sports professionals, for the 10k football players training at their partnered academies. It is endorsed by more than 50 top footballers — mostly retired — including Brazilian stars Romario and Zico. The company offers a scouting service, talent spotting, performance trackers for players across competitions, as well as its multiple academies. It launched its Testnet Football Marketplace in 2Q 2024, and is targeting its first player card sales in the current quarter.

Saudi gigaprojects hit USD 1.3 tn mark with more on the way

Gigaprojects in Saudi are valued at USD 1.3 tn: The total value of real estate and infrastructure gigaprojects launched in the Kingdom since broad-based diversification plans were unveiled eight years ago have hit USD 1.3 tn, according to an annual review (pdf) by London-based real estate consultancy Knight Frank. The value of gigaprojects in the Kingdom rose 4% in the past year. The report looks at the pace at which Saudi’s gigaprojects have been progressing, providing a rundown of the projects’ announced values, commissioned values to date, and the value of projects in the pipeline. Bloomberg also had the story.

Countrywide breakdown: For the USD 1.3 tn in projects unveiled across the Kingdom, commissioned projects stand at USD 164 bn, while projects in the pipeline are valued at USD 249 bn, according to the real estate consultancy.

Neom is in the spotlight: The Kingdom’s “Belgium-sized superstate” Neom has so far unveiled plans to develop 12 destinations at a total USD 500 bn project value. These include Neom’s flagship USD 150 bn sustainable city, dubbed The Line, and its USD 47.6 bn industrial hub, Oxagon. To date, some USD 28.7 bn in projects announced at Neom have been commissioned, with another USD 71 bn in the pipeline.

Zooming out: The Western seaboard of Saudi Arabia — which includes Neom — is home to 17 gigaprojects with a combined value of USD 685 bn unveiled since 2016, the report explains. These include the USD 27 bn King Abdullah Economic City and USD 17 bn tourism destination Red Sea Global. To date, USD 54.4 bn in construction contracts have been awarded in the region, including in Neom, while USD 116.2 bn-worth are in the pipeline.

The capital city came in second in project value after Neom: Out of Riyadh’s USD 195 bn real estate and infrastructure development plan, some USD 35 bn in projects have been commissioned, while USD 71 bn are in the pipeline. Riyadh’s highlights include a planned USD 63.9 bn urban community at Diriyah Gate, a USD 50 bn New Murabba downtown area, and a USD 21.8 bn entertainment city at Qiddiyah.

Project volumes + breakdown: The Kingdom’s gigaprojects include more than one mn new residential units, 362k hotel keys, upwards of 7.4 mn sqm of new retail space, and more than 7.7 mn sqm of new office space to accommodate population growth, as well as boosted tourism and businesses. These numbers are expected to rise further with the upcoming 2030 World Expo and the 2034 FIFA World Cup (which Saudi is bidding to host), with both events projected to trigger a new wave of projects in Riyadh, according to the report.

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are also on the table: The Kingdom has also launched several SEZs, leveraging its geographical location as a conduit for global trade. These zones, such as the King Abdullah Economic City Special Economic Zone and Ras Al Khair SEZ, are focused on logistics, shipbuilding, and high-tech industries, helping shift the Kingdom’s reliance away from oil, and luring in FDI.

Saudi debt issuances to slow in 2H 2024 after a blockbuster first half -Fitch

Saudi’s debt capital market grew 18% y-o-y to USD 407.7 bn in 1H 2024, Fitch Ratings said in a report. The issuances were evenly split between USD and SAR-denominated instruments, with sukuk comprising nearly two-thirds of the total. The ratings agency noted that a notable portion of this debt was tied to ESG.

The Kingdom had a blockbuster 1H: Saudi was the biggest USD-denominated debt issuer among emerging markets (excluding China) and was the largest in terms of global sukuk issuances during 1H 2024, according to Fitch.

Foreign ownership of local government bonds rose to 7.2% by mid-2024, driven by local issuances being included in global bond indices and stronger links with international securities depositories. This marks a 35% increase from the 0.2% foreign ownership rate in 2022.

