Non-oil exports up in 2Q, trade balance down to lowest level since pandemic

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Humain Chat, Saudi’s Arabic AI app, is now live

Good morning, ladies and gents. We’re halfway through the week, and the summer lull continues. Leading today’s light issue are the latest international trade figures from Gastat for 2Q and June, with non-oil exports continuing to rise, while oil exports are still weighing down our trade balance. Meanwhile, Alinma Bank and Saudi Awwal Bank are gearing up for new issuances in the debt market.

BUT FIRST- Saudi’s answer to ChatGPT is live: Humain Chat made its debut in Saudi Arabia yesterday, PIF-owned Humain said in a statement. The Arabic AI app, powered by Humain’s Arabic LLM Allam 34B model and touted as the most powerful Arabic AI to date, is now available in the Kingdom on the web, iOS, and Android. Regional and global countries are soon to follow suit, the statement said.

The app features include real-time web search, Arabic speech input supporting multiple dialects, bilingual switching between Arabic and English, conversation sharing, and full compliance with Saudi’s Personal Data Protection Law by being hosted on Humain’s infrastructure in Saudi.

Designed by Arabs, for Arabs: The chatbot is developed “by brilliant Saudi minds, and operated from the heart of the country,” CEO Tareq Amin said in a video statement, calling on users to interact with the app and share their feedback to improve its performance.

The news also got ink in Bloomberg.

HAPPENING TODAY-

The Franchise Go Forum kicks off today in Riyadh’s Siraj Convention Center to support entrepreneurs entering the franchising sector. The event will feature panel discussions with local and international experts, an exhibition connecting participants with franchisors, training workshops, and one-on-one advisory sessions.

WEATHER- Thunderstorms and heavy rain are forecast to persist over Najran, Jazan, Asir, Al Baha, and Makkah today, with light to moderate showers expected in Madinah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province. Riyadh is expected to see a high of 43°C and a low of 30°C today, while Jeddah’s mercury will peak at 38°C and bottom out at 31°C. Makkah will see a 38°C high and 30°C low.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

The Saudi-Syrian Business Council is gearing up to launch an online platform by the end of the year, to link Saudi and Syrian investors with projects, government agencies, and trade, helping ease the flow of goods and services between both markets, Vice Chairman Abdullah Al Ghobain told Al Arabiya (watch, runtime: 8:05).

ALSO- Committees under the Saudi-Syrian Business Council will establish an office in Syria next month to support investors, the council’s Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan was quoted as saying by Aleqtisadiah during the Saudi-Syrian private sector investment forum in Riyadh.

In the agriculture sector, the council is preparing a database for investors, improving links with government bodies, and introducing support programs, according to Tareq Al Jammaz, a member of the Agriculture Committee at the Saudi-Syrian Council. Vegetables make up 65% of Syria’s agricultural exports to the Kingdom, Al Jammaz noted.

DATA POINTS-

Sakani reported over 580k bookings across 623 off-plan housing projects, with available supply exceeding 248k units, state news agency SPA reported yesterday, citing the program’s latest data. The platform also logged more than 4.4 mn visits and over 4.6 mn users.

SPORTS-

It’s a wrap on the Esports World Cup, with the event attracting over three mn visitors to Boulevard City Riyadh, up from 2.6 mn last year, the Esports World Cup Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert posted on LinkedIn. Over 2k players from 100 countries representing more than 200 clubs competed in 24 games with 25 separate tournaments at Boulevard City.

The seven-week event posted 350 mn hours watched, up from 250 mn last year with 750 mn in global viewers, compared to 500 mn last year, and about 8 mn concurrent viewers during League of Legends Finals, compared to 6.3 mn last year. The 2025 edition posted a 70% y-o-y increase in the volume of tickets sold, causing revenues from tickets to double compared to last year, Reichart said.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman handed homegrown Falcons the Club Championship trophy, while they took the grand prize of USD 7 mn in their second consecutive win, topping the standings with 5.2k points across 22 tournaments. The Netherlands’ Team Liquid came in second place (4.2k points) and France’s Team Vitality in third spot (3.2k points), the Esports World Cup Foundation said on LinkedIn.

