Inflation holds steady in July

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Inflation holds steady in July + Al Hilal take home Saudi Super Cup

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back — we hope you enjoyed the peak August weekend as much as we did. We’re kicking off the week as schools are back in session this morning, which also just so happens to bring a busy issue. Let’s jump right in.

HAPPENING TODAY-

BACK TO SCHOOL SEASON- The new academic year kicks off today for students across the Kingdom. The first semester wraps up on 7 November, before the second semester picks up on 17 November and runs until 20 February, 2025. The year rounds out with the third semester, starting 2 March, 2025, and finishing on 26 June, 2025.

ALSO- Schools are now required to disclose details of their school uniform at least 90 days before the start of the academic year, General Authority for Competition (GAC) Legal Affairs Department Director Hammoud Al Osaimi said (watch, runtime: 1:08). Additionally, schools can no longer require students or parents to purchase the entire school uniform at once, GAC said in a post on X. They may buy individual items or multiple pieces as needed.

The National Events Center will kick off a four-day series of event-tech workshops on the investment landscape of the events sector in a few hours.

Cybersecurity training event SANS Riyadh Cyber Leaders August 2024 kicks off today and runs through this Thursday, 22 August at the Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya.

Monsha’at’s government procurement and contracting awareness program is happening today and tomorrow at the Monsha’at Support Center, Jeddah. The program is designed to raise awareness about the government’s tender and procurement system for both public and private players.

WEATHER– Riyadh’s mercury will peak at 47°C today, before dropping to 30°C, while Jeddah will see a high of 39°C, and a low of 31°C.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

The Esports World Cup Closing Ceremony will be held in Riyadh from Tuesday-Sunday, 20-25 August, to crown the first-ever Esports World Cup Champions, according to a press release. The tournament features a USD 60 mn purse.

PSAs-

#1- Applications for the registration of around 57.6k properties in 10 neighborhoods in Riyadh will be open from Sunday, 1 September 2024, until Thursday, 5 December, the General Real Estate Authority said in a statement. The RER aims to establish a real estate registry across the Kingdom to make it easier for individuals and corporations to know who has a clear title to a property when buying or selling.

#2- Families in the Kingdom in need of kidney transplants can now exchange donor organs between families when a donor’s organ doesn’t match within the same family, Saudi Gazette reported. The exchange will be facilitated through the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation’s newly-launched National Kidney Exchange Program, which is currently running at the King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Dammam, and King Abdulaziz Medical City at the National Guard in Riyadh. The program is designed to increase living kidney donors and reduce waiting lists, with plans to expand nationwide.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Egypt’s Fawry launching in Saudi this year: Fawry, Egypt’s largest e-payment services provider, plans to wrap up agreements with unnamed Saudi partners to launch its services in the Kingdom by the end of this year, CEO and founder Ashraf Sabry told Asharq Business (watch, runtime: 8:19). No further information as provided. The news outlet quoted Sabry in May saying that the EGX-listed company was in talks with as many as six Saudi companies to pave the way for an expansion to Riyadh, without naming the potential partners.

#2- ALSO FROM CAIRO- Magnom Properties, the real estate arm of Saudi industrial group Rawabi Holding, will break ground on the USD 1 bn 50-storey office tower in Egypt’s new capital in early 2025, Reuters reported, citing a company statement. The hydrogen-powered skyscraper, expected to be delivered by 2030, is set to become the first net-zero carbon tower in the MENA region.

#3- We now have guidelines for self-driving vehicles: The Saudi Road Code has added guidelines for self-driving vehicles, mandating the installation of smart communication devices along roadways for direct interaction with self-driving vehicles, according to state news agency SPA. The devices support the safety of self-driving vehicles, as they provide real-time data on road conditions.

#4- Anti-corruption arrest: Retired colonel Saad Ibrahim Al Yousef was arrested for accepting a bribe to influence a corruption case at the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), state news agency SPA reported. Al Yousef and other suspects are currently in custody and under investigation.

#5- The Commerce Ministry has rolled out a new service for reporting cases of commercial concealment online, Saudi Gazette reports citing a Federation of Saudi Chambers circular. Individuals who report concealment cases are eligible for a reward of up to 30% of the fines imposed.

IPO WATCH #1- Nomu-listed Alwasail Industrial has withdrawn its application to transfer to Tadawul’s main market after failing to meet the requirements, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul. The Buraidah-based pipe maker plans to reapply in the future.

