Good morning, wonderful readers. This morning is dominated by a flurry of agreements and partnerships signed in the first day of Leap 25, totalling USD 14.9 bn. Also: Ma’aden has raised USD 1.3 bn from its USD-denominated sukuk issuance, and Entaj set the pricing on its Tadawul IPO. Let’s dive in.
HAPPENING TODAY-
The Saudi Travel Market kicks off today and runs through Wednesday at the Riyadh International Conventions and Exhibitions Center. The 3-day forum looks to catalyze growth in the Saudi travel sector while providing a platform for local and international travel executives to exchange ideas, best practices, and insights on global travel trends.
WEATHER- A windy Riyadh is looking at a high of 21°C and a low of 8°C today, while over in Jeddah the mercury is set to peak at 29°C and hit a low of 19°C. Meanwhile, Makkah will see a 32°C high and an 18°C low.
PSAs-
Innovative entrepreneurs and startups can now apply for the sixth round of the IbtikarAward for a shot at a SAR 300k prize pool and a chance to qualify for the Entrepreneurship World Cup, the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at) said in a post on X. The award recognizes individuals and establishments integrating emerging technologies or innovative practices into their products, services, business models, or operations.
WATCH THIS SPACE-
#1- The Kingdom accounts for half of the region’s digital economy, which saw a 73% increase since Leap’s 2022 event to reach USD 260 bn, Al Arabiya quotes Minister of Communications and IT Abdullah Al Sawaha as saying on the sidelines of Leap 25. Saudi also accounts for 84% of the Middle East’s tech skills market, which has grown by 19% since Leap 2022, Al Sawaha added.
** We have everything you need to know from Leap’s first day in the newswell below.
#2- The share price of beauty retailer Lamasat rose the maximum 30% on its Nomu debut yesterday, closing at SAR 7.47 apiece, up from the final IPO price of SAR 5.75. The Madinah-born company took a 7.4% stake to market in an offering that was 11x oversubscribed .
#3- 3D printing is poised to boost Saudi energy parts market: Advances in 3D printing are set to yield significant growth in the local energy spare parts market, Fahmi Al Shawwa, CEO of digital manufacturing company Immensa, told Asharq Al-Awsat. The Kingdom’s energy spare parts industry is valued at USD 10-15 bn a year and accounts, accounting for over half of the GCC market.
BUT- Public and private sector players are still hesitant to adopt the advanced technology due to perceptions of risk, Al Shawwa explains. “This calls for greater awareness and education on the true benefits of these innovations,” he added.
DATA POINTS-
Gold bullion and coin purchases in the Kingdom were up 9% y-o-y at 15.4 tons in 2024, hitting their highest since 2014, according to a report from the World Gold Council. This marks the fourth consecutive year of increasing local demand for the precious metal, Argaam reported. The Kingdom held 323.1 tons of gold as of last year, accounting for 6% of its total reserves, raking first in the Arab world and 18th globally.
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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-
Trump’s trade war is back in the spotlight this morning, as China’s retaliatory tariffs on US imports take effect, while Trump unveils more measures are on the way.
Getting even: The US President told reporters that he plans to announce additional 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. More tariffs are to be announced later this week and take effect almost immediately, as Trump vowed to match any reciprocal tariffs levied by trade partners. The escalation comes hours after China’s retaliatory tariffs — targeting USD 14 bn of US imports — took effect. (Reuters | Bloomberg | New York Times | FT)
CLOSER TO HOME- An Israeli delegation is in Qatar to continue ceasefire discussions — the two sides will touch on the nitty gritty of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. This comes as Israel withdraws its troops from the Netzarim corridor. (BBC | Reuters)
OVER IN BUSINESS WORLD- French President Emmanuel Macron said EUR 109 bn worth of investments are to be announced during the Paris AI summit, which kicks off today and will see participation from Abu Dhabi’s MGX and Canada’s Brookfield among other big names in the tech world. (FT | Reuters)

