Non-oil exports rise in July

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Aramco tightens sukuk price guidance

id: 2024-09-26-03:59:46:225t

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and a very happy THURSDAY to us all. This may have been an abridged week, but the volume of news made it feel like a complete workweek — and today is hardly an exception. We have updates on a handful of developing stories, including Aramco’s USD-denominated sukuk sale, as well as new GDP growth projections from the OECD, the Kingdom’s latest trade figures, and much more.

WEATHER- Riyadh’s mercury will hit a high of 41°C today and a low of 27°C. Meanwhile, Jeddah will see a high of 37°C, and a low of 30°C.

UPDATES-

#1- Aramco issues price guidance on USD 3 bn sukuk sale: Aramco is guiding on a price of 90-95 basis points (bps) over US Treasuries for the five-year tranche of its ongoing sukuk issuance, and 105-110 bps above Treasuries for the 10-year notes, Reuters reports, citing IFR. The oil giant tightened the price guidance after previously guiding on 120 bps above Treasures for the five-year tranche and 135 bps for its 10-year tranche. The state-owned oil giant could lock in as much as USD 3 bn from the USD-denominated sale.

REMEMBER- This is Aramco’s second international debt issuance since July, following a three-year break. The step comes as the state owned oil giant navigates OPEC-mandated oil production cuts and prepares for substantial dividend payouts to the government, as part of its USD 124 bn dividend program for this year.

What the pundits are saying: Lower oil prices and production cuts were a key factor in Aramco’s decision to tap debt markets for a second time this year, as the oil giant looks to alternative sources to boost its FCF and support large dividend payouts, Bureau Chief of Saudi ops at Bloomberg Christiane Burke said in an interview (watch: runtime: 3:34).

#2- SURJ out of the race for EuroLeague minority stake? UK-based BC Partners is now in exclusive talks to acquire a minority stake in the EuroLeague basketball competition, the Financial Times reports, citing sources it says have knowledge of the talks. The exclusive negotiations mean that Saudi’s SURJ Sports and the US’ General Atlantic — which were looking to partner for the stake acquisition — are no longer being considered as bidders. The agreement, which could be valued at EUR 1 bn, is expected to be locked in within a month according to the salmon-colored paper.

REMEMBER: EuroLeague Commercial Assets, the owner of EuroLeague and EuroCup Basketball, is looking to sell about a third of the business.

#3- Dar Global’s first project in Saudi Arabia is expected to cost SAR 880 mn, according to a press release. The 200-villa development in North Riyadh, which it is building in partnership with jewelry maker Mouawad is scheduled to be completed in 4Q 2026, with sales going live next month. Dar Global is the Dubai-based international arm of Saudi real estate developer Dar Al Arkan.

PSAs-

#1- The Saudi Food and Drug Authority updated its regulations on cosmetic product listing, adding a unified online platform for document checking and product listing, and improving access to governmental documents and approvals, state news agency SPA reported. You can dig deeper into the regulations here (pdf).

#2- Registration is now open for the Developing National Cadres to Enter the ContractingSector program. The program, launched by the Saudi Contractors Authority and the Municipalities and Housing Ministry, helps aspirant contractors tap into the industry. It will accommodate up to 100 participants and runs from 20 October to 20 November.

#3- The Municipalities and Housing Ministry put up new regulations on rest areas for public consultation on Istitlaa until 15 October. The new regulations (pdf) seek to introduce a technical integration of governmental platforms Balady, Ejar and Shomos, as well as the Center for Regulating Rest Houses, Parks, and Camps. They also mandate the Real Estate General Authority to draw up a draft for rest area lease contracts.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- SPPC issues tenders for 4.5 GW renewables projects: State-owned Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) has issued requests for qualification (RFQs) for five wind and solar projects in the sixth round of the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), according to a press release. This round will add a combined capacity of 4.5 GW to the Kingdom’s renewable energy portfolio.