There’s more to come… “Government projects under Vision 2030, deficit funding, diversification, and regulatory reforms are set to push Saudi Arabia's sukuk and bond market past USD 500 bn in the coming years,” said Bashar Al Natoor, Global Head of Islamic Finance at Fitch Ratings. With oil revenues expected to “moderate,” Fitch sees Saudi tapping debt markets with “substantial” USD-denominated issuances to finance its diversification plans.

…but not without catching our breath: However, Saudi is expected to issue less debt in 2H 2024, partly because Saudi Aramco is paying out larger dividends, curbing the government’s need to borrow more money, Fitch says.

IN CONTEXT- The government counts on Aramco dividends to bridge budget deficit and to finance its diversification away from oil, with oil accounting for some 67% of government revenues at present. The company’s dividends pushed SAMA’s foreign reserves to an 18-month high of SAR 1.67 tn in June. Saudi Arabia’s government owns 97% of Aramco. Jadwa Investment said last month that greater returns from Aramco on the back of more performance-linked dividends and a boost in dividends per share will keep state hydrocarbon revenues this year on par with last year’s despite a downtick in export volumes.

Risks: The local debt market is vulnerable to swings in oil prices, interest rate hikes, investor jitters over rising debt levels, and regional geopolitical tensions, Fitch said.

ALSO FROM DEBT MARKETS-

The Kingdom accounted for the lion’s share of sovereign sukuk issuances in the GCC during 1H 2024, making up some 37% of the USD 69.2 bn total, which was up 138% y-o-y, Zawya reports citing a report by credit ratings agency Moody’s. The government also issued USD 17 bn in longer-dated sukuks in 1H 2024 to refinance debts maturing in 2024, 2025, and 2026, with that trend expected to continue, Moody’s said.

Cabinet approves model for nonprofit agreements

The Cabinet greenlit a standard template for international nonprofit agreements during its weekly meeting yesterday, state news agency (SPA) reported. The Human and Social Development minister has been tasked with handling negotiations and signing relevant agreements using the agreed-upon template. No further details on the model were provided.

Other decisions and agreements approved by the Council of Ministers:

An MoU to cooperate with Mauritania on electricity, renewable energy, and clean hydrogen;
A political consultation MoU with Nicaragua;
An anti-corruption MoU with Iraq;
Tasking the interior minister with finalizing a civil defense MoU with Uzbekistan,
Tasking the investment minister with signing an investment cooperation MoU with Paraguay;
Tasking the education minister with sign a technical training MoU with Tajikistan; and
A basket of promotions for officials in various ministries.

Saudi proptech HissaTech closes SAR 2.5 mn pre-seed round

Homegrown proptech startup HissaTech has raised SAR 2.5 mn (USD 670k) in a pre-seed round led by unidentified angel investors, the company said in a press release.

Use of proceeds: The freshly raised funds will go towards growing the startup’s customer base in the Kingdom, upgrading its platform, and establishing new partnerships to “solidify” its standing in the property technology sector.

The pitch: The proptech company, founded this year by Ali Alshareef (LinkedIn), aims to lower the entry barrier for the real estate market, allowing investors to co-own income-generating real estate assets for investments starting from as little as SAR 500, according to its website.

ALSO FROM STARTUPLAND-

Saudi startups raised USD 16 mn in nine transactions in August, the second-highest number in MENA after the UAE, according to Wamda data. MENA startups drew USD 83 mn in investments last month, down 24% y-o-y.

A path forward for Saudi startup exits, courtesy of Tabby

Tabby’s move to acquire local fintech startup Tweeq raised a signal to VC investors that there is a path for successful startup exits in Saudi, Bloomberg quotes pundits as saying during the 24 Fintech conference in Riyadh last week. “The window for exit activity in Saudi Arabia is likely to come into fruition in the next 2-3 years,” Magnitt CEO Philip Bahoshy said, noting that the average exit timeline for a MENA company is 7-8 years.

YOUR MANDATORY SPORTS STORY-

Chilean pro golfer Joaquin Niemann is calling out the Presidents Cup for its LIV player ban, saying that the tournament is not allowing the best golfers in the world to compete in the team-based event which will start on Tuesday, 24 September in Montreal, Canada, Reuters reports.