International stars spotted included, Cristiano Ronaldo as official global ambassador, Neymar Jr, and Gareth Bale from the football world, while musician performers saw the US superstar Post Malone headline the opening concert, along with K-pop Dino from Seventeen, DJ Snake, Nancy Ajram, and Myriam Fares. Legendary video game creator Hideo Kojima was also a special guest.

Looking ahead: The EWC 2026 will focus on growth in every aspect, Reichert told Asharq Business, adding that EWC 2024 was about proving the concept, while EWC 2025 was about scaling and improving. A bigger venue is also in the cards for next year’s event to accommodate the increasing numbers of visitors and players, COO Mike McCabe said.

ICYMI- The Foundation unveiled a new biennial tournament, the Esports Nations Cup (ENC), set to debut in Riyadh in November 2026. The Nations Cup will feature over 100 national teams competing in over 15 games, qualifying between 32-64 teams in individual or group games, Chief Product Officer Faisal bin Homran told Asharq Business.

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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

The Federal Reserve is in The Donald’s crosshairs again, this time with the US president firing governor Lisa Cook on claims of mortgage fraud. The legally-dubious move — as presidents can’t fire Fed governors without “cause” — came after days of back-and-forth with Cook, who said earlier Trump’s “bullying” will not force her to resign.

Markets were not happy: The latest threat to the Fed’s independence stoked market fears, sending Wall Street futures into the red following a losing session on Monday.

MEANWHILE- A new coffee giant is coming: US-based Keurig Dr Pepper is taking over JDE Peet for USD 18 bn, in what is set to be the largest M&A transaction in Europe in more than two years. The price is a 20% premium to the Dutch company’s last closing price, with Keurig Dr Pepper aiming to merge with JDE and split coffee operations and other beverage products into two US-listed companies.

CLOSER TO HOME- Two back-to-back Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital in Southern Gaza killed at least 20 people, including rescue workers and five journalists. Among the killed were Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist for the Associated Press, as well as Reuters contract photographer Hussam al-Masri, Al Jazeera cameraman Mohammed Salama, and freelance reporters Moaz Abu Taha and Ahmed Abu Aziz.

ALSO WORTH READING THIS MORNING-

Intel warns: Trump’s recently-acquired stake could harm international sales and future government grants, according to a securities filing. Trump is saying he wants more agreements with “healthy” US companies. (Reuters)
Elon Musk is suing Apple and OpenAI, claiming the agreement to integrate ChatGPT in Apple’s product is harmful to competitors like his startup xAI. (Financial Times)

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Aviation Impact Middle East will take place on Thursday, 16 October at the Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya, bringing together senior leaders from airlines, airports, and OEMs, as well as government officials. The summit — organized by Aviation Business Middle East and powered by GE Aerospace — will feature panel discussions on airport development, aerospace clusters, fleet modernization, and sustainable aviation fuels.

Non-oil exports inch up 5.6% y-o-y in 2Q

The Kingdom’s non-oil exports rose 5.6% y-o-y in 2Q 2025 to SAR 55.1 bn, according to preliminary data from the General Authority for Statistics (Gastat) (pdf). Total non-oil exports — including re-exports — were up 17.8% y-o-y at SAR 87.9 bn during the quarter, as re-exports soared 46.2% y-o-y to hit SAR 32.8 bn.

Our trade balance saw a sharp dip in 2Q, shrinking by 56.2% y-o-y to a surplus of SAR 38.2 bn, with total imports rising to SAR 234.7 bn, while total exports fell to SAR 273.8 bn. This level is almost the lowest value since 3Q 2020.

Oil exports still on a downward path: dipping 15.8% y-o-y during the quarter to SAR 186 bn. Meanwhile, the share of oil exports out of total exports decreased by 6.8 percentage points to 67.9% over the same period.