IPO WATCH #2- Nomu-listed power infrastructure firm Keir International plans to jump to Tadawul’s main market by the end of this year, according to their annual report (pdf).

DATA POINTS-

#1- The Kingdom’s US treasury holdings are at their highest level since 2020, surpassing USD 140 bn, after adding USD 4 bn at the end of June, Bloomberg reported. “A key factor was taking advantage of the higher interest rate,” the business news information service quoted Monica Malik, chief economist at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. The strength of the USD and the liquidity of the fixed-income asset class were also factors, she added.

AND- The Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) US investments inched up 0.5% q-o-q to USD 20.7 bn in 2Q 2024, with the fund owning 1.6 bn shares across 38 US companies by the end of last quarter, Mubasher reports, citing Securities and Exchange Commission data. Top investments include Uber (USD 5.3 bn), Lucid Group (USD 3.6 bn) and Electronic Arts (USD 3.5 bn).

#2- The Real Estate Development Fund deposited SAR 5.8 bn in the accounts of Sakani program beneficiaries in 1H 2024, according to the program’s bi-annual newsletter (pdf ). The program is part of a government-run housing initiative that facilitates homeownership for citizens via several financing options, including rent-to-own and mortgage loans.

#3- Saudi imports of Russian fuel oil and vacuum gasoil nearly doubled m-o-m in July to 0.7 mn tons, spurred by higher energy consumption to accommodate the rising summer heat, Reuters reported, citing traders and LSEG data.

SPORTS-

#1- PIF taps into North, Central American football with Concacaf partnership: The Public Investment Fund (PIF) has partnered with the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) to support the growth of football in all 41 Concacaf member nations, according to a statement from the PIF. The partnership will see the PIF support football development initiatives and back Concacaf tournaments for men, women, and youth.

IN CONTEXT- The partnership comes as the Concacaf gears up to oversee major events, including the upcoming 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the US.

ALSO- PIF’s Riyadh Air has become Concacaf’s Official Airline Partner under a multi-year partnership, according to a press release.

#2- Al Hilal clinches Saudi Super Cup with 4-1 final score: Al Hilal beat Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al Nassr 4-1 yesterday in the Super Cup final, with Al Hilal scoring all four of its goals within 17 minutes of each other during the second half of the game. Ronaldo scored Al Nassr’s sole goal in the 44th minute of the match. The outcome of the final earned plenty of ink overnight (Reuters | ESPN | Daily Mail | TSN)

#3- Al Nassr will face off against the UAE’s Al Ain next month, alongside Al Hilal and Al Ahli to defend their continental title, Reuters reports. The new season of Asia’s top club competition (AFC) will kick off on Monday, 16 September, with fewer teams — now 24 instead of 40 — and the group stage will follow the Swiss League format.

#4- Saudi footballer Mohammad Noor will be featured in the Heroes roster of EA Sports FC 25 video game. He becomes the third Saudi player to join this prestigious lineup, following Sami Al Jaber and Saeed Al Oweiran, Gulf News reports. Throughout his 20-year career with Al Ittihad and the Saudi National team, Noor has amassed eight Saudi Professional League titles, three AFC Champions League titles, and numerous domestic cup victories.

#5- FROM THE RUMOR MILL- Brazilian Premier League star Willian Borges da Silva may soon be playing for a Saudi team after exiting from Fulham, Reuters reports, citing British media.

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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

It’s a relatively quiet morning in the international press, although there are a couple of stories broadly getting ink:

#1- Post-mortem on Ukraine’s latest victory in Russia: The Wall Street Journal and Reuters are among those running analysis pieces this morning to dissect how Ukraine managed to pull off its invasion of Russia’s Kursk region last week, which signaled a significant victory for Kyiv. The assault — “the biggest invasion of Russia since World War Two” — came in large part to intelligence failures in Russia, in addition to Ukraine’s use of electronic warfare.

#2- Israel killed two senior Hamas members in an airstrike on the West Bank yesterday, one day after a separate strike in Lebanon killed 10 and injured five others, all of whom were Syrian nationals. The attack in Lebanon targeted a weapons depot used by Hezbollah, Israel claimed. The two Hamas members were reportedly responsible for killing an Israeli man in a shooting attack in the West Bank, Israel said. (Reuters | Financial Times)

Hamas objected to new conditions added to a ceasefire proposal originally laid out by US President Biden during last week’s round of talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US in Doha, according to a source speaking to AFP. The added proposals include allowing Israel to keep its troops stationed at Gaza’s border with Egypt, alongside new terms for swapping hostages for prisoners. Hamas, which did not attend the talks, was briefed on them as they unfolded.

