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Agriculture
Nadec unit breaks ground on SAR 2 bn livestock facility in Hail
Nadec had secured a SAR 1.1 bn loan to finance the project
Smart food city is in the works in Najran
The Najran Investment Forum wrapped up with SAR 639 mn in signed agreements
Over SAR 428 mn in Saudi-Dutch agriculture agreements signed in Amsterdam
Among them is a SAR 76 mn investment to establish a French fries factory
Agreements + initiatives worth SAR 8.5 bn signed at Hail Investment Forum
The forum brought together government entities, the private sector, and international investors
Automotive
Jazan hits the gas on EUR 10 bn auto project
The new deal follows a 12-day investment mission to China
Tesla debuts in Saudi Arabia, riding the wave of rising EV demand
Riyadh’s center is now open, with Jeddah’s set to follow by year-end.
Hyundai launches first Middle Eastern plant in Saudi
The plant is projected to contribute some USD 5 bn to Saudi’s GDP by 2045
Ronn to set up Saudi hydrogen truck factories under three-year USD 4 bn plan
The facilities will produce 10k hydrogen trucks, 1k sports vehicles, and an exclusive hypercar
Banking
THIS MORNING: Jafurah condensates set to hit Asian shores by early March
FII organizer RA&A prepares for a USD 1 bn IPO
Fitch forecasts near-term stability and long-term capital strain for Saudi banks
Bank financing for gigaprojects currently accounts for just 5-7% of average sector loans
S&P sees overall bank lending growing by 10% this year
The actual volume of repossessed real estate assets remains “small” — less than 1% of…
Liquidation orders
Sama will no longer accept one-off extension requests, forcing banks to bake these liquidations into…
Basic materials
More flights to China in the cards? Plus: Tourism, healthcare, manufacturing
Plus: Amazon pays USD 1.9 mn to contract workers after finding labor issues in its…
Capital markets
THIS MORNING: View United Real Estate gears up for main market transfer
PLUS: Zoho looks to expand in Saudi + UAE
Bondholders call the PIF’s bluff as S&P stalls EA debt maneuver
The consortium must now decide whether to sweeten the offer or risk a protracted judicial…
CMA opens consultation on direct listing route for subsidiaries
The move aims to unlock value from subsidiaries of established main market companies
Under-construction data centers tap ratings to fund AI buildup
Developers are securing investment-grade ratings to unlock new pools of capital
Climate
Saudi leads the fight against new IMO levy on shipping emissions
A Saudi-led statement to the IMO warned that the new levy could “endanger exports from…
Environment Fund unveils SAR 1 bn green financing initiative
The program aims to attract private sector investment
FDI + oil ports make the rounds
Ras Tanura and Yanbu oil ports are threatened by rising sea levels
COP16 drought talks end without agreement
Twelve days of talks come to a close with no agreement on strategies to fight…
Commodities
BIS flags bubble-like conditions in gold, US equities
The bank noted this is the first time in at least five decades that equities…
Sabco, Bechtel Australia tapped for new Maaden gold mine
The 3.6 mn-ounce mine is set to produce 300k ounces annually
Trump’s steel, aluminum tariffs plan sees non-US metal stocks fall and US steel stocks rise
Analysts are warning of stagflation risks as Trump’s new trade war escalation fuels market uncertainty
MC4 hits the Tadawul today
PLUS: You can now submit bids to invest in national parks
Construction
Data centers dominate project awards in January
Just six projects worth more than SAR 3 bn were awarded in December 2025
Hassan Allam’s Grova Developments establishes footprint in Riyadh with SAR 3.3 bn project
The project will feature more than 3k units across 228k sqm in Riyadh.
Gigaproject delays reportedly starting to hit the capital
The pause underscores a broader government-led recalibration of megaproject timelines and scopes.
Masar Destination construction is back on + A USD 200 mn battery material plant from Northern Graphite
PLUS: PIF partners with RSAH to build aluminum complex in Yanbu
E-commerce
Dar Al Majed + SPM secure shariah-compliant financing
PLUS: Naqel Express taps India’s Unicommerce for e-commerce logistics
Lifestyle malls, digital adoption drive Saudi retail market
Riyadh leads Saudi retail with 4.17 mn sqm GLA and 2.2 mn more due by…
Parsons secures SAR 210 mn contract for Diriyah Phase 2 development
ALSO- 2P locks in a SAR 426.3 mn shariah-compliant credit facility from Saudi Awwal Bank
Salasa earmarks USD 30 mn for Saudi, GCC expansion -Alhazmi
Salasa is implementing a multi-pronged approach for the next two years that begins with deeper…
Education
Almasar Education wraps up Tadawul IPO, with retail portion 1.2x oversubscribed
The company is set for a SAR 2 bn market cap at listing.