BREAKING DOWN NON-OIL EXPORTS-

Non-oil exports are still in the lead: The ratio of non-oil exports to imports inched up by 1.5 percentage points y-o-y to 37.3% in 2Q 2025, despite imports increasing 13.1%.

Chemical goods remain the Kingdom’s top non-oil exports, accounting for 23% of total non-oil exports at SAR 20.2 bn, up 5.8% y-o-y. Machinery, electrical equipment and parts came in second place, jumping 120.8% y-o-y to SAR 19.1 bn and accounting for 21.7% of non-oil exports.

Machinery and electrical equipment were the most imported goods during the quarter, accounting for 28.9% of all imports at SAR 68.1 bn, a 28.7% y-o-y increase. Transportation equipment and parts came in second with SAR 31.6 bn, marking a 12.1% y-o-y increase and representing 13.4% of imports.

OUR TRADING PARTNERS-

China still wears the crown: China was the main destination for the Kingdom’s exports, receiving 14.2% of total exports at SAR 38.8 bn, an 18.9% y-o-y. The UAE came in second place with 10% of total exports, followed by India (8.8%). South Korea, Japan, Egypt, the US, Bahrain, Malta, and Poland rounded out the top 10 export markets.

China also held first place for the Kingdom’s imports, accounting for 27.4% of our imports at SAR 64.6 bn, followed by the US (8.5%) and the UAE (6.2%). India, Germany, Japan, Italy, Switzerland, France, and the UK rounded out the top 10.

The main ports: Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port received 26.2% of the Kingdom’s total imports in 2Q, followed by Jeddah Islamic Port (22.6%) and Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (13.4%).

ON A MONTHLY BASIS-

Non-oil exports rose 8.4% y-o-y in June to SAR 17.9 bn, according to Gastat’s preliminary data for June (pdf). Total non-oil exports — including re-exports — were up 22.1% y-o-y, as re-exports soared 60.2% y-o-y to hit SAR 9.6 bn. Merchandise exports saw a 3.7% y-o-y increase to hit SAR 92.1 bn during the month.

oil exports dropped 2.5% y-o-y to SAR 64.7 bn during the month, stretching its downward trend, according to preliminary data from Gastat (pdf). Meanwhile, oil exports’ share of total exports decreased by 4.6 percentage points y-o-y to 70.2%.

REMEMBER- Opec+ agreed to accelerate oil production increments, adding 411k bbl / d in June and July. The resulting lower oil prices have increased the risk of wider budget deficits and higher public debt for the Kingdom.

Alinma Bank, Saudi Awwal Bank to tap debt markets

Tadawul-listed Alinma Bank and Saudi Awwal Bank (Sab) are looking to issue USD-denominated debt to shore up their capital buffers, according to two separate filings to the bourse. Both transactions will be marketed to local and international investors, subject to regulatory approvals and market conditions.

#1- Alinma Bank is teeing up an issuance of sustainable additional tier 1 capitalcertificates. The debt sale, which falls under the bank’s AT1 programme, will be made through a special purpose vehicle, with proceeds going toward boosting its tier 1 capital and general banking purposes. This comes a little over a month after Alinma closed a USD 500 mn sukuk issuance.

ADVISORS- The bank tapped Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Alinma Capital, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and Standard Chartered as joint lead managers.

#2- Sab is also moving ahead with USD-denominated tier 2 capital green notes, under its medium-term note program. Proceeds will be used to bolster tier 2 capital, support corporate purposes, and meet strategic goals within Sab’s sustainable debt framework. This comes a little under a month after Sab closed a SAR 2 bn local AT1 perpetual sukuk offering.

ADVISORS- HSBC, Goldman Sachs, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Citi, DBS, Emirates NBD, Mashreq, Mizuho, and Société Générale are acting as joint lead managers on the transaction.

ALSO- Wsm for Information Technology is set to develop a SAR 500 mn shariah-compliant sukuk program, it said in a Tadawul disclosure yesterday. Wsm tapped Impact Financial as the financial advisor for the issuance and offering.