Hamas’ refusal comes as US President Joe Biden has said that an agreement is closerthan ever after the talks were put on pause Friday, to be resumed this week. Biden reportedly wants the ceasefire to go through as soon as possible in order to avoid a wider regional war should Iran stay true to its pledge to issue a retaliatory strike against Israel. “With the comprehensive cease-fire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process,” Biden said.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

#1- The EFG Hermes London Conference returns: EFG Hermes will hold its annual conference in London on 9-12 September, giving investors “unique and unparalleled access to leading equities in MENA and key frontier emerging markets.”

The Crown Prince Camel Festival runs until Tuesday, 10 September at the Taif Camel Racing Track, featuring 610 rounds of racing and a purse of SAR 56 mn.

The New Global Sport Conference 2024 is happening on Saturday and Sunday, 24-25 August, bringing together top figures from sports, esports, gaming, entertainment, and technology. This year’s theme is the Future of Fandom, highlighting fans’ role in building brand equity and revenue.

The eight-week Esports World Cup runs until Sunday, 25 August Riyadh’s Boulevard City. The world’s top esports clubs are competing for a pool of USD 60 mn — the largest purse in esports.

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.

Inflation holds steady at a seven-month low in July

Inflation holds steady at seven-month low: Consumer prices remained unchanged from June, recording a 1.5% increase y-o-y in July 2024, according to fresh data from the General Authority for Statistics (Gastat) (pdf). On a monthly basis, prices inched up 0.1% last month, primarily driven by a 1.2% uptick in rent prices.

IN CONTEXT- Inflation has held steady at 1.6% for three consecutive months from March through May of this year, but declined to 1.5% in June.

The usual culprit: House rental prices — the heaviest weighted component in the consumer basket — experienced the most significant y-o-y rise, growing 11.1% in July compared to the same month in 2023 on the back of a 12% increase in apartment rental prices, Gastat said.

Fatter monthly bills: While the report doesn’t provide a separate inflation figure for utilities including water, electricity, and gas, and not for fuel, it points to a 9.3% y-o-y rise in the prices of utilities, fuel, and housing combined.

Also on the up: Food, education, and hospitality. Food and beverage prices saw a 0.4% y-o-y uptick, driven by a 5.3% increase in the price of vegetables. Education also got more expensive with a 1.6% y-o-y increase, while restaurants and hotels saw their prices grow 2.3% y-o-y.

On the other side of the spectrum: Healthcare services prices fell 1.4% y-o-y, transport 3.5%, furniture 3.4%, and clothing and footwear saw a 3% decline.

MEANWHILE- Producer prices rose 3.1% y-o-y in July, according to Gastat’s wholesale price index (pdf). The uptick was driven by an increase in the price of transportable goods (8.3%), on the back of increases in the prices of basic chemicals (15.7%) and refined petroleum products (12.0%). Wholesale prices dipped 0.1% m-o-m last month.

Non-oil economy is getting the bulk of Saudi’s capex investments -Goldman Sachs

Saudi is expected to prioritize non-oil investments as the Kingdom deploys some USD 1 tn in capex across six key sectors by 2030, according to Goldman Sachs Research. Non-oil investments are slated to get a 73% slice of the pie, up from an earlier 66% forecast, Goldman Sachs analyst Faisal Al Azmeh said.

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.

Renewables in the limelight: Clean energy is set to receive USD 235 bn in capex during the next six years, up from a previous forecast of USD 148 bn, as the Kingdom more than doubles its 2030 solar capacity target to 100-130 GW, up from 58.7 GW.

Natural gas, too: Natural gas remains “a key contributor to the country’s decarbonization, economic development, and diversification plans,” Al Azmeh writes. The investment bank’s research house expects investments in natural gas to remain strong, while shrinking to USD 220-190 bn, down from a previous forecast of USD 260-230 bn.

Mining + aviation on the list: The Kingdom is looking to grant upwards of 30 mineral exploration awards this year, supported by a USD 182 mn incentive program to lure in investments into the sector. Transport and logistics are also in heavy spending, with the government expected “to invest USD 100 bn in aviation, and another USD 100 bn or so in electric vehicles, logistics, and other sub-sectors.”

