Key AI, defense, and nuclear pacts with Washington inch closer to reality

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Saudi and the US said to be closing in on AI, defense, and nuclear pacts

Good morning, friends, and happy Thursday to you all. We hope you’re looking forward to the weekend as much as we are.

THE BIG QUESTION of the day: Are we closing in on AI and defense pacts with the United States separate from a potential agreement to normalize ties with Israel? That’s what Bloomberg and the Guardian contend this morning. Reportedly in play:

A new agreement on artificial intelligence that would see lost of investment in (and cooperation on) AI and quantum computing while we agree to “limit” the use of some Chinese technology in Saudi;
A defense pact that would see Washington pledging to help defend Saudi and give the military access to more advanced US weapons;
US help building a domestic nuclear power industry, a key “always-on” component of our drive to ensure energy security (and cement our position as an exporter of green and low-emission electrons).

^^ Any one of these three is good news for Saudi, and all three would be great — with or without a broader pact to recognize Israel.

Sound smart: The US wants Saudi to recognize Israel and establish formal diplomatic and trade ties. Saudi wants three things: A defense pact, a nuclear agreement, and an irrevocable path to statehood for Palestine. Trying to orchestrate a full set of agreements all at once became questionable as Israel’s war in Gaza grinds on and as it continued to insist it would launch a ground attack on Rafah.

So where would normalization come in? Riyadh and Washington would, effectively, tell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Join us or be left behind,” Bloomberg says. “An offer would be made to Israel of normalization of diplomatic relations with Riyadh in return for Israeli acceptance of the two-state solution,” the Guardian adds. Bloomberg Opinion sees the push to do a bilateral agreement as having legs, saying it would help Washington and Riyadh contain Iran even if Israel doesn’t fall in line.

The usual caveats apply: Talks could stall (particularly as US domestic politics come into play) and the defense pact would likely require approval in the US Senate.

WHISPERS- New York City’s equivalent of a CFO-slash-chief investment officer doesn’t want BlackRock to allow Aramco boss Amin Nasser to sit on the asset manager’s board. Nasser was named to the board last summer. NYC Comptroller Brad Lander has had his knickers in a twist ever since, saying he objects to a “climate-conflicted” exec joining a board that the thinks should be part of a low-carbon future.

What’s happening now? Lander wants shareholders to vote against Nasser’s appointment as an independent non-executive board member. NYC’s pension fund holds BlackRock Stock, Bloomberg writes, and is a client of the world’s largest asset manage.

Odds that shareholders will follow Lander’s line: Just about zero, we think.

READY FOR EXPO 2030?

That faint drumbeat you hear? It’s the sound of preparations ramping up for Expo 2030. Crown prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman discussed the Kingdom’s preparations to host the world fair at a meeting with Bureau International des Expositions Secretary-General Dimitri Kerkentzes, according to state news agency SPA.

The event could attract mns to the Kingdom, cementing our position as one of the fastest-growing globally significant tourism destinations. It is set to be a boon to construction and infrastructure players and others in the Kingdom, with spending on infrastructure and other components of the event estimated to be in the USD 92 bn range, according to officials.

BACKGROUND- The Kingdom was named host in November after edging out Italy and South Korea in balloting by BIE member states.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- A global treaty on plastic pollution inches forward without production caps: Weeklong talks in Ottawa on a global treaty on plastic pollution saw delegates from 170 member states and over 480 observer organizations convened to refine the international legally binding draft text on plastic pollution, including marine environments. Despite objections from some parties, a group of 28 countries issued a pledge to include production caps in the final treaty text.

THE LOCAL ANGLE- Saudi Arabia and other countries want to focus on cutting down on plastic waste instead, arguing that the negotiations would be better served by “focusing on less contentious topics such as plastic waste management and product design,” Reuters reports. Countries across the board agreed to set forth a plan for how to identify hazardous plastic chemicals and wasteful plastic products including single-use plastic.

What’s next: Work will continue in ad hoc meetings before the final summit on 25 November in Busan, South Korea, including discussions on how to make it possible for emerging markets to afford the implementation of whatever treaty emerges from the talks.

#2- Ukrainian fintech companies are looking to do business in Saudi, Ukraine’s Deputy Digital Transformation Minister for IT Development Oleksandr Bornyakov told Aleqtisadiah. “Ukrainian companies are looking towards bolstering cooperation with Saudi and creating an enabling environment for cross-border partnership and knowledge exchange to help facilitate entry into Gulf markets,” he said.