IPOs, real estate names drive Saudi activity in FTSE Russell reshuffle

Saudi Arabia was one of the most active markets in FTSE Russell’s semi-annual review, with 13 new additions, two downgrades, and one removal from the Total-Cap, according to the LSEG-owned firm’s semi-annual index review (pdf). The changes will take effect on Monday, 22 September, according to a separate statement (pdf).

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The biggest headline was Bupa Arabia, which was downgraded from large-cap to mid-cap, marking a reshuffle in one of the kingdom’s most closely watched segments. Joining Bupa in the mid-cap basket are a wave of real estate and development players, including Jabal Omar Development, Makkah Construction, Taiba Investments, and Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction. Umm Al Qura’s entry is notable as it represents one of Tadawul's recent IPOs graduating quickly into the mid-cap universe.

At the small-cap level, the index welcomed several consumer and tech-driven names, including Derayah Financial, Jahez International Company for Information System Technology, and Rasan Information Technology. Saudi Public Transport was downgraded to the Micro-Cap.

At the micro-cap level, the new additions were Arabian Company for Agricultural and Industrial Investment, Banan Real Estate, Knowledge Economic City, Raoom Trading, Saudi Cable, and Shatirah House Restaurant. Gulf General Cooperative Ins. was removed entirely after failing investability standards.

Why it matters: Index reshuffles matter because they trigger real money flows. Funds tracking FTSE indices must buy companies that are added and sell those that are cut, moving liquidity and valuations. Inclusions are a stamp of approval, boosting visibility and investor confidence, while exclusions or downgrades can be a red flag on size or liquidity.

Ladun Investment posts softer 1H results

Nomu-listed developer Ladun Investment’s net income dropped 34.3% y-o-y to SAR 21.3 mn in 1H 2025, driven by 81% higher financing costs, despite lower G&A costs and higher operating income, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul yesterday. Revenue slipped 1.1% y-o-y to SAR 639.4 mn during the same period as weaker contributions from completed real estate projects offset growth in the company’s construction and building materials segments.

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SRMG will promote PIF’s Diriyah on its platforms

MEDIA-

Saudi Research and Media Group agreed to promote PIF-owned developer Diriyah Company on its platforms under an MoU they signed, Diriyah said in a statement on Sunday. The agreement — which covers cooperation in media, marketing, communications, cultural content, events, and knowledge exchange — will also see the pair host joint cultural activities and organize international media visits to the Diriyah destination.

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TECH-

OmniOps + Groq to work on deploying AI services across the Kingdom: Local AI infrastructure technology provider OmniOps partnered with US-based chipmaker Groq to deploy AI services across the Kingdom, including in the government, energy, and aviation sectors, while ensuring compliance with national data and cybersecurity standards, OmniOps said in a statement (pdf) yesterday. The partnership MoU that both companies signed targets to boost AI adoption in the Kingdom.

ICYMI- OmniOps launched last month the Kingdom’s first sovereign inference-as-a-service platform, Bunyan. The platform enables companies to build AI-driven applications to automate workflow, aiming to provide AI capabilities for text, vision, and speech applications while ensuring data remains sovereign and compliant within the Kingdom.

GAMING-

Homegrown game developer Spoliz raised an undisclosed investment from Merak Capital, Impact46, and other investors, according to a press release published yesterday. The fresh funding will be allocated to create mobile games with global reach and grow the company’s B2B and LiveOps services, which include localization and player-engagement tools for the MENA region.

REFRESHER- Spoliz closed an undisclosed seed funding round in February led by Impact46 and strategic investors, with funds earmarked to support the development of new IPs, develop local talent, and bolster player engagement and monetization efforts.

Leading economies must rely more on foreign workers to offset aging populations, top central bankers warn

A shrinking working-age population across the developed world is putting long-term economic growth and price stability at risk, top central bankers warned at the Jackson Hole symposium last week, the Financial Times reports. The heads of the Bank of Japan, the European Central Bank, and the Bank of England each flagged labor shortages driven by aging societies as a structural challenge that will worsen in the coming decades.