BACKGROUND- The tournament comes around every two years, pitting a US team against an international team. The ban started when PIF-backed LIV launched in 2022.

Debt news from Ataa + Al Jouf Cement + Qomel

DEBT WATCH-

Ataa Educational Co. renewed a Shariah-compliant bank facility worth SAR 510.5 mn with the Saudi Investment Bank, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. The 10-year financing will fund Ataa’s acquisition and construction of educational complexes, while also supporting its working capital.

Al Jouf Cement rescheduled an outstanding SAR 54.7 mn loan balance with the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, it said in a filing to Tadawul. Originally part of a SAR 483.5 mn facility, the new agreement extends the repayment deadline for the balance to Monday, 30 June 2025, with the move coming in a bid to boost the company’s financial position.

Qomel lines up financing for new pharma plant: Qomel Manufacturing received approval from the Saudi Industrial Development Fund for SAR 50.7 mn in financing for the construction of a new pharma manufacturing plant, according to a disclosure to Tadawul from parent company Qomel. The financing will run for 6 years, with another 6-year grace period lined up. Repayments will be made in 14 semi-annual unequal installments beginning in February 2030.

MINING-

Al Masane Al Kobra Mining (AMAK) inked a letter of intent with London-based Power Metal Resources to set up a mining exploration JV, it said in a filing to Tadawul. The partnership looks to study the availability of nickel ore and related mineral deposits at AMAK’s Qatan Exploration License in southwest Saudi Arabia. Under the agreement, AMAK will hold 51% of the JV, while Power Metal Resources will earn the remaining 49% stake by funding exploration activities over the next two years. The agreement looks to leverage Power Metal Resources’ expertise in the evaluation of nickel and other mineral deposits, as well as processing, marketing, and sales, the disclosure said.

REAL ESTATE-

The Saudi arm of Egyptian developer Palm Hills plans to build 15 schools in Saudi Arabia, with an estimated cost of USD 300 mn, Palm Hills Chairman Yasseen Mansour told Al Arabiya Business. Palm Hills had set up its Saudi arm last month.

INS.-

Tree Digital Ins.Agency has rolled out the Kingdom’s first pet ins. scheme, designed to cover everything from vet bills to surgeries, according to a press release. This is the first product of its kind to be licensed by the Ins. Authority.

GAMING-

Homegrown animation and video game developer Manga Productions launched a new mobile game inspired by the hit Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales, in partnership with telecom operator stc, according to a statement from Manga. Named “Adventures of Future’s Folktales,” the game will be available on the AppStore, Google Play, and App Gallery in Arabic, English and Japanese. Manga Productions is a subsidiary of the Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation (Misk).

AVIATION-

Indian budget airline Air India Express launched a new route connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Riyadh on Monday, according to Indian news reports (here and here). The carrier will operate two-way direct flights once a week on Mondays.

Wizz Air will launch budget seven-hour flights from London Gatwick to Jeddah starting 31 March, 2025, Bloomberg quotes CEO Jozsef Varadi as saying at a press conference in London. The flights will cost USD 177 one-way and will not be equipped with amenities such as reclining seats and entertainment. This move comes as Wizz expands its routes from Europe to the Middle East and Asia, with Varadi seeing strong demand from both tourists and religious travelers.

TOURISM-

Neom launched the Smart Gates project at the Neom Bay Airport to streamline the travel experience for passengers under a partnership agreement it signed with the Interior Ministry, the Saudi Data and AI Authority, and the General Directorate of Passports inked on the sidelines of the ongoing Global AI Summit. The AI-powered gates use biometric technology to accelerate entry and exit for travelers and minimize the need for human intervention.

MEDIA-

The Royal Commission for AlUla partnered with the UK’s National Archives to help preserve and document the culture of Al Ula, according to a press release. Areas of cooperation between both entities include training and scientific exchange, archival research, public programming, and digitization. The National Archives is the official archive and publisher for the UK government.

