Siemens lands USD 1.5 bn power plant order

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Neft Alsharq, Yaqeen Capital get ready for Nomu debuts today and tomorrow

Good morning, friends. It’s a busy morning for you, with everything from rumors of M&A to a big power plant award and what could be a very important week for trade and investment ties with our partners in the United States. Let’s jump right in.

HAPPENING TODAY-

Shares of automotive oil manufacturer Neft Alsharq will start trading on parallel market Nomu today. Neft’s offering of a 20% stake was oversubscribed as it priced its IPO at the top range of SAR 3.60 per share.

What to expect today: Shares will be allowed to trade within a ±30% band in daily price fluctuation limits and a ±10% band in static price fluctuation limits.

WEATHER- Riyadh will see a daytime high of 45°C and a nighttime low of 31°C. In Makkah the mercury will peak at 43°C before dropping to a more balmy 30°C, while the temperatures in Medinah will hit 43°C during the day and 27°C at night.

HAPPENING TOMORROW-

Yaqeen Capital shares will also start trading on Nomu, Tadawul said in a statement. Yaqeen Capital — which is itself a top advisor on Nomu IPOs — is selling a 20% stake. The Riyadh-based advisor, brokerage house, and asset manager priced its shares at SAR 40 apiece.

ADVISORS- Alinma Investment is quarterbacking the transaction as the sole lead manager and financial advisor.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

It’s a big week for Saudi business and trade ties with the US and the UK, with two major events coming up:

#1- A Saudi delegation is in Washington for a meeting of the Saudi-US Trade and Investment Council, which kicked off on Sunday and will conclude this Friday, 28 June, according to the Saudi Gazette. The delegation, led by Saudi General Authority of Foreign Trade (SGAFT) Deputy Governor Abdulaziz Alsakran, will also include reps from the Public Investment Fund as well as the commerce, energy, investment, education, tourism, and industry ministries. Some 20 Saudi agencies will attend, according to an SGAFT statement.

Our friends at the US Chamber of Commerce will be organizing a private-sector meeting on the sidelines of the government-to-government TIFA meeting, we’re told. The US Chamber is also organizing the SelectUSA Investment Summit, according to SGAFT.

Also on the agenda: The Saudi delegation is scheduled to participate in several meetings and workshops to discuss potential investments, boosting trade, and supporting tech in Saudi. The agenda also includes a US-Saudi forum titled “Investing in Our Shared Future.”

Background: The council, part of the US trade and investment framework agreement (or “TIFA”) system, is designed to improve trade and investment ties by removing barriers and promote business and investment between the two countries.

#2- The Saudi British Joint Business Council (SBJBC) is hosting three separate events to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, including two Sector Working Groups in a roundtable format on real estate and infrastructure, as well as green finance today. The roundtables will bring together businesses from the UK and Saudi to discuss potential cooperation as well as challenges.

#3- Meanwhile, the Sports Investment and Innovation Forum will bring together 100 delegates tomorrow to discuss the development of sports in Saudi, including hosting major tournaments, overseas acquisitions, and potential UK-Saudi partnerships. The UK-Saudi Sustainable Infrastructure Summit, which gathered 200 policymakers, industry leaders, and financial professionals to talk gigaprojects, urbanization, green tech, and financing sustainable infrastructure, took place yesterday.

M&A WATCH-

Is Kuwait Finance House mulling a play for Saudi Investment Bank? That’s the crux of a brief report by Bloomberg, which cites “people familiar with the matter” as saying KFH is exploring the acquisition of a “significant stake.” Saudi Investment Bank shares were down 1.7% in trading yesterday; Bloomberg’s story appeared last night after the market close.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Saudi is expected to welcome more Chinese tourists now that the Kingdom has been added to China’s list of countries with “approved destination status.” The ADS label, which comes into effect on Monday, 1 July, according to the Saudi Gazette, means that Saudi is now on the list of countries to which Chinese tour agencies can organize group trips. The Saudi Tourism Authority has also worked to facilitate visas, improve air connectivity, and ensure Chinese tourists will be able to access travel information on Visit Saudi in Mandarin, Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb said.