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But there’s an obvious, albeit unpopular in the current political climate, fix — foreign workers. With birth rates at historic lows and people living longer across developed nations, countries have ballooning financial responsibilities to support growing retired populations and a shrinking workforce to help fund them. The entrance of more foreign workers would serve a “crucial role” in addressing this, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde argued.

Lagarde also attributed the Eurozone’s “unexpectedly” strong recovery from the pandemic to a rise in foreign workers, who accounted for more than half of labor force growth since 2022, despite only representing 9% of it. Looking ahead, Lagarde warned that without an uptick in foreign workers, the Eurozone could see 3.4 mn fewer working-age people by 2040, which would have serious knock-on effects for both labor market conditions and output.

The impact on Japan — famous for its shrinking population — from foreign workers has been even greater, with the country’s tiny foreign worker population — accounting for only 3% of the total labor force — being responsible for half of recent labor force growth, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda also said at the summit. Nonetheless, despite the clear economic benefit — and maybe necessity — the proposal is still a mostly unpopular one for the voting public, much like in the EU.

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey argued that the demographic issue facing the UK and others has not been given the importance it deserves. The UK could see 40% of its population above the age of 64 by 2040, which will come coupled with a fall in labor participation rates, he explained. But while there’s a growing agreement from the top central bankers, political sentiment in the world’s most developed nations is yet to shift, with anti-migrant rhetoric becoming an increasingly common part of electioneering by parties of all stripes.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are in the red in early trading this morning, led by Japan’s Nikkei inching down 1.0%. The Kospi (-0.8%), Hang Seng (-0.2%), and Shanghai Composite (-0.2%) are also in the red.

TASI	10,898	-0.1% (YTD: -9.5%)
MSCI Tadawul 30	1,409	-0.2% (YTD: -6.7%)
NomuC	26,208	-1.1% (YTD: -16.7%)
USD : SAR (SAMA)	USD 3.75 Sell	USD 3.75 Buy
Interest rates	5.0% repo	4.5% reverse repo
EGX30	35,811	0.0% (YTD: +20.4%)
ADX	10,207	0.0% (YTD: +8.4%)
DFM	6,135	+0.2% (YTD: +18.9%)
S&P 500	6,439	-0.4% (YTD: +9.5%)
FTSE 100	9,321	+0.1% (YTD: +14.1%)
Euro Stoxx 50	5,444	-0.8% (YTD: +11.2%)
Brent crude	USD 68.52	-0.4%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.69	-0.4%
Gold	USD 3,428	+0.3%
BTC	USD 109,623	-2.5% (YTD: +17.2%)
Sukuk/bond market index	911.03	-0.0% (YTD: +1.0%)
S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk	148.48	+0.3% (YTD: +6.1%)
VIX (Volatility Index)	14.79	+4.0% (YTD: -14.8%)

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI closed down 0.1% yesterday on turnover of up to SAR 4 bn. The index is down 9.5% YTD.

In the green: Cenomi Retail (+7.4%), Seera (+3.6%) and eXtra (+2.9%).

In the red: SIIG (-5.5%), Advanced (-5.1%) and Yansab (-4.8%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC fell 1.1% yesterday on turnover of SAR 14.3 mn. The index is down 16.7% YTD.

In the green: Time (+7.2%), SPC (+7.0%) and Aictec (+5.4%).

In the red: DRC (-6.8%), Future Care (-11.0%) and United Mining (-10.6%).

CALENDAR

24-26 (Sunday-Tuesday): The International Facility Management Conference and Exhibition, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

26-28 August (Tuesday-Thursday): Franchise Go Forum, Siraj Convention Center, Riyadh.

24 August-27 November: Title deed registration for 8.7k properties in Jeddah’s Al Sheraa and Al Amwaj neighborhoods.

27 August-3 September (Wednesday-Wednesday): Rawabi Marketing International IPO retail subscription period.

31 August (Sunday): Deadline for companies with SAR 40 mn in revenues from goods and services during July 2025 to integrate e-invoicing solutions.