Ukraine’s pitch: The war-town country’s tech industry has expertise in digitizing public services, government and defense technologies, deep tech, artificial intelligence, and others.

This is a take two: Ukraine first began talks with Saudi on cooperation in the tech sector in 2021, but the plans were shortly shelved after the Russian invasion a year later, Bornyakov said.

#5- The Transport General Authority (TGA) has suspended an unspecified ride-hailing app from operating, it said on X. The app was suspended for failing to comply with unspecified rules, TGA said. It didn’t say whether the app had been banned permanently or for a set period.

Background: TGA warned in March that it would crack down on unlicensed passenger transportation. The most recent rules for ride-hailing apps include allowing drivers to see the destination of a trip before accepting the ride request. Rules also now ban non-Saudi drivers and will allow apps to suspend users who cancel more than five rides within a month.

Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Al Khorayef is in Doha for talks, state news agency SPA reported yesterday. Al Khorayef is leading the Kingdom’s delegation to a meeting of the GCC Industrial Cooperation Committee.

Kicking off a busy schedule with an offer on mining: Al Khorayef highlighted incentives offered by the government to mining investors during a meeting with Qatari investors as it looks to tap on the nation’s untapped mineral resources which are estimated at USD 2.5 tn, state news agency SPA reported.

PSAs-

#1- WEATHER- Thunderstorms are starting to ease up: Calm is being restored in Makkah following the storm — expect sunny skies and highs of 38°C. There’s no rain today over in Jeddah, but there are strong winds. It’s looking like another day of thunderstorms today in Riyadh, meanwhile, but these are expected to draw to a close in time for the weekend, according to the national weather center.

Did the storm hit you hard? Al Ula and Medinah as well as Riyadh saw some flooding over the past two days.

#2- Residents of Jazan will now be able to get around town with the city’s first-ever public bus service, which launched yesterday, the Transport General Authority said in a statement. The new system includes 47 buses, nine routes, and 84 stops, covering Jizan, Sabya, and Aburish for 18 hours a day.

IN CONTEXT- Jazan’s new public bus service comes as part of a broader government initiative to gradually roll out transport services, including metro and bus services across the country. In the capital city, the King AbdulAziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport saw the launch of the first phase of the Riyadh bus service in March 2023 and will see metro service roll out, too.

DATA POINT-

The general ins. market is set to be worth north of USD 22 bn by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.2% over the next four years, according to projections by GlobalData. Growth will be driven by the health and automotive segments, which together accounted for 86% of the general ins. market’s gross written premiums in 2023, the data showed.

The ins. market saw high growth over the last two years, coming in 27.7% in 2022 and 22.8% in 2023. The rapid expansion of the market was “supported by favorable regulatory developments in motor and health ins. lines, rising construction activities, increasing preference for specialized healthcare, and growing motor vehicle sales,” said GlobalData’s Sutirtha Dutta. Expect growth to taper off and settle in at around 5.2% per year, supported by the continued expansion of demand from non-oil sectors including transport, logistics, and tech, Dutta says.

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DID YOU KNOW that we also cover Egypt and the UAE?

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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

#1- Hamas is “negative” on Israel’s latest proposal as part of Cairo-brokered ceasefire talks, but said its negotiators would continue to engage in the process.

AND- US Democrats are putting pressure on Joe Biden to push Israel not to assault Rafah, where more than 1 mn people are taking refuge from Israeli forces, Reuters reports.

#2- The US Federal Reserve said it is “more likely to keep interest rates at their current level for longer than to raise them again,” the Wall Street Journal reports after the Fed wrapped last night its two-day monetary policy meeting. At issue with the higher-for-longer stance: “It is likely to take longer for us to gain confidence that we are on a sustainable path down to 2% inflation,” the Financial Times reports Fed chair Jay Powell as having said after the meeting. “I don’t know how long it will take.”

#3- The global press remains obsessed with pro-Palestinian protests in the United States, where hundreds were arrested yesterday as many university administrators called in police. Reuters | Wall Street Journal | BBC | Politico

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

AlUla will host the first edition of Arab Cup for Camel Racing tomorrow. The camel race will see camel owners from 15 countries competing in 13 rounds for prizes of over SAR 3 mn.