Saudi Arabia’s labor market skill gap is costing us
Automation disruption is responsible for half of the losses
Al Jouf Agricultural bags loan to expand French fries factory
ALSO- Roshn Group to cooperate with the Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Ministry to…
Al Muhafaza Education taps Adel Al Maghdawi as its new CEO
Al Maghdawi brings over 33 years of experience in teaching and has held several administrative…
Energy
How data centers can lead renewable energy growth in MENA
Saudi Arabia’s 2025 giga‑project rollout goes to show how quickly the region can move
Acwa powers up Turkey with 5 GW solar push
Acwa will develop, finance, construct, commission, and operate the facilities
Arab Energy Fund finances Iraqi oil field with USD 346 mn
The facility is earmarked for the next development phase at Faihaa
THIS MORNING: Saudi-US consortium eyes major energy blocks in Syria?
ALSO- The subscription window for Kesay Clinics’ Nomu IPO opens today
Finance
Railways galore
Plus: Globalization is dead, Mohamed El Erian says
Show me the Money 20/20
The agreements cover funding, investments, e-commerce, fintech, and more
Lendo secures USD 690 mn facility led by JP Morgan
The funding will be earmarked to boost Lendo’s lending capacity
SVC backs Jadwa Investment’s SAR 2 bn PE fund
The fund will target a mix of high-potential private equity opportunities in the GCC
Food
Tihama to acquire Dan Diamond Real Estate for an estimated SAR 90.7 mn
ALSO- Umm Al Qura sold a 2.7k sqm land plot for SAR 145.1 mn within…
Almarai finalizes SAR 1 bn takeover of Pure Beverages
ALSO: Dammam adds 162 new industrial units to fire up SME growth
Almarai to acquire full stake in Pure Beverages for SAR 1 bn. PLUS: Acwa eyes Kahrabel assets in Kuwait
The transaction is valued at over SAR 1 bn
BRF + HPDC break ground on USD 160 mn Jeddah food plant
The factory is slated to be open by mid-2026
Healthcare
Health Ministry inaugurates health projects worth over SAR 1.6 bn in Hail
PLUS: Aqaseem Factory to acquire 40% of Leader Express
Almoosa Health awards construction contract for Alkhobar hospital
Excavation and site leveling are already complete, with construction now ready to kick off
Akdital Holding to invest USD 1.6 bn to expand into Saudi, UAE
The firm plans to open eight new hospitals in the two countries by 2030
Almoosa Health lines up Saudi Awwal Bank facility to fund Specialist Hospital
The 10-year facility will finance one of the Eastern Province’s largest private healthcare projects
Infrastructure
Marafiq reaches financial close on SAR 1.9 bn wastewater plant in Jubail 2
The facility will use advanced treatment and recovery technologies to process industrial effluents
Battery energy storage, grid infrastructure investments are needed to support the massive data center and energy buildout that’s coming -Actis’ Sherif El Kholy
Actis is eyeing investments in data centers and supportive infrastructure in the UAE, Saudi Arabia,…
Pole position ceded
The downturn was driven by a 68% y-o-y drop in the last quarter of the…
Saudi water grid opens to Chinese operator
The contract is part of NWC’s LTOM program to expand private-sector participation in the sector
Hospitality + tourism
Marriott to develop five new hotels + Governata raises USD 4 mn in seed round
The Marriott projects will add more than 2.7k rooms to the market
PIF transfers USD 12 bn of stakes in gaming companies to Savvy Games
PLUS: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman lobby US against Iran attack
Tourism employment up 4% y-o-y in 2Q 2025 to 997.4k workers
Hospitality facilities surged 58% y-o-y to 5.3k by the end of 2Q 2025
Jabal Omar inks 15-year deals with Accor, Rotana to manage 1.8k hotel keys in Makkah
ALSO- The UAE’s Ades Holding reactivates suspended Saudi rigs, secures new offshore work
Law
Coco Gauff takes home WTA Finals trophy in Riyadh
PLUS: Sama cuts rates, following in the Fed’s footsteps
Saudi-Brazilian venture eyes 26% stake in Addoha Poultry
PLUS: Ades Holding closes Southeast Asia’s jack-up rigs acquisition
Manufacturing
Saudi industrial growth rides on oil
Industrial Production Index rose 10.4% y-o-y in November, the strongest pace in months
Industrial production climbed 8.9% y-o-y in October
Non-oil activities saw 4.4% y-o-y growth during the month
New policies to tie govt incentives to digital transformation at Saudi factories
Over 200 factories have been accredited so far, 4k targeted by 2030
Oxagon is getting SAR 600 mn industrial gases facility
Construction on the facility will begin in February 2026, with operations slated to kick off…
Mining
Mining stocks are winning as AI boosts demand for metals
Demand for metals is increasingly decoupling from traditional economic cycles
Jeddah Metro plans are getting back on track
PLUS: Lots of Saudi-led defense pacts across the region
A USD 110 bn roadmap
The National Investment Strategy now aims to raise annual mining capital to SAR 92 bn
Drilling push pays off with more gold
New discoveries in the Kingdom’s largest gold mine, Mansourah Massarah, and satellite mines could turn…
Oil + gas
A tale of two oil markets
The cartel and the agency can’t agree on demand as the gap between their oil…
Ades wraps up Shelf Drilling acquisition