But will the budgetdeficit prove a hitch? Goldman Sachs Research expects the Kingdom’s budget deficit to widen to 4.3% this year, from 2.2% in 2023, with more than half of the increase attributed to higher spending and the rest coming on the back of lower earnings from oil. The Kingdom will nonetheless have to turn to other sources of financing to “bridge an estimated USD 25 bn per year funding gap for its capex projects,” the report reads.

REMEMBER- Policymakers have accepted small deficits as the price of continuing to invest in growth: “We intentionally decided to spend more and cause the deficit. If you spend that money right, on productive assets, then it’s money well spent,” Finance Minister Mohamed Al Jadaan said in December during the FY 2024 budget forecast. He signaled the treasury will continue to run deficits to support the “government’s strategic expansionary spending” even as it paced out some components of select gigaprojects.

Riyadh kicks off four projects in the first phase of its road development program

Riyadh’s road network overhaul gets moving: The Royal Commission for Riyadh City has kicked off the first phase of Riyadh’s main and ring road development program, awarding four contracts worth more than SAR 13 bn, according to a statement on Thursday. The commission plans to award more contracts soon.

The four contracts were awarded for:

The construction of the Second Southern Ring Road, which will stretch 56 km from the new Al-Kharj Road in the east to Jeddah Road in the west. It will include four lanes in each direction, 10 main intersections, and 32 bridges;
Two parallel bridges will be built alongside the Wadi Laban suspension bridge. The contract also covers the establishment of a 4 km-long stretch of the Western Ring Road where it meets Jeddah Road, together with the construction of four new bridges at the Western Ring Road and Jeddah Road junction;
Construction of the western portion of the Thumama Road Axis. The contract entails the establishment of a 6 km section connecting King Khalid Road in the west to King Fahd Road in the east;
Taif Road will be extended from Laban neighborhood to Qiddiya, with the extension covering 16 km from the western end of Taif Road in Laban to Qiddiya.

What we don’t know: No details were provided about the individual cost of each project, or which companies were awarded each of the contracts.

The timeline: Contracts under the first phase of Riyadh’s main and ring road development program are expected to take some three to four years to complete.

BACKGROUND- This is part of the Ring Roads Axes Development Program, which kicked off in 2019. The program includes upgrades to some 500 km of roads in Riyadh, including the construction of new roads, elevating the quality of existing roads, and measures to boost connectivity. The initiative comes in a bid to accommodate population growth, bolster mega development projects in the city, and future-proof Riyadh’s road network.

Tharwah HR’s Nomu offering closes fully subscribed

Homegrown recruitment and HR agency Tharwah HR’s offering on Tadawul’s parallel market Nomu was 107.9% covered, according to a filing to Tadawul.

REFRESHER- The agency is taking a 15% stake public on Nomu, earmarking the proceeds for expansion projects and shoring up its capital. Tharwah had priced its offering at SAR 62 a share, which could see it raking in up to SAR 43.8 mn in proceeds, and give it a market cap of 292 mn at listing.

What’s next: Value Capital will round off required procedures with the Saudi Stock Exchange before determining when trading on its shares will begin.

ADVISORS- Value Capital is acting as the sole financial advisor and lead manager on the transaction, while Baker Tilly is acting as auditor. SNB Capital, Al Rajhi Capital, BSF Capital, Alinma Investment, Riyad Capital, Al Jazira Capital, Alistithmar Capital, Albilad Capital, ANB Capital, SAB Invest, Derayah Financials, Yaqeen Capital, and Alkhabeer Capital were listed as receiving agents.

Fresh regs on personal data transfers outside the Kingdom

Contractual clauses for personal data transfers: The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) is seeking public consultation on a proposed set of contractual clauses that, if approved, would become binding in all contracts relating to the access and sharing of Saudi nationals’ personal data with countries or organizations that don’t meet adequate data protection standards. Stakeholders have until Friday, 30 August, to share feedback on the government surveying platform Istitlaa. Here’s the full proposal standard contractual clauses for personal data transfer (pdf).

BACKGROUND- SDAIA launched public consultations in March on a draft policy to regulate access to and the sharing of Saudi data outside of the Kingdom. The new regulations were introduced against the backdrop of the increasing downside risks that arise with tech advancements. The rules regulate how public and personal data must be handled during its collection, storing, processing, dissemination, and use, with an emphasis on the who, what, when, where, why and how of sharing data with parties outside the Kingdom.