3Q 2025

The National Water Company is expected to award a construction contract for the Hail Region Water Networks project.

SEPTEMBER

1-3 September (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Drone Exhibition, Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.

3-4 September (Wednesday-Thursday): Sustainable Maritime Industry Conference (SMIC), Ritz-Cartlon, Jeddah.

3-4 September (Wednesday-Thursday): The first International Forum for Talent in Higher Education, Jeddah University’s Conference Center.

5 September (Friday): The Visual Arts Commission will hold two public dialogues in Seoul during Frieze Seoul Week under its Art & Ideas program.

7 September (Sunday): Final allocations are due for Rawabi Marketing International IPO.

9-11 September (Tuesday-Wednesday):The Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization’s Hack4safeFood, Riyadh.

9-11 September (Tuesday-Thursday): International Beauty Expo 2025, Jeddah Superdome.

9-11 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Seredo Real Estate Development and Ownership Exhibition, Jeddah Superdome,

15-17 September (Monday-Wednesday): Money 20/20 Middle East, Riyadh.

15-17 September (Monday-Wednesday): Global Infrastructure Forum, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

16-18 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Kids & Toys Expo, Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.

16-18 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Gifts & Homeware Expo, Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.

16-18 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Stationery & Paper Expo, Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.

17-18 September (Wednesday-Thursday): US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting and Summary of Economic Projections.

23 September (Tuesday): Saudi National Day.

29 September-1 October (Monday-Wednesday): Intersec Saudi Arabia, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Riyadh.

OCTOBER

1 October (Wednesday): Electronic salary transfer via the Musaned platform to include employers with two or more domestic workers.

1-3 October (Wednesday-Friday): Saudi Green Building Forum, Riyadh.

1-3 October (Wednesday-Friday): FIBO Arabia 2025, Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.

5 October-8 January 2026: Title deed registration for 3.2k properties in Al Yasmin district, Hail.

7-8 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Global EV & Mobility Technology (GEMTECH) Forum, Riyadh.

12 October-15 January 2026: Title deed registration for 31.7k properties in 14 neighborhoods in the Eastern Province.

15 October (Wednesday): Russian-Arab Summit.

16 October (Thursday): Aviation Impact Middle East, Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya .

17 October (Friday): Saudization for private healthcare roles enters its second phase.

21 October (Tuesday): The Visual Arts Commission will hold a public talk and a live performance in Paris through Asia NOW under its Art & Ideas program.

21-23 October (Tuesday-Thurday): Global Internet of Things Congress 2025 (GIoTC 2025), the Arena Venue, Riyadh.

22-23 October (Wednesday-Thursday): Private Capital Forum, Riyadh.

23-25 October (Thursday-Saturday): Zenos Wellness Summit, Bab Samhan Hotel, Riyadh.

24 October-1 November (Friday-Saturday): AlUla Wellness Festival.

26-27 October (Sunday-Monday): The Global Proptech Summit 2025, Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh.

27-30 October (Monday-Thursday): Global Health Exhibition, Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, Riyadh.

27-30 October (Monday-Thursday): Future Investment Initiative (FII9), King Abdulaziz International Conference Center (KAICC) and the Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh.

28-29 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting.

NOVEMBER

2 November (Sunday): Naming ASICS Innovation Pitch competition’s six finalists.

3-9 November (Monday- Sunday): WTA Tour Finals, Riyadh.

7-8 November (Sunday-Monday): The Visual Arts Commission will conclude its Art & Ideas program with a two-day symposium in Riyadh.

8-9 November (Saturday-Sunday): Del Monte Superleague Supercup, Jeddah.

9 November (Sunday): The deadline for applications for the second batch of the Standard Incentives for the Industrial sector deadline.

11-13 November (Tuesday-Thursday): TouriseSummit, Riyadh.

17-20 November (Monday-Thursday): Cityscape Global, Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre, Riyadh.

19-22 November (Wednesday-Saturday): PIF Saudi International Golf Championship, Riyadh Gold Club.