GDP shrinks for a third consecutive quarter on the back of lower oil activity

Saudi GDP fell 1.8% y-o-y in the first quarter of the year, marking the third consecutive quarter that the economy has been in contraction, according to preliminary figures from state statistics agency Gastat (pdf). The downturn was again due to a 10.6% decline in oil activity, which accounts for c. 40% of GDP (and about 75% of government revenues).

Non-oil activity was up 2.8% y-o-y, with government activity also growing at a 2% clip.

REMEMBER- The Kingdom cut oil production by 500k barrels per day in April 2023 in a bid to arrest falling oil prices. That figure became a 1 mn bpd voluntary cut by June. Though originally seen ending in December 2023, the government extended the 1 mn bpd cut through 1Q 2024 and now seems poised to continue it through June 2024, maintaining production at 9 mn bpd.

On a quarterly basis: GDP climbed 1.3% compared to the previous quarter, driven primarily by a 2.4% increase in oil activity, as well as 0.5% growth in non-oil activities. Government activity slowed by 1% q-o-q.

There’s still time to catch up to gov’t targets: The Finance Ministry is targeting GDP growth of 4.4% for the current fiscal year, Finance Minister Mohamed Al Jadaan said in December. The IMF revised its 2024 growth forecast for the Kingdom to 2.6% last month, pointing to the combined effects of lower oil prices and production cuts.

Activity could pick up later this year: London-based research outfit Capital Economics sees the economy recovering throughout the year, saying in a research note seen by Mubasher that the preliminary estimate of the country’s GDP this quarter is a sign that it is emerging from a recession.

Foreign and local tourism, hospitality operators get easier licensing requirements in Saudi Arabia

Tourism and hospitality companies will have an easier time doing business thanks to the Tourism Investment Enablers Program, which was launched yesterday, the Tourism Ministry said on X. The program aims to make it easier to get licenses for a range of activities, with fees and procedures pegged to the type and scale of operations. The measure applies equally to Saudi and international investors and includes a specific program to boost the hospitality sector.

Aiming high: The hospitality program aims to lure in investments of up to SAR 42 bn and add SAR 16 bn to GDP by 2030.

The launch comes as the Saudi tourism sector remains robust despite rising geopolitical tensions. Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb said earlier this week that the number of tourists visiting Saudi rose 10% y-o-y in 1Q 2024, with tourist spending growing 17% in the same period.

BACKGROUND- The ministry doubled its target for 2030 earlier this year, hoping now to be host to 150 mn tourist trips after it hit its target last year ahead of schedule. The new 2030 target sees 80 mn by domestic travelers and 70 mn by international travelers.

TOURISM MUST-READ this morning: Travel industry staple Skift has a rundown on everything you need to know about this week’s Future Hospitality Summit in Riyadh this week.

Filling stations, parks will be required to install EV charging stations

Petrol stations and public parks across the Kingdom will reportedly soon be required to offer EV charging points, Aleqtisadiah reports, citing sources it says have knowledge of the plan. The potential requirements would focus on gas stations and parks along highways, Aleqtisadiah’s sources suggest.

The state of play: Officials have been moving forward with EV infrastructure as part of a push into green mobility. Last October, the Public Investment Fund and the Saudi Electricity Company launched the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company (EVIQ) to expand fast-charging infrastructure across the Kingdom. EVIQ opened its first fast EV charging stations in Riyadh in January, with plans to set up over 5k fast chargers in over 1k locations in cities across Saudi by 2030.

Aussie objections complicate Saudi bid to host tenth tennis Masters 1000 tourney

Could contractual issues with Tennis Australia put our bid to host a Masters 1000 tournament at risk? Tennis Australia has warned the ATP Tour against scheduling a Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia, citing scheduling concerns that could be tantamount to a “breach” of contract between the two organizations, The Athletic reports, citing a letter it has reviewed.

Uh, Enterprise? What’s a Masters 1000? There are nine of them, and they’re among the biggest events in tennis, including Indian Wells, the Shanghai Open, as well as the Canadian and Italian opens. Think of them as nine of the “tent poles” of the global professional tennis circuit, then add in the four “grand slams”: The US Open, Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon.

They’re called Masters 1000 because the top finisher takes 1k ranking points in the ATP and WTA tour standings. The top men’s and women’s player at a grand slam would take 2k points.