Project details: Key projects in this round include the 1.5 GW Dawadmi Wind IPP in Riyadh and four solar PV projects: a 1.4 GW plant in Najran, 600 MW each in Samtah and Ad Darb in Jizan, and a 400 MW plant in Hail.

#2- The Kingdom’s National Transformation Program is currently working on 42 out of 320 country-wide initiatives, with estimated investments of more than SAR 74 bn, the program’s CEO Thamer Al Saadoun was quoted as saying by Aleqtisadiah. The program focuses on empowering the Saudi private sector through its partnerships with over 60 government and private entities, aiming to push forward some 820 pro-business reforms, Al Sadou said.

#3- Dammam to get its first atmospheric water generation plant in 2025: Shas Contracting Company partnered with US firm DewStand to establish the first atmospheric water generation facility in Dammam, targeting an annual production capacity of 1.8k tons of water, DewStand board member Wajih Al Maliki told Aleqtisadiah. The solar-powered facility will serve rural areas, supplying water at lower costs compared to traditional supply networks.

OIL WATCH-

Goldman Sachs expects crude price to rise to USD 77 per barrel in 4Q 2024 as the US Fed kicks off its monetary easing cycle, the investment bank said in a note picked up by Dow Jones Newswires. The bank also estimates that the current global supply shed 500k bpd amid lower output from Canada.

SPORTS-

French goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi signed with AlUla’s women’s team, after spending the second half of last season with Arsenal, according to She Kicks. Bouhaddi boasts 149 caps for France and has made 199 appearances for Lyon. Her new club faces Al Nassr this Friday.

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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Business news is once again being pushed down the digital front page as the world’s press cover frantic diplomatic efforts to try to put together a ceasefire to stop “hell … breaking loose” — in the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres. French and US authorities pushed for a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah at the UN General Assembly yesterday, with French president Emmanuel Macron saying, “Israel cannot, without consequence, just expand its operations to Lebanon.” The two countries are apparently pushing for a 21-day ceasefire, according to two sources speaking to the Financial Times, with Biden expressing hopes that a truce might help pave the way to “dealing with the [occupied] West Bank” and Gaza.

Alongside hopes for a ceasefire are fears of an Israeli ground invasion into Lebanon after Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi told Israeli troops that the country’s airstrikes on Lebanon were aimed not just at degrading Hezbollah’s capabilities, but “to prepare the ground for your possible entry.”

ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION- Libya’s two opposing governments have reportedly agreed on a new central bank leadership to be announced later today, sending Brent crude futures down 2.3% by the end of trading with the expectation of the country to soon up supply. The country’s oil output has fallen by more than half this month after a dispute between competing political factions over central bank-controlled oil revenues led to the removal of the bank’s governor and production strikes in protest.

AND IN BIG TECH NEWS- OpenAI’s CTO Mira Murati announced her departure yesterday — the third in a string of high-profile departures from the AI leader after John Schulman and Ilya Sutskever earlier this year. It was also revealed that OpenAI is in the midst of formulating a plan to restructure the core business into a for-profit corporation as the company seeks to remove the cap on investor returns.

PLUS- The FBI is investigating California-based VC fund Hone Capital on allegations of accessing information about the technology, finances, and clients of US-based startups for the benefit of their Beijing-based financiers or even even the Chinese state. The VC fund has invested in more than 360 tech startups in less than three years, including acquiring stakes in driverless car maker Cruise, payments group Stripe, and aerospace engineer Boom.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Intersec Saudi Arabia will open its doors on Tuesday, 1 October, where experts in the security, safety and fire protection industries will convene to address the role of AI and VR in the sector. The event wraps up on Thursday, 3 October.

The two-day Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum will kick off in Riyadh on Wednesday, 23 October. The forum will address global industrial challenges, focusing on topics like industrial policy, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing tech. The forum is organized by The Industry and Mineral Resources Ministry in partnership with UNIDO. The Kingdom will also host the UNIDO General Conference in 2025.