20 November (Thursday): Deadline for title deed registration for 14.6k properties across 21 neighborhoods in Qassim.

22 November (Saturday): The Ring IV, ANB arena, Riyadh.

23-26 November (Sunday-Wednesday): Saudi Food Exhibition and Conference, Riyadh.

24-26 November (Monday-Wednesday): The World Advanced Manufacturing & Logistics Saudi Expo, Riyadh.

24-26 November (Monday-Wednesday): Metropolis Madinah Conference for civilizational capitals, King Salman International Convention Centre (KSICC), Al Madinah.

27-30 November (Thursday-Sunday): World Rally Championship Saudi Arabia 2025, Jeddah.

28-30 November (Friday-Sunday): UIM F1H2O World Championship, Jeddah.

30 November (Sunday): Zatca 21st E-invoicing integration wave deadline.

DECEMBER

1-4 December (Monday-Thursday): International Conference on Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies, Riyadh.

1-4 December (Monday-Thursday): 61st ISOCARP World Planning Congress, Riyadh.

7-9 December (Sunday-Tuesday): CoMotion Global 2025, Riyadh.

9-10 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Open Market Committee meeting and Summary of Economic Projections.

25-27 December (Saturday-Monday): The Fortune Global Forum 2025, Riyadh.

31 December (Wednesday): Zatca 22nd E-invoicing integration wave deadline.

31 December (Wednesday): Cancellation of Fines and Exemption of Financial Penalties Initiative by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (Zatca) deadline.

December: Made in Saudi exhibition, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, Riyadh

2026

JANUARY

1 January (Thursday): Electronic salary transfer via the Musaned platform becomes mandatory for all domestic workers in the Kingdom.

13-15 January (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Minerals Forum, King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center, Riyadh.

20 January (Tuesday): SuperReturn Saudi Arabia, Hotel Fairmont, Riyadh.

18-21 January (Sunday-Wednesday): Saudi Hospital Design and Build Expo, Riyadh.

26-27 (Monday-Tuesday): GPRC Summit, Riyadh.

26-28 (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Franchise Expo (SFE), Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre, Riyadh.

26-28 (Monday-Wednesday): Real Estate Future Forum, Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh.

27-28 (Tuesday-Wednesday): SkyMove Air Cargo MENA, Riyadh.

28 (Wednesday): Data Center Nation Riyadh, Riyadh.

28-30 (Wednesday-Friday): Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (JTTX), Jeddah.

FEBRUARY

2-4 (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Media Forum, Riyadh.

2-4 (Monday-Wednesday): Women Leaders Summit and Awards KSA, Riyadh.

3-4 (Tuesday-Wednesday): RLC Global Forum Annual Meeting, Riyadh.

5-7 February (Thursday-Saturday): LIV Golf 2026 season opener, Riyadh Golf Club, Riyadh.

8-12 February (Sunday-Thursday): World Defense Show, Riyadh.

9-14 February (Monday-Saturday): Asian Racing Conference, Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention Centre, Riyadh.

11 (Wednesday) Digital Transformation Summit Saudi Arabia (DTS), Riyadh.

11-14 (Wednesday-Saturday): JeddaDerm, Jeddah.

13-14 February (Friday-Saturday): Jeddah E-Prix 2026, Jeddah.

MARCH

31 March (Tuesday): Zatca’s 23rd E-invoicing integration wave deadline.

APRIL

27-29 April (Monday-Wednesday): Aluminum Arabia, The Arena, Riyadh.

OCTOBER

26-29 October (Monday-Thursday): World Energy Congress, Riyadh.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2026:

UN Trade and Development Global Supply Chain Forum to take place in Saudi Arabia.
November: The Esports Nations Cup, Riyadh.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2027:

The World Water Forum takes place in Riyadh.
The Ocean Race finishes in Amaala on the Red Sea.
Riyadh-Kudmi transmission line to be completed.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2Q 2027:

The Hail Region Water Networks Project is expected to be completed.

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Today at a glance

THIS MORNING: Humain Chat, Saudi’s Arabic AI app, is now live