So what’s the issue? A tenth Masters 1000 — for which Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Australia were invited to bid — would potentially be held during the first week of the 2027 tennis season, The Athletic says. Tennis Australia has an agreement — running through to 2029 — with the ATP Tour which stipulates that the first week of the season is reserved for the United Cup held in Australia and New Zealand. The United Cup is treated like a warm-up for the Aussie Open.

The problem: Hosting the Masters event in Saudi Arabia (or, by the same logic, Dubai, Doha, or Abu Dhabi) would be “clearly damaging to player preparation for a Grand Slam” as it would force players to cope with “an eight-hour time zone difference, different climactic [sic] conditions, and a 15-hour flight” between the Kingdom and Australia.

REMEMBER- PIF announced a multi-year strategic partnership with ATP Tour back in February, and have since been pushing for a Masters event in the Kingdom.

Ma’aden and PIF close 10% stake acquisition in Vale Base Metals

Ma’aden + PIF JV takes 10% stake in Vale: Manara Minerals, a JV between Saudi Arabian Mining (Ma’aden) and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) set up for international mining investment, completed the acquisition of a minority stake in Brazilian miner Vale Base Metals (VBM). Manara is 51% owned by Ma’aden, and 49% owned by PIF. The transaction is worth an estimated USD 2.6 bn, based on a USD 26 bn enterprise value VBM had previously disclosed.

What’s in it for Manara: The acquisition “will play a key role” in Manara’s copper and nickel production expansion, it said in an earlier disclosure. The Ma’aden-PIF JV could deploy USD 15 bn in the coming years, sources said in January of last year.

REMEMBER- Copper, cobalt, nickel, and lithium — critical minerals for EV and battery storage production — are expected to see a massive jump in demand in the coming years as countries roll out their plans for energy transition.

This has been in the works: PIF has been reportedly in advanced talks with Vale over a minority stake acquisition through Manara since as far back as June of last year, which was contested by the likes of Japan’s Mitsui & Co and the Qatar Investment Authority. The agreement was finalized through a binding agreement the following month.

About Vale: VBM has “world-leading mining jurisdictions,” in places like Canada, Brazil and Indonesia. It is also Vale’s holding arm for energy transition metals, boasting supply chains for nickel, copper, and cobalt, which Manara will gain access to, according to a PIF statement. Vale also signed an agreement in January with The Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu to set up a green iron ore briquettes production plant in the Kingdom.

Ma’aden is stepping up its investments: The mining company completed a SAR 5.6 bn transaction yesterday which saw it up its stake in Ma’aden Wa’ad Al Shamal Phosphate — its JV with the Mosaic Company and Sabic — to 85% after it purchased Mosaic’s entire 25% stake.

Dammam Port on track to become home to a regional logistics hub

Sharqia Development Authority is set to build an 8 mn sqm regional logistics hub in Dammam Port, dubbed Dammam Regional Logistics Center (RLC), its CEO Omar Alabduallatif told Argaam. No further details regarding the investment ticket or the project’s timeline were disclosed, however Alabduallaif referred to a “rapid implementation.”

Details: The hub will be located nearby King Abdulaziz Port, King Fahd International Airport, and a network of highways. It is set to include a dry port, a logistics services area, and a direct connection to the nation’s railways, Alabduallatif said. Dammam’s RLC is projected to cover 55% of Dammam’s total logistics activities and will also mediate trade with GCC partners via close links to three major airports and four commercial ports, he added.

The capital of the Eastern Province is well-placed: “Nearly 37% of the Kingdom’s imports come through the Eastern Province’s ports, topped by King Abdulaziz Port with 25%. In addition, King Fahd Airport accounts for 24% of the Kingdom's total air freight business,” the CEO said.

The larger picture: Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman unveiled last year a master plan for logistics centers to transform the Kingdom into a “global logistics hub.” The plan could see 59 centers across the country spanning a total of 100 mn sqm, with 17 centers earmarked for the Eastern Province.

Sabic reports dip in 1Q income, says global overcapacity puts “significant pressure” on the industry

Petrochemicals giant Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic) reported a 62.1% y-o-y drop in net income in the first quarter of the year to SAR 250 mn, down from SAR 660 mn in the corresponding quarter a year earlier, according to its earnings release (pdf). Tevenues were down 10% y-o-y to SAR 32.7 bn over the same period.

A look at q-o-q: On a quarterly basis, Sabic reversed a net loss of SAR 1.73 bn. Revenues were down 7% over the same period.