Non-oil exports up 19% y-o-y in July, while oil’s share in total exports continues to fall

The Kingdom’s non-oil exports rose 19.0% y-o-y in July, according to the latest data from the General Authority for Statistics (Gastat) (pdf). Total non-oil exports — excluding re-exports — were up 6.5% y-o-y, while re-exports grew 78.4% y-o-y. Imports saw an increase of 12.6% y-o-y during the month.

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Non-oil exports continued to outpace imports: The ratio of non-oil exports to imports rose 1.8% y-o-y to 33.7% in July, as the increase in non-oil exports outstripped the boost in imports over the period.

Monthly snapshot: Total merchandise exports increased 6.5% m-o-m from June, with non-oil exports, including re-exports, up 13.0% m-o-m. Meanwhile, imports increased by 8.8% on a monthly basis and the merchandise trade balance deficit narrowed by 1.8% during the same period.

Chemical products accounted for 25.8% of total non-oil exports in July, up 1.3% y-o-y. Plastics, rubber, and their derivatives followed, growing 6.5% y-o-y to make up 25.6% of non-oil exports.

China remains Saudi’s top trading partner: The Kingdom’s merchandise exports to China made up 13.9% of total exports in July 2024, followed by South Korea (10.3%) and Japan (9.9%). On the import side, China also led, contributing 25.4% of Saudi imports, trailed by the USA (7.2%) and Germany (5.1%).

Ports in focus: Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port handled 30.3% of the Kingdom’s imports in July, followed by Jeddah Islamic Port (20.7%), and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (12.7%).

ON THE OIL SIDE-

Oil exports continue to decline: Oil’s share of total exports dropped 3.1% y-o-y to 73.1% in July.

Nice One Beauty Digital Marketing gets CMA green light to IPO 30% stake

Nice One Beauty Digital Marketing Company is planning to offer a 30% stake (34.7 mn shares) in a Tadawul IPO, after getting approval from the Capital Market Authority yesterday, according to a statement. No further details were provided, but the statement said Nice One’s prospectus would be published “within sufficient time prior to the start of the subscription period.”

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REMEMBER- Bloomberg reported in January that the company was auditioning bankers for a planned IPO. The business information service reported at the time that talks are still ongoing with the size and timing of the share sales undetermined.

About the company: Nice One Cosmetics is a local online retailer specializing in beauty and personal care items, including makeup, skincare, fragrances, and home scents. The company was launched in 2016. The brand gained significant traction as one of the largest beauty e-commerce platforms in Saudi as it offers a wide range of local and global brands.

Saudi led GCC sustainable sukuk market market in 1H 2024 -Moody’s

Saudi Arabia led sustainable sukuk issuances in the GCC during 1H 2024, accounting for 42% of the region’s issuances, followed by the UAE at 33%, Zawya reports citing a report by credit ratings agency Moody’s.

Among this year’s sustainable sukuk offerings: Riyad Bank announced earlier this week that it is lining up a USD-denominated additional Tier 1 (AT1) capital sustainable sukuk issuance, with the offering’s value and terms to be determined at a future date subject to market conditions. Meanwhile, Al Rajhi Bank launched a USD 1 bn AT1 sustainable sukuk in May and Saudi National Bank (SNB) received orders worth USD 4.1 bn in February after kicking off sales for a five-year USD-denominated sustainable sukuk.

The global pie: GCC countries contributed 82% of global sustainable sukuk issuance in 1H 2024, with total issuance rising 21% y-o-y to USD 6.8 bn. Saudi entities accounted for 33% of the global cumulative sustainable sukuk volume from 2015 to 1H 2024, followed by Malaysia and UAE contributing 21% each.

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Sovereign sustainable sukuks on the horizon? Moody’s expects Saudi Arabia to issue its first government-backed sustainable sukuk in “the coming months,” after the government rolled out a new green financing framework back in March. Additionally, more private-sector financial firms are expected to enter the sustainable sukuk market in a bid to tap new categories of investors.