The rationale: The proposed contractual clauses ensure that personal data transferred outside of the Kingdome gets the same level of protection as required by the law. They specify the obligations of the parties involved, primarily data controllers, and processors. A data controller is the entity that owns the data, and the processor is the entity on the receiving end.

Notification requirement: If the data importer is unable to meet its obligations under these clauses for any reason, it must notify the data exporter within 24 hours of becoming aware of the issue.

Data protection obligations: The contracting parties must ensure that the specified organizational, administrative, and technical measures provide adequate protection for transferred personal data in line with applicable legal requirements. The data importer is responsible for applying these security measures to all personal data to prevent breaches, unauthorized access, or other risks. Additionally, the data importer must periodically review and update these measures to ensure ongoing compliance with the relevant regulations.

Have inquiries about the use of your personal data? Data importers and exporters are obliged, under the proposed clauses, to handle and respond to any queries or requests from the owner of the data about how their data is being processed and what their rights are in that regard, within 30 days of receiving the request. If the request is complex, the duration may be extended by another 30 days, while notifying the data owner in advance with an explanation for the delay.

Enforcement + jurisdiction: The proposed guidelines indicate that disputes related to such contracts are to be handled by Saudi Arabian courts.

New appointment at Cenomi Retail

Cenomi Retail has tapped Salim Fakhouri (LinkedIn) as CEO, according to a press release (pdf). Fakhouri joined the retail outfit back in 2021 and has since been CEO of the Fashion Division before stepping into the role of acting CEO in March of this year.

Mawani + Al Jeri to develop two new logistics zones

LOGISTICS-

Mawani + Al Jeri partner up on two logistics zones: The Saudi Port Authority (Mawani) and Al Jeri Logistics Services have inked two contracts worth SAR 160 mn to develop two logistics zones for storing and handling container at Jeddah Islamic Port and King AbdulAziz Port in Dammam, according to a press release. The zones aim to strategically position Saudi Arabia as a logistics hub and a gateway for the three continents.

MANUFACTURING-

#1- Modon allocates land for SAR 400 mn ductile pipe production project: The Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (Modon) has allocated a land plot in Dammam’s Third Industrial City to US pipe manufacturer Welspun Pipes to set up a SAR 400 mn ductile pipes plant, Modon said in a post on X. The project targets an annual production capacity of 300k tons of ductile pipes, which will be used in water transmission projects.

#2- The Saudi Power Transformers Company will supply power transformers to Hyundai Engineering for the Jafurah gas plant expansion project under a SAR 281 mn, 15-month contract, according to a disclosure to Tadawul.

ICYMI- Aramco signed contracts worth over USD 25 bn earlier this year for the development of the second phase of its Jafurah gas field and the expansion of the Kingdom’s primary natural gas pipeline. A consortium led by Hyundai Engineering is reportedly working on the project.

TOURISM-

Saudi Arabia plans to launch a sky tram by 2025 to improve access to the Cave of Hira in Makkah, Gulf News reported. The project is meant to improve the pilgrimage experience, allowing tourists to reach the cave — located in Jabal Al Noor mountain at an altitude of 643 meters — where Prophet Mohammed is believed to have received his first revelation.

FINANCIAL SERVICES-

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation has signed a USD 100 mn on-lending financing agreement with the Development and Investment Bank of Türkiye to support the food, agriculture, renewables, infrastructure sectors in Turkey, state news agency SPA reported.

MARITIME-

Saudi to get its first regional research vessel: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) has contracted Spanish shipbuilder Freire Shipyards to build the Kingdom’s first regional research vessel, it said in a statement. The ship is expected to be built by 2026, with an estimated life span of 30 years. No financial information was disclosed.

M&A WATCH-

Gulf Union Al Ahlia names advisor for potential merger with Gulf General: Gulf Union Al Ahlia Cooperative Ins. has tapped Al Jazira Capital as its financial advisor for the proposed merger with Gulf General Cooperative Ins., it said in a filing to Tadawul. The two companies signed a non-binding MoU earlier this month to explore a merger through a share-swap agreement where Gulf Union Al Ahlia acquires 100% of Gulf General. Gulf General appointed Alinma Investment as its financial advisor.

DIGITIZATION-

The Kingdom scored 85% on the Digital Experience Maturity Index for 2024, up by around 4.4% from 2023, the authority said in a statement. This year’s index measured the satisfaction rate of 175k users across 39 digital platforms. Platforms that scored the highest on the index were Tawakkalna (91.3%), General Authority for Social Ins. (91.2%), and Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (90.4%).