HEALTHCARE-

Riyadh’s Aster Sanad Hospital raised its capacity to 200 beds, after adding a 50-bed facility near the main building, according to an emailed statement (pdf). Aster Sanad is managed by Aster DM Healthcare and includes eight specialties, namely, bariatric surgery, cardiology, gastroenterology, general surgery, neurosurgery, obstetrics, orthopedics, and urology and andrology.

Apple, Google lose ongoing battles with EU court, with the two set to pay bns in EUR in fines, taxes

In a big day for the EU’s crackdown on Big Tech, both Google and Apple lost their battles with the EU’s Court of Justice — leaving Apple with a EUR 13 bn tax bill and Google to pay EUR 2.4 bn in fines.

#1- Apple lost a decade-long battle over its tax setup in Ireland after the court ruled it must pay EUR 13 bn in back taxes, CNBC reports. The European Commission first ordered the repayment in 2016, when it accused Apple of receiving illegal tax perks from Ireland for two decades — a claim Apple denied and contested in court. The tech giant confirmed it will incur a USD 10 bn one-time tax charge by the end of its fourth fiscal quarter on 28 September 2024 in a filing yesterday.

Market reax: The court’s ruling comes on the same day Apple launched its new iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Shares of the tech giant dipped 1% following the decision.

Ireland’s government downplayed the case, stating that it “involved an issue that is now of historical relevance only,” in a statement.

Meanwhile, Apple stood its ground that it had paid all the taxes it owed, with a spokesperson quoted as saying that “this case has never been about how much tax we pay, but which government we are required to pay it to,” and that the European Commission is “trying to retroactively change the rules and ignore that, as required by international tax law, our income was already subject to taxes in the US.”

#2- The EU court also upheld a EUR 2.4 bn antitrust fine for Google parent Alphabet in a case that has been ongoing for seven years, that aimed to crack down on Google’s use of its search engine to rank its own product listings higher.

The two cases highlight the ongoing friction between US tech firms and the EU, which has pushed for stronger regulations on everything from data protection to taxes and antitrust issues. Recently, Apple also faced a EUR 1.8 bn fine for antitrust violations related to music streaming apps and is being scrutinized under the EU’s Digital Markets Act due to its app store squeezing out rival marketplaces.

ALSO WORTH KNOWING- Oman’s state energy firm OQ is looking to offer 25% of its exploration and production unit in a USD 2 bn IPO, in what would be the GCC's biggest IPO in 2024. (Bloomberg).

THE MARKETS THIS MORNING-

It’s red as far as the eyes can see among Asian markets, as traders assess economic data — including unemployment figures and business sentiment gauges — from Japan and South Korea. South Korea’s small-cap Kosdaq fell 1.6%, while Japan’s Nikkei is down 0.7% and Topix is down 0.8%. Meanwhile, Wall Street futures are little changed as traders await the US’ August inflation report.

TASI	11,987	+0.2% (YTD: +0.2%)
MSCI Tadawul 30	1,492	+0.1% (YTD: -3.8%)
NomuC	25,601	+0.4% (YTD: +4.4%)
USD : SAR (SAMA)	USD 3.75 Sell	USD 3.75 Buy
Interest rates	6.5% repo	5.5% reverse repo
EGX30	30,104	-0.9% (YTD: +20.9%)
ADX	9,402	+0.5% (YTD: -1.8%)
DFM	4,387	+0.7% (YTD: +8.1%)
S&P 500	5,496	+0.5% (YTD: +15.2%)
FTSE 100	8,206	-0.8% (YTD: +6.1%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,747	-0.7% (YTD: +5.0%)
Brent crude	USD 69.67	-3.0%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.23	+2.9%
Gold	USD 2,545.90	+0.5%
BTC	USD 57,708.20	+1.2% (YTD: +36.1%)

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI rose 0.2% yesterday on turnover of SAR 7.2 bn. The index is up 0.2% YTD.

In the green: Enaya (+9.9%), Amana Ins. (+9.9%) and Sidc (+6.0%).

In the red: Teco (-4.2%), Sfico (-4.1%) and Miahona (-4.0%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC rose 0.4% yesterday on turnover of SAR 47.8 mn. The index is up 4.4% YTD.

In the green: Leaf Global (+18.9%), Fad (+5.6%) and Qomel (+5.5%).