This is in line with what we had heard earlier this year: S&P Global pointed to Saudi and the UAE as the largest expected issuers of sovereign green bonds in the region in 2024. The trend is anticipated to be driven by government bodies and state-owned companies looking to meet net-zero targets.

Saudi tourist arrivals in 7M 2024 beat pre-covid numbers

Tourist arrivals in Saudi in 7M 2024 were 73% higher than in 7M 2019, according to excerpts from the most recent UN World Tourism Barometer report (pdf). Saudi’s tourism receipts also grew by 207% in 1Q 2024 compared to 1Q 2019.

2023 recap: The Kingdom welcomed 27.4 mn foreign tourists in 2023, up 64.8% y-o-y, with inbound tourists spending some SAR 141.2 bn during the year.

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REMEMBER- We have big tourism ambitions: The Tourism Ministry doubled its 2030 tourism target to 150 mn tourist trips earlier this year, after hitting the 100 mn milestone ahead of schedule, with the new target including 80 mn domestic and 70 mn international travelers. The government is also investing some USD 800 bn into the tourism sector under plans to build new future destinations, at Neom, the Red Sea, Diriyah, and Qiddiya, among others. Furthermore, May saw the tourism ministry kick off the Tourism Investment Enablers Program, which looks to streamline licensing for local and foreign investors in Saudi tourism, with a particular emphasis on the hospitality sector.

The rest of the region also fared well: The Middle East led global recovery and retained its positions as the world’s “strongest-growing region,” with arrivals up 26% from pre-pandemic levels in 7M 2024. Qatar had the highest regional growth rate in tourist arrivals during the 7-month period, with a 147% increase over 7M 2019, while Bahrain saw tourist arrivals growing 45% during the comparative periods. The Middle East’s international tourism receipts were 45% above pre-pandemic levels by 2023, surpassing Europe (+6%), Americas (-1%), Africa (-6%), and Asia-Pacific (-22%).

Driving regional growth: Less stringent visa restrictions, investments in tourism megaprojects, expanded air capacity, marketing drives, event hosting, and product diversification contributed to the uptick in the Middle East’s tourist arrivals.

Looking ahead: The outlook for September through December of this year remains positive, with a score of 120 points on the UN Tourism Confidence Index — measured on a 0-200 scale, with 100 indicating stable performance — slightly below May-August’s 130. Some 47% of experts surveyed expect better performance for the remainder of the year, 41% expect similar results, and 11% see a decline, signaling gradual normalization after a strong 2023.

Challenges for global tourism include inflation, particularly high transport and accommodation costs, as well as economic and geopolitical shocks, staff shortages, and extreme weather events.

Saudi Arabia sixth globally in e-government ranking, UN report says

Saudi Arabia ranked sixth globally and third in Asia in e-government development, advancing to the top Very High (VH) class from the V2 rating it secured in 2022, according to the 2024 United Nations E-Government Survey (pdf).

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Driving the Kingdom’s rank improvement: The survey highlights political will as a key force behind Saudi Arabia’s rise in the global e-government ranking, with Saudi Vision 2030 seeing the integration of AI and blockchain technologies into public services, as well as substantial progress on e-government initiatives. The report also notes that the Kingdom boasts a 99% internet penetration rate with 98% of government services available online, and continues to shell out substantial investments into digital infrastructure via initiatives such as no-carbon 5G networks, the Sehhaty healthcare platform, and the Smart Municipalities and AI Program.

The methodology: The E-Government Development Index (EGDI) measures digital government progress based on an average of three indices: The Online Services Index (OSI), the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index (TII), and the Human Capital Index (HCI). The 2024 survey introduces changes to subindices, with affordability replacing fixed broadband subscriptions in TII and e-government literacy added to HCI, among other changes spotlighting digital access and literacy among women and vulnerable groups, legislation for data protection, and other issues.