Global stocks record their best week since 2023 as US data calm recession fears

After their worst day in years, global stocks record their best week in nine months: Global stocks saw their best week since November of last year after better-than-expected inflation figures from the US helped calm recession fears triggered by “alarming” US economic data, the Financial Times reports. This comes as markets rebound from a “brutal” sell-off during the first week of August that saw some indexes hit multi-year lows and wiped USD tns from global stock markets.

There was relief on Wall Street, with the benchmark S&P 500 ending a four-week losing streak to close the week up 3.9%. The gains echoed across the board, with the Nasdaq gaining 5.2% and the Dow Jones rising by 2.9% during the week.

The rebound wasn’t just felt in the US, with Japanese stocks in particular also having a good week after facing a dramatic sell-off only a few days before. The country’s Nikkei index rose 7.9% over the week after having fallen 12.4% during the global sell-off — its worst crash since 1987. European stocks also had a good week, with the Stoxx Europe 600 index finishing up 2.4% by the end of trading on Friday..

Analysts seem pretty confident on what lay behind the rebound, with the FT explaining that the rally was “aided by data that suggested the US economy was holding up better than had been feared.” On Wednesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed US inflation falling under the 3% mark for the first time since March 2021 and a day later there were reports of strong retail sales in the US and lower-than-forecasted jobless claims.

Market volatility is the name of the game, with single data points able to swing the entire narrative about global markets, Blackrock’s global chief investment strategist Wei Li is quoted as saying by the salmon-colored paper.

TASI	11,915	+0.6% (YTD: -0.4%)
MSCI Tadawul 30	1,486	+0.3% (YTD: -4.1%)
NomuC	25,761	+0.9% (YTD: +5.0%)
USD : SAR (SAMA)	USD 3.75 Sell	USD 3.75 Buy
Interest rates	6.5% repo	5.5% reverse repo
EGX30	29,629	+0.2% (YTD: +19.0%)
ADX	9,286	+0.5% (YTD: -3.1%)
DFM	4,243	+0.6% (YTD: +4.5%)
S&P 500	5,554	+0.2% (YTD: +16.5%)
FTSE 100	8,311	-0.4% (YTD: +7.5%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,841	+0.7% (YTD: +7.1%)
Brent crude	USD 79.68	-1.7%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.12	-3.4%
Gold	USD 2,538	+1.8%
BTC	USD 59,431.60	+0.3% (YTD: +40.5%)

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI rose 0.6% on Thursday on turnover of SAR 6.8 bn. The index is down 0.4% YTD.

In the green: Cenomi Retail (+9.9%), SASCO (+9.9%) and Red Sea (+9.9%).

In the red: Talco (-1.7%), SRMG (-1.6%) and Rasan (-1.6%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC rose 0.9% on Thursday on turnover of SAR 31.6 mn. The index is up 5.0% YTD.

In the green: Al Rasheed (+16.9%), Leaf (+10.0%) and Banan (+9.8%).

In the red: Tadweer (-6.3%), FAD (-6.0%) and United Mining (-5.2%)

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

Savola Group shareholder Abdullah Mohammed AlRabea’s 8.2% stake in the company will be transferred to Mohammed Abduallah AlRabea & Partners, a company wholly owned by the heirs of AlRabea, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. The stake transfer comes after AlRabea’s passing.

CALENDAR

AUGUST

4 July-25 August: (Thursday-Sunday): Esports World Cup, Boulevard Riyadh City, Riyadh.

10 August – 10 September (Saturday-Tuesday): Crown Prince Camel Festival,Taif Camel Racing Track.

18-19 August (Sunday-Monday): Government Procurement and Contracting Awareness program, Monsha’at Support Center, Jeddah.

18-22 August (Sunday-Thursday): SANS Riyadh Cyber Leaders August 2024, Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya.

24-25 August (Saturday-Sunday): New Global Sport Conference 2024 (NGSC24), Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh.

27-29 August (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi Fashiontex Expo, Riyadh.

SEPTEMBER

2-4 September (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Warehousing & Logistics Expo, Riyadh.

2-4 September (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Wood Expo, Riyadh.

3-5 September (Tuesday-Thursday): 24 Fintech, Front Exhibition & Conference Center, Riyadh.

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

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

10 September (Tuesday): Saudi Arabia Investors Forum, Riyadh.

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.

16-19 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Signposted to happen sometime in 2024:

The AFC Champions League Elite

2025

JANUARY 2025

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

FEBRUARY 2025

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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