In the red: Banan (-6.2%), Enma Al Rawabi (-4.9%) and Al Rashid Industrial (-4.4%)

Al Khorayef talks AI cooperation in Singapore

Industry Minister Bandar Al Khorayef explored AI partnerships in Singapore, meeting with top figures in logistics, manufacturing, and technology to boost the Kingdom’s tech sectors, according to state news agency (SPA).

The itinerary: He met with DHL to discuss logistics automation and AI; the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) to explore training and R&D initiatives; Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering) and Jurong Town Corporation (JTC); Meinhardt for sustainable infrastructure development; and Enterprise Singapore, A*STAR, and Temasek Holdings for smart city projects partnerships.

The High Egyptian-Saudi Coordination Council is “in the final stages” of launching, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said yesterday in a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (watch, runtime: 25:16). The council — which will be chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi — “will serve as a comprehensive framework for further deepening bilateral relations” between the two countries and increase political, economic, commercial, developmental, and investment cooperation.

KSA + Kazakhstan eye more cooperation on standardization and trade: Kazakh ambassador Madiyar Menilbekov met with the Governor of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization Saad bin Othman Al Kasabi, with the pair discussing means to boost cooperation in standardization and metrology between the two nations, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said in a press release. Menilbekov and Al Kasabi also discussed options for Kazakh exporters to obtain Halal certification and expand their presence in the Saudi market.

The Saudi Fund for Development and the Bahamas’ Airport Authority inked a USD 55 mn loan agreement to develop North Eleuthera International Airport in the Bahamas, according to a post on X. The project aims to increase the airport’s annual capacity to 700k visitors, while creating jobs and boosting the Bahamas’ transport infrastructure.

CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER

8-12 September (Sunday-Thursday): International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (IAIO), Riyadh.

9-11 September (Monday-Wednesday): International Manufacturing Congress, Riyadh.

9-12 September (Monday-Thursday): EFG Hermes London Conference, Emirates Stadium, London.

10-11 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): SkyMove MENA, Riyadh.

10-11 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): Middle East LPG Expo – Saudi Arabia 2024, Intercontinental Hotel, Riyadh.

10-12 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi Sports Show, Riyadh.

10-12 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Global AI Summit, Riyadh.

11-12 September (Wednesday-Thursday): The Saudi Event Show, Riyadh.

16 September (Monday): The Federation of Saudi Chambers’ meeting on iron and steel, Riyadh.

16-17 September (Monday-Tuesday): MEP International Conference 2024, Hilton, Jeddah.

16-17 September (Monday-Tuesday):Building Envelope Design and Insulation Conference (Bedic) 2024, Hilton, Jeddah.

15-19 September (Sunday-Thursday): SRMG Academy Technology Journalism Workshop, Riyadh.

15-19 September (Sunday-Thursday): Muntada FAA, Riyadh.

16-19 September (Monday-Thursday): Foodex Saudi, Riyadh.

17-19 September (Tuesday-Thursday): EV Auto Show, Riyadh.

17-19 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Hotel & Hospitality Expo, Front Exhibition & Conference Center, Riyadh.

18-19 September (Wednesday-Thursday): Saudi Maritime & Logistics Congress, Dammam.

18-19 September (Wednesday-Thursday): IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2024, Riyadh.

23 September (Monday): National Day (national holiday).

24-25 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): CX & Loyalty Summit & Awards, Riyadh.

24-26 September (Tuesday-Thursday) Saudi Infrastructure Expo, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, Riyadh.

24-26 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Smart Cities Saudi Expo 2024, Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.

25-26 September (Wednesday-Thursday): Kingdom Business and Luxury Travel Congress, Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel and Convention.

26 September-5 October (Thursday-Saturday): AlUla Skies Festival, AlUla.

27 September (Friday): CAF Super Cup Final 2024, Riyadh.

29 September-1 October (Sunday-Tuesday): Jeddah Construct Expo, Jeddah.

29 September (Sunday): Start of Digital Chip Design Technologies training program.

OCTOBER

1-3 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Intersec Saudi Arabia 2024, Riyadh.