The breakdown: Saudi ranked fourteenth globally on the index’s TII component. For HCI, the Kingdom placed 19th globally, and for OSI, it came in fourth globally.

Riyadh stands out: The 2024 Local OSI — which tracks e-government at the municipal level — ranks Riyadh among the top three cities globally, following Madrid and Tallinn. The Kingdom’s capital delivered over 90% of assessed digital services.

Global AI index sees Saudi AI industry leading Arab world

Saudi claimed the top spot among Arab countries in AI advancement and placed 14th globally in the rankings of the Global AI Index 2024, published by Tortoise Media. The index “benchmark[s] nations on their level of implementation, innovation and investment in artificial intelligence.”

The breakdown: The report ranked the Kingdom as the first globally in terms of government strategy, citing public investments in AI that “significantly outrank those of the US and China.” Saudi Arabia’s AI output was at number 10 worldwide, with output relative to population size and economy — as proxied by the “intensity” measure — placing the country at number 24. Saudi Arabia also came in 7th in the commercial category, 60th for talent, 29th for infrastructure, 41st in operating environment, 42nd in research, and 26th in development.

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PIF governor in the spotlight: The report also listed PIF Governor Yasir Al Rumayyan as number one in its “People to Watch” category, pointing to the fund’s substantial investments in semiconductors and AI.

Methodology: The index evaluates artificial intelligence in 83 countries, measuring their AI capabilities through 122 indicators. These are grouped into the three pillars of implementation, innovation, and investment, which are further subdivided into seven categories.

How our Arab peers fared: UAE, Egypt, and Qatar followed Saudi in the overall global rankings, with the UAE outperforming the Kingdom in several categories including infrastructure and intensity.

Leading the global stage was the US, followed by China, with the pair retaining their “historical positions” as first and runner up in the latest ranking.

SEC taps Khalid Al Ghamdi as acting CEO

Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has appointed Khalid Al Ghamdi as its acting CEO, stepping in for outgoing chief Khalid bin Hamad Al-Gnoon, the company said in a disclosure to Tadawul. Al Ghamdi previously held the position of executive vice president, technical services and acting VP for risk management and compliance at SEC. His 20-year career has also seen him hold a post at Aramco, where he spearheaded their corporate digital strategy.

King Salman launches nonprofit foundation + Kudos to Diriyah + PIF

Diriyah set a Guinness World Record for the largest AI-powered personal assistant display, using 501 Echo devices to play the Saudi national anthem during Wednesday’s Saudi National Day celebration at Al Bujairi Viewpoint, according to state news agency SPA. In partnership with Amazon, the “smart orchestra” integrated its cloud-based voice service, Alexa, merging AI with cultural heritage.

The Public Investment Fund landed the 2024 Middle East Project Management Office of the Year Award, it said in a post on X. The office also landed three distinctions of excellence from the PMO Global Alliance.

King Salman launched the King Salman Nonprofit Foundation to invest in cultural development and address societal challenges, as well as bolster charitable and humanitarian efforts, according to the Saudi Gazette. It has been officially established with approved bylaws and will include cultural centers such as the King Salman Museum and Library within the Diriyah Gate Project, as well as the Saudi Society Museum at King Salman Park.

Amplify Growth offers a USD 100 mn fund to tech-based companies

DEBT WATCH-

GCC-focused investment partnership Amplify Growth launched a USD 100 mn private debt fund, serving tech-driven companies across the Mena+Turkey region, according to a press release. The fund will be mainly dedicated to firms in the series A to series C stages.

Amplify has already sealed its first transaction with an unnamed Saudi-based fintech company. A second investment from the fund will be announced soon, fund head Sharaf Sharaf said.

About Amplify Growth: The partnership was recently established by the Dubai-based asset manager Ajeej Capital acting as the fund’s management, and the venture capital platform Nuwa Capital serving as an advisor.

Nomu-listed healthcare supplier Lana Medical obtained a SAR 5 mn, three-year Shariah-compliant loan from Banque Saudi Fransi to fund letters of guarantee, according to a disclosure to Tadawul.