Ades plans to refinance Shelf’s debt this year, targeting over USD 30 mn in annual…
Industrial output climbs in September on higher oil production
Oil activities saw an annual increase of 10.1%
Industrial production up 7.1% y-o-y in August
Non-oil activities saw 4.4% y-o-y growth during the month
Petrochemicals
Farabi inaugurates USD 950 mn petrochem plant in Yanbu
The facility expands Farabi’s annual LAB capacity by 120k tons
New petroleum law requires companies, exporters to obtain license
The new law enforces strict penalties, including fines up to SAR 30 mn and prison…
KSA + Philippines ink energy MoU on energy
PLUS: Petro Rabigh and China’s Jiahua Chemicals mull new petrochem facility in Rabigh
Aramco reportedly scraps plans for Ras Al Khair refining and chemical plant
The oil giant is gearing its downstream operations towards Asia
Private equity
THIS MORNING: Jada Fund of Funds targets Saudi private credit to bridge financing gap
GCC countries are in a risk-value sweet spot, Brookfield says
Private equity’s liquidity crunch persists, with USD 3.8 tn in assets still waiting for exit
Transaction and exit values rebounded in 2025, but distributions remain stuck near crisis-era lows
Safanad frees up USD 1.6 bn after UK care home exit
The sale comes as it steps up its healthcare push across the Kingdom and the…
Growth could slow down if US-Iran friction persists, BMI warns
LUS: The ,aster plan for Expo 2030 could be released this month
Real Estate
The Kingdom is shifting toward Makkah amid scaling back of desert gigaprojects
Global financial giants like BlackRock and HSBC are entering a property market that now rivals…
Dammam is getting SAR 98 bn seaside urban development
The project covers a total of 32 mn sqm
Enaya shareholders reject the Salama tie-up, SFD expands its industrial footprint in Oman
Shareholders block the Enaya-Salama merger, marking another rejection for the insurer
Foreign ownership of real estate is now live
CMA allows listed companies and funds to own real estate nationwide
SMEs
Diriyah and Jeddah are getting USD 10 bn in Trump projects
Dar Global targets foreign capital with Trump projects in Diriyah and Jeddah
Saudi housing reform sets to unlock global capital, Bloomberg says
The Kingdom’s housing push is getting fresh ink from Bloomberg, which ran a deep dive…
The Big Reform
The flurry of intervention measures came to restore the balance between supply and demand
AlUla lands are open for business
Property owners can now buy and sell land, apply for building permits, and issue deeds…
Sports
Who’s Ben Harburg?
Harburg led US-based sports-focused investor Harburg Group fully acquired Al Kholood Club last July
Real Estate Price Index declines for the first time in five years
PLUS: Easing tensions with the UAE?
Contract awards fell by nearly half in 2025 on gigaproject delays + lower oil and gas spending
PLUS- Mohammed Hadi Al Rasheed & Partners is heading to the big leagues
Al Hilal rises to the top of SPL leaderboard + Al Qadsiah beats Al Riyadh
PLUS- KDL Logistics hits the Nomu tomorrow
Tech
AI jitters send tech stocks tumbling
The rout was fueled by fears that even market heavyweights like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Oracle…
How off-balance-sheet financing is masking the true cost of the AI boom
Big Tech has pushed over USD 120 bn of AI data-center debt off its balance…
Investors rotate into Chinese AI as bubble fears mount on Wall Street
Investors are rotating toward China, where cheaper valuations and power advantages offer a hedge against…
Al Moammar snags Humain data center contract, STC brings UAE media arm home
The awarded contract is valued at about SAR 1.9 bn
Telecoms
Dubai-based Khazna Data Centers lands in KSA
The firm has uptaken a 225k sqm in Dammam to develop up to 200 mw…
Cybersecurity startup Cognna closes series A funding
The funds will be utilized to accelerate Cognna’s global expansion
Humain secures approval for Nvidia’s high-end AI chips
PLUS: Paramount’s Ellison reportedly sought Saudi backing for Warner Bros. bid
Humain steals the show at FII9 with USD 3 bn center push, Aramco backing and product launches
Humain could go public via a dual listing on Tadawul and Nasdaq
Trade + Logistics
Trade surplus rises on oil sector + re-export growth
Non-oil exports, including re-exports, jumped 18.6% y-o-y in 4Q
Trade surplus hits 3-year high in November
Oil exports increased 5.4% y-o-y leading the Kingdom’s trade profile
Services exports outpace imports growth
Travel services took the lion’s share of exports with a total value of SAR 33.8…
Services exports outpace imports growth
Travel services took the lion’s share of exports with a total value of SAR 33.8…
Transport
Saudi Arabia orders more high-speed trains from Talgo
The new passport will record each camel’s identity, ownership, breed, and health history
More passenger capacity on Eastern, Northern train lines + A handful of loans
SAR to expand Eastern and Northern train lines Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) kicked off the…
Road network overhaul enters phase 3 + Maaden-Hancock JV to explore Makkah gold belt
The new projects are expected to be delivered in three to four years.
TGA freezes land transport fines + Sama digitalizes check clearing
ALSO- TGA freezes fines to help businesses adjust