Why the dip? Sabic — one of the world’s largest petrochemicals companies — attributed the decline in net income to lower revenues, lower contributions from associates and joint ventures, and losses booked as a result of discontinued operations. Revenues declined on the back of a 3% drop in average selling prices and 7% decline in quantities sold, it said.

Looking ahead: “The first quarter of this year has presented global and regional improvement in prices of major petrochemical products mainly driven by demand improvement and logistic disruption. The market has yet to grow into the recent run of capacity investments and this overcapacity continues to place significant pressure on our industry. The gap between excess supply and moderated demand growth is set to remain in place for 2024.” Sabic CEO Abdulrahman Al Fageeh said.

Highlights of the first quarter: A joint venture between Sabic and China’s Fujian Energy Petrochemical broke ground in February on a world-scale USD 6.4 bn petrochemical complex in China’s Fujian. The project comes as part of a plan Sabic is implementing to diversify its feedstock sources and expand its manufacturing presence in Asia. It also shut down its Olefins 3 naphtha cracker in Geleen in the Netherlands “based on a careful evaluation of market conditions.”

REMEMBER- Sabic reported a net loss of SAR 2.8 bn in 2023 in what was the petrochemical giant’s first net-loss ever, according to Bloomberg. The losses came partly due to discontinued operations after the divestment of its steel subsidiary Hadeed.

ALINMA BANK-

Alinma Bank’s net income grew 35.6% y-o-y to SAR 1.3 bn in 1Q 2024, driven by a 18% uptick in total operating income, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul. The lender’s total income from special commission of financing was up 36.9% y-o-y to SAR 3.3 bn, while its total income from special commission of investment increased by 33.9% y-o-y to SAR 460 mn over the same period.

Tunisian SMEs get a helping hand from Islamic Development Bank. Plus: energy, mining and pharma

SMEs-

#1- Tunisia is getting USD 60 mn from the IsDB: The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) signed a joint financing agreement worth USD 60 mn with Tunisia to support SMEs, Tunisian state news agency TAP reported. The agreement sees the Jeddah-based bank providing Tunisia USD 50 mn to support SMEs and a USD 10 mn grant under a partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) for a similar purpose.

#2- Itfc extends USD 25 mn to Banque du Caire to support local SMEs expansion in Egypt: The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (Itfc) and the Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi Exim Bank) signed a USD 25 mn line of credit with Egypt’s Banque du Caire to help local SMEs expand their operations in Egypt, a statement by the Jeddah-headquartered bank read. The financing line will also enable exports of non-oil exports to Egypt, according to the statement.

CONSTRUCTION-

Lana Contracting — a subsidiary of healthcare provider Lana Medical — was awarded a SAR 6 mn contract to restore the Peninsula Shield Forces’ HQ in King Khalid Military City, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul. The company will be responsible for all of the project’s structural, architectural and electromechanical installations.

MINING-

Tadawul-listed miner Almasane Alkobra (Amak) was awarded a copper and zinc exploration license from the Industry and Mineral Resources Ministry, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul. Amak said it will conduct necessary exploration surveys to ensure the availability of copper and zinc at the concession area located next to the Guyan extension exploration license and the current Jabal Guyan gold mining license.

SHIPPING + MARITIME-

A new shipping service is set to boost Jeddah Islamic Port’s links to Mediterranean ports, the Saudi Ports Authority said on X. The new service, dubbed Levant Express and operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), will operate weekly trips to the ports of La Spezia and Naples in Italy, Mersin in Turkey, and Alexandria in Egypt with a capacity of up to 15k containers.

AGRICULTURE-

The National Agricultural Services Company signed a cooperation agreement with global agricultural consultancy firm Delphy to transfer agricultural technologies and train local agricultural consultants, state news agency SPA reported.

ENERGY-

Saudi Electricity Company is getting a helping hand from JBIC: The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will help develop solutions to Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) in renewable energy and transmission infrastructure, according to a statement by the Japanese state-owned bank. This plan will be implemented through investments by Japanese companies and technologies and a possible provision of final support, it said, without clarifying.

PHARMA-

US-based drugmaker AbbVie opened its regional HQ in Jeddah, according to a statement. The regional office will help the leading pharma manufacturer expand its operations in Saudi and the wider Middle East Region, AbbVie intercontinental area Senior Vice President Pierre-Claude Fumoleau said.