SPORTS-

Al Hilal TV incoming? Al Hilal plans to launch a global channel via the sports streaming service DAZN, which will be sponsored by Riyadh Season, according to a post on X from the reigning Saudi Pro League champion. The three parties signed an MoU on Tuesday.

EDUCATION-

Saudi Electronic University will roll out the country’s first apprenticeship bachelor’s degree in project management in partnership with UK University of Cumbria and aerospace and defense firm BAE Systems, according to a press release. The program aims to integrate theoretical education with practical training.

FINTECH-

SAB taps PayerMax’s digital payment solutions: Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB) partnered with Singapore-based e-payment firm PayerMax to offer new digital payment solutions for local merchants, according to a press release (pdf).

REAL ESTATE-

US-based real estate developer Colossal Properties partnered with Saudi entrepreneur Prince Faisal Al Saud to launch its business in Riyadh, with a focus on residential and commercial properties, the company said in a press release. Colossal has recently received a construction license from the Investment Ministry.

INFRASTRUCTURE-

PIF-owned real estate developer Roshn and the Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center will cooperate on infrastructure planning in the Riyadh Province under an MoU they signed, state news agency SPA reports. No further details were provided on the exact projects they will work on.

OECD revises 2024 global growth forecast to 3.2%, hinting at stability

The global economy is inching closer towards stability, with the impact of aggressive rate hikes by central banks starting to fade, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s latest economic forecast (pdf). The Paris-based organization revised its global growth forecast for 2024 to 3.2%, up 0.1 percentage points. The projection for 2025 was kept at the same level.

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What’s driving the change? A combination of cooling inflation, recovering trade flows, and easing labor market pressures is boosting the economy and allowing central banks to begin to ease monetary policy. If the decline in oil prices persists, headline inflation could fall a further 0.5 percentage points lower than expected next year, the OECD says.

The big picture: Global growth is expected to stabilize despite geopolitical tensions and sluggish labor markets. The OECD now expects the UK economy to expand by 1.1% in 2024, up from its previous estimate of 0.4%, and by 1.2% in 2025, up 0.2% percentage points from its previous estimate. Growth in the euro zone is expected to nearly double from 0.7% growth this year to 1.3% in 2025, as incomes outpace inflation.

Meanwhile, the US and China are up for more modest slowdowns, with interest rate cuts expected to help cushion the US economy’s slowdown to 1.8% next year from 2.6% in 2024, up from a previous 2025 estimate of 1.6%.

THE VIEW ON SAUDI-

The OECD expects Saudi Arabia’s GDP to grow 1.0% this year, marking an upwards revision from its May forecast for a 0.2% contraction. Economic growth is expected to accelerate further next year to hit 3.7% in 2025, although this is a downward revision from the 4.1% figure the OEC had expected in May.

Inflation in Saudi is expected to come in at an average of 1.7% in 2024, down from last year’s 2.3%, before accelerating to 2.0% in 2025. The latest inflation projections are unchanged from May’s forecasts.

How this compares: The IMF forecasts Saudi’s GDP growth at 4.7% next year, although this forecast was based on the assumption that OPEC would begin phasing out its oil production cuts from next month. The oil cartel said earlier this month that it will suspend its planned 180k bpd output hike for October and November. The World Bank maintained in June its forecast that the Kingdom’s economy will grow at 2.5% this year, after slashing its expectations in April from the 4.1% it had penciled in back in January. It also kept its forecast for 2025 unchanged, saying it sees the economy growing 5.9% next year, up from a 4.2% growth forecast cited in January.

The story got ink in Reuters and Bloomberg.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are largely in the green, with China’s CSI 300 continuing a five-day streak of gains as investors cheer the economic stimulus package introduced by the government earlier this week. Japan’s Nikkei and South Korea’s Kospi are also both up 1.7%. Over on Wall Street, the Dow Jones broke its four-day streak of gains, with futures little changed this morning.