5-7 October (Saturday-Monday): Middle East Education & Training Exhibition 2024, Jeddah.

12 October (Saturday): Riyadh Season.

12 October (Saturday): Shakur Stevenson x Joe Cordina, Riyadh.

12-14 October (Saturday-Monday): Global Logistics Forum, Riyadh.

15-16 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Solar & Storage Live KSA, Riyadh.

16-17 October (Monday-Tuesday): Global Airport & Aviation Forum, Jeddah.

19 October (Saturday): Battle of the Giants, Mayadeen Hall, Riyadh.

21-22 October (Monday-Tuesday): Smart Ports & Logistics Transformation Summit, Riyadh.

21-22 October (Monday-Tuesday): Aussie Expo, King Abdullah Financial District Conference Center, Riyadh.

21-23 October (Monday-Wednesday): Global Health Exhibition 2024, Riyadh.

23-24 October (Wednesday-Thursday): UNIDO’s Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum (MIPF), Riyadh.

26 October (Saturday): Donor Conference to Support Refugees in Sahel and Lake Chad Regions, TBD.

27-28 (Sunday-Monday): The Global PropTech Summit, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts, Riyadh.

29-31 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Investment Initiative Conference, Riyadh.

30 October-3 November (Wednesday-Sunday): Hia Hub 4.0, Riyadh.

31 October (Thursday): No-visa travel for Saudis to Montenegro on charter flights expires.

NOVEMBER

2-9 November (Saturday- Saturday): WTA Finals, Riyadh.

4-7 November (Monday-Thursday): Saudi Build, Riyadh.

26-28 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi Electricity Expo, Riyadh.

11-12 November (Monday-Tuesday): World Advanced Manufacturing Logistics Summit & Expo, Riyadh.

11-12 November (Monday-Tuesday): Saudi Airport Exhibition, Riyadh.

11-12 November (Monday-Tuesday): Expenditure Efficiency Forum, The Hilton, Riyadh.

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday): Cityscape Global, Riyadh.

18-20 November (Monday-Wednesday): The Heavy Equipment and Truck Show, Dammam.

19-20 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): The Women's Economic Forum 2024, Dammam.

19-21 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi International Maritime Forum, Dammam.

23 November (Saturday): Red Sea 600, Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina.

25-27 November (Monday-Wednesday): World Investment Conference, Riyadh.

26-28 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Power Expo, Riyadh.

29 November-2 December 2024 (Sunday-Wednesday): World Sailing Youth Match Racing World Championship, Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina.

DECEMBER

1 December (Sunday): Opec+ to meet.

2-3 December (Monday-Tuesday) Wings of Change Middle East, Riyadh.

3-5 December (Tuesday-Thursday): The International Business Exchange – IBEX EVENTS, Riyadh.

11 December (Wednesday): Billboard Arabia Music Awards (BBAMAs), King Abdullah Financial District, Riyadh.

2-13 December (Monday-Friday): Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Riyadh.

5-8 December (Thursday-Sunday): World Sailing Women’s Match Racing World Championship, Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina.

11 December (Wednesday): FIFA Congress, which will decide the hosting countries for the FIFA World Cup 2030 and 2034

15-19 December (Sunday-Thursday): Internet Governance Forum, King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, Riyadh.

23-26 December (Monday-Thursday): Aqarat Expo, Riyadh.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2024:

The AFC Champions League Elite

2025

JANUARY 2025

14-16 January (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Minerals Forum, King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, Riyadh.

27-29 January (Monday-Wednesday): Real Estate Future Forum, Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh.

28-29 January (Tuesday-Wednesday): Sustainability Forum Middle East, Riyadh.

FEBRUARY 2025

6-8 February (Thursday-Saturday): Liv Golf season opener, Riyadh Golf Club, Riyadh.

10-13 February (Monday-Thursday): Leap 2025, the Kingdom’s premier tech investment conference.

14-15 February (Friday-Saturday): Formula E, Diriyah.

JUNE 2025

26 June (Thursday): 2024-2025 academic year ends.

2026

UN Trade and Development Global Supply Chain Forum to take place in Saudi Arabia.

2027

The World Water Forum takes place in Riyadh.

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