TRANSPORT-

Riyadh-based concrete manufacturer Meyar has added eight new trucks to its fleet to help boost supply chain efficiency, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul. It purchased the trucks under a SAR 2.4 mn purchase agreement with trucks distributor Commercial Saleh Ibrahim Al Dohan.

CONSULTING SERVICES-

US-based consultancy firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) has incorporated its regional headquarters in Riyadh as its Saudi team grew sixfold over the past year, it said in a statement. It said the move “aims to leverage local insights in the Kingdom to drive sustainable growth and innovation.” A&M, which has a footing in Saudi since 2017, provides a wide-array of consulting services in the areas of banking, tax, healthcare and dispute resolution, among others.

And that’s not all: 13 local graduates will join A&M’s inaugural Bidayah Graduate Program where they will be trained on management consulting by industry experts over the course of the program’s 12-months period, according to the statement.

FOOD SECURITY-

The Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) signed a MoU with the Islamic Corporation for the Ins. of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) to promote food security, they said in separate statements (here and here). The cooperation agreement will see ICIEC provide ins. coverage of ADF’s agricultural investments overseas and support agricultural projects in Saudi. The ICIEC is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

CULTURE-

The Heritage Commission signed a scientific cooperation agreement with Japan’s Kanazawa University to conduct archaeological surveys at pre-historic sites in Al Jouf and Tabuk, it said in a post on X.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-

Riyadh gets first Arabi- language AI processing center: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launched the first artificial intelligence center for automated Arabic language processing in Riyadh, the academy’s secretary-general Abdullah Al Washmi told Arab News. The center will be home to five main laboratories focused on developing AI-based innovations, applications and others in Arabic.

DFM to allow trading of non-listed shares + Spinneys prices IPO at top of range

It’s a busy morning on Planet Finance, so let’s jump right in:

Supermarket chain Spinneys Dubai is on track to raise AED 1.38 bn (USD 380 mn) in its Dubai Financial Market IPOafter pricing the offering AED 1.53 per share — the top the range on which bankers had guided thanks to heavy investor interest, it said in a statement (pdf).

Shares will start trading on the DFM on Thursday, 9 May, under the ticker SPINNEYS, the statement reads.

The local angle: Spinneys is coming to Saudi this year and aims to open at least four new stores every year. The company had been hoping to line up Saudi investors for the IPO, but it’s unclear who wrote tickets in the end. EIIC and Franklin Templeton each placed orders as cornerstone investors.

Advisors: Our friends at HSBC Middle East are joint global coordinators alongside EmiratesNBD Capital and Merrill Lynch. Our friends at EFG Hermes are joint bookrunners, while Rothschild Middle East is an independent financial advisor. Emirates NBD Capital is also acting as listing advisor, while Emirates NBD Bank is lead receiving bank. Other receiving banks include our friends at FAB as well as MBank and Commercial Bank of Dubai.

(** Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background and outside sources.)

DFM TO TRADE PRIVATE-MARKET SHARES

The Dubai Financial Market is venturing into private capital markets with the launch of Arena, a platform that it said will allow family businesses and SMEs to access a range of asset classes, including debt and equity, the exchange said in a press release (pdf).

Arena will provide customized pre-IPO listing options where private companies can limit who can access their shares to institutional investors, employees-only, or family and founding members, according to the statement. Companies wanting to raise around AED 35 mn could use the platform as a cheaper alternative to traditional funding routes.

ALSO…

#1- PIF-backed Aston Martin’s results dipped this quarter as it ramped down its Vantage model, Bloomberg reports. Its revenues fell 10% y-o-y in 1Q 2024, selling 945 cars — a 26% y-o-y decrease, it said in an earnings release (pdf).

#2- Shares of cruise line operator Viking Holdings rose as the company made its NYSEdebut yesterday. Shares rose 9% in the first day of trading as Viking wrapped up its USD 1.54 bn offering, the second-largest in the US this year after Arc’teryx owner Amer Sports went public in February.

#2- Google has fired some 200 “core” employees and moving some jobs to India and Mexico, CNBC reports in an exclusive.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian shares are mixed this morning, with the Nikkei and Kospi in the red while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is flat and the ASX 200 is up 0.3%. The Shanghai Stock Exchange remains closed as China observes an extended labor day holiday.

Traders seem to be happy with Jay Powell’s comments that interest rates would stay put for a while longer: Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P futures are all up 0.4% or more in overnight trading.