TASI	12,344	+0.6% (YTD: +3.1%)
MSCI Tadawul 30	1,546	+0.6% (YTD: -0.3%)
NomuC	25,653	-0.1% (YTD: +4.6%)
USD : SAR (SAMA)	USD 3.75 Sell	USD 3.75 Buy
Interest rates	5.5% repo	5.0% reverse repo
EGX30	31,251	+1.2% (YTD: +25.5%)
ADX	9,516	+0.6% (YTD: -0.6%)
DFM	4,489	+0.6% (YTD: +10.6%)
S&P 500	5,722	-0.2% (YTD: +20.0%)
FTSE 100	8,269	-0.2% (YTD: +6.9%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,917	-0.5% (YTD: +8.8%)
Brent crude	USD 73.46	-2.3%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.66	+0.7%
Gold	USD 2,681.10	+0.2%
BTC	USD 63,439.50	-1.2% (YTD: +50.2%)

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI rose 0.6% yesterday on turnover of SAR 7.1 bn. The index is up 3.1% YTD.

In the green: SPPC (+10.0%), SIDC (+9.9%) and SFICO (+9.9%).

In the red: Care (-2.5%), Gulf Union Al Ahlia (-2.3%) and Saudi Re (-2.2%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC fell 0.1% yesterday on turnover of SAR 32.2 mn. The index is up 4.6% YTD.

In the green: Al Mohafaza for Education (+9.2%), Armah (+5.3%) and Balady (+4.5%).

In the red: Banan (-7.8%), Academy of Learning (-6.7%) and Leen Alkhair (-4.6%)

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

Saudi Industrial Development reduced its capital by 66.3% by canceling 13.5 mn shares, according to a statement by Tadawul. The company’s capital is now SAR 135 mn. The move comes as part of a financial restructuring plan engineered to compensate SAR 265 mn in accumulated losses, according to a summary of results (pdf) from an EGA.

Riyadh Steel is undertaking a 10-for-1 stock split, reducing the nominal value of its shares from SAR 10 to SAR 1 a piece and boosting their number tenfold to 70 mn with no change to total capital, the company said in a disclosure to Tadawul. Tadawul set yesterday’s fluctuation limits on the company’s shares based on a share price of SAR 2.15, with all outstanding orders canceled, according to a statement.

The timeline: The share split is effective for shareholders who own shares on 24 September. The adjusted share price will take effect on 25 September, and shareholders will see their increased number of shares reflected in their portfolios by 29 September.

Faisal bin Farhan meets with Bolivian, Lebanese counterparts at UN

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan inked an MoU on political consultations with his Bolivian counterpart Celinda Sosa, at the UN General Assembly in New York, state news agency SPA reports. The pair also discussed boosting bilateral relations.

He later met Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib to address Lebanon’s stability and the regional impact of ongoing tensions, SPA reports. Prince Faisal also spoke with Ukraine’s delegation about the Ukraine-Russia conflict, SPA reports.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al Jubeir met Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld to explore cooperation areas between the two countries. Al Jubeir later discussed joint climate efforts with Qatar’s Climate Envoy Bader Al Dafa.

AND- Saudi Space Agency head Abdullah Al Swaha met SpaceX leaders to talk about future space and technology collaborations, as well as space training, the state-run news agency SPA reported.

CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER

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

24-25 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): Future Banks Summit & Awards, InterContinental Hotel, 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.

27 September (Friday): Saudi Women’s Premier League starts.

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

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

OCTOBER

1 October (Tuesday): MEPRA KSA Leadership Majlis, Madareem Crown Hotel, Riyadh

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.

3-23 November (Sunday-Sunday): NEOM Beach Games, Neom.

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.

16 November (Saturday): Latino Night at Riyadh Season, 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.

28 November-14 December (Thursday-Saturday): Noor Riyadh, 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.

29-30 January (Wednesday-Thursday): Global Labor Market Conference, 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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