European stocks look set for a softer open, with futures for most of the continent’s major benchmarks trending lower at dispatch time this morning.

TASI	12,346	-0.4% (YTD: +3.2%)
MSCI Tadawul 30	1,550	-0.7% (YTD: -1.1%)
NomuC	26,362	+0.1% (YTD: 7.5%)
USD : SAR (SAMA)	3.75 Sell	3.75 Buy
Interest rates	6.5% repo	5.5% reverse repo
EGX30	25,271	+3.4% (YTD: +1.5%)
ADX	9,032	-0.4% (YTD: -5.7%)
DFM	4,133	-0.5% (YTD: +1.8%)
S&P 500	5,023	-0.3% (YTD: +5.3%)
FTSE 100	8,121	-0.3% (YTD: 6.5%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,921	-1.2% (YTD: +8.8%)
Brent crude	83.63	-3.1%
Natural gas (Nymex)	1.93	-3.0%
Gold	2,311.00	+0.4%
BTC	USD 57,436.50	-4.2% (YTD: 36.0%)

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI fell 0.4% at yesterday’s close on turnover of SAR 6 bn. The index is up 3.2% YTD.

In the green: SPM (+6.6%), Salama Coop. Ins. xx (+5.1%) and Thimar Development (+4.5%).

In the red: AlBaha (-7.1%), Jadwa Reit (-3.3%) and Solutions by stc (-3.1%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC closed up 0.1% yesterday on turnover of SAR 27.2 mn. The index is up 7.5% YTD.

In the green: Edarat (+6.1%), Rawasi (+5.1%) and Burgerizzr (+5%).

In the red: Future Care (-9%), Mayar Holding (-7.5%) and Al Babtain Food (-5.3%)

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

#1- Shareholders of Saudi Investment Bank (Saib) have approved the board’s recommendation of a 25% capital hike to SAR 12.5 bn from SAR 10 bn, it said ina filing to Tadawul (pdf). The capital increase will be executed through the capitalization of 2.5 bn from the statutory reserve. The move comes under Saib’s efforts to expand its operations and achieve higher growth rates, it said.

#2- Shareholders of Solutions are set to vote on a recommended dividend payout of SAR 714 mn at SAR 6 apiece for FY 2023 on Wednesday, 29 May, the tech subsidiary of telecom giant stc said in a disclosure to Tadawul.

#3- Albilad Saudi Sovereign Sukuk ETF set a dividend of SAR 402.5k at 0.04 a unit, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul. Dividends will be disbursed on Sunday, 5 May.

CALENDAR

APRIL

30 April-2 May (Tuesday-Thursday): Automechanika Riyadh 2024 at Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

MAY

2-5 May (Thursday-Sunday): Townhall Expo, Riyadh.

6-9 May (Monday-Thursday): Saudi Smart Manufacturing, Riyadh.

6-9 May (Monday-Thursday): Saudi Smart Logistics, Riyadh.

13-15 May (Monday-Wednesday): Smart Future Expo, Riyadh.

13 May (Monday): Saudi Giga Projects, Riyadh.

14-15 May (Tuesday and Wednesday): Saudi Great Futures, Riyadh.

19-21 May (Sunday-Tuesday): Saudi Energy Convention, Riyadh.

20-21 May (Monday-Tuesday): Future Projects Forum, Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh.

20-22 May (Monday-Wednesday): Future Aviation Forum 2024, Riyadh.

21-23 May (Tuesday-Thursday): The Saudi Food Show, Riyadh.

27-28 May (Monday-Tuesday): Smart Data & AI Summit Saudi, JW Marriott Hotel, Riyadh.

Signposted to happen sometime in May:

Global Trade Review (GTR): KSA
Saudi Energy Convention

JUNE

4-7 June (Tuesday-Friday): Saudi Sports Show, Riyadh.

4-7 June (Tuesday-Friday): Aqarat Expo, Riyadh.

5 June (Wednesday): World Environment Day.

14-22 June (Friday-Saturday): Banks and capital markets closed for Eid Al Adha holiday.

AUGUST

12-15 August (Monday-Thursday): The Saudi Food Expo, Riyadh

SEPTEMBER

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

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

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

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

NOVEMBER

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

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

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

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

DECEMBER

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

Signposted to happen sometime in 2024:

The AFC Champions League Elite

2025

FEBRUARY

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

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