Why it matters: Making it easier for Chinese tourists to come on packages will help fast-track Saudi’s goal to make China its third-largest source of tourists by 2030.

#2- Are Iran and Bahrain starting to patch things up? Iranian state-owned media reported that the two countries have begun talks that could see Bahrain unfreeze Iranian assets, paving the way for the resumption of diplomatic relations. Reuters has the story.

DATA POINTS-

#1- Loan guarantees provided to SMEs from Kafalah, the Kingdom’s small and medium enterprise loan guarantee program, reached SAR 14.1 bn between 2006 and 1Q 2024, state news agency SPA reports, citing a Kafalah statement. The guarantees backed SAR 19.5 bn in total loans from the program’s inception, with some 4.7k SMEs benefiting. Meanwhile, the program provided over SAR 1.7 bn in guarantees — backing total loans of SAR 2.3 bn — for 872 SMEs operating in Madinah.

SMEs operating in the Hajj and Umrah sectors have also received loan guarantees of over SAR 21.8 bn — backing SAR 162 mn loans — under the program.

DIVE DEEPER- Want to know more about the program and how the Kingdom defines SMEs? We’ve got you covered.

#2- Riyadh is the fourth most-expensive city in the Middle East and ranks 90th worldwide, according to the latest Mercer data. Jeddah came in fifth in the region and 97th overall, while Dubai was the most expensive city in the GCC and number fifteen globally.

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THE BIG STORY AT HOME-

Tour operators in “a number of [the Kingdom’s] brotherly countries” deceived unregistered pilgrims who were attempting to take part in the annual pilgrimage without Hajj permits, state news agency SPA reported, citing statements by Interior Ministry spokesman Talal bin Shalhoub. He said the tour operators facilitated visas that were not intended for Hajj and encouraged them to stay in Makkah for two months prior to the season.

Some 1.3k pilgrims, most of them without valid Hajj visas, died during this year’s pilgrimage. Extreme heat played a role in the majority of those deaths, according to officials. More Egyptians died than did any other nationality with 672 confirmed dead and another 25 are missing as of earlier this week. The rise in fatalities led the Egyptian government to crack down on tourism operators who facilitated the travel of pilgrims who lacked hajj permits, rescinding the licenses of 16 tourism companies.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

The big business story this morning: Nvidia shares have now slid more than 16% since Thursday, when their rise briefly made the company the most valuable in the world ahead of Apple and Microsoft. The company’s shares tumbled 7% yesterday, helping drag the Nasdaq down 1.1% for the day. (The Dow Jones Index, which doesn’t include Nvidia, was up 0.7%.) That’s left traders reading sheeps’ entrails running technical analysis in search of a support line. Want to go deeper? Check out the Financial Times | Wall Street Journal | Bloomberg.

Climate change is still getting big play on the front pages of major global business news sites. Bloomberg looks at Saudi’s heat-preparedness after some 1.3k pilgrims died on Hajj this year and a heat dome remains parked over the US and parts of Canada. Dubai, meanwhile, will spend USD 8 bn upgrading its drainage system after rains paralyzed the emirate in April.

KEEP AN EYE ON the global logistics system, where an uptick in Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, drought in central America, and worker strikes in the United States, Canada, and Germany have “intensified upheaval in shipping.” Read: ‘It’s all happening again.’ The supply chain is under strain in the New York Times.

Briefly noted: The US and UK press are trumpeting that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is set to be freed after striking a plea bargain with the United States. And former European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer is under investigation for corruption.

ELECTION WATCH- French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal takes on his two top challengers in a debate today, with President Emmanuel Macron warning of “civil war” if the far-right or far-left win at the ballot box. The two-step parliamentary election process starts on Sunday.

Up next: Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer face off in a debate tomorrow, while Joe Biden and Donald Trump will clash on Thursday.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The International Chemistry Olympiad — a competition for the world’s brightest chemistry students — will kick off in Riyadh on Sunday, 21 July. The three-day annual event is set to take place in King Saud University and will see teams of four students and two mentors from around the world undergo practical and theoretical assessments in chemistry.

The inaugural Aussie Expo in Riyadh will open its doors to visitors from Monday, 21 October to Tuesday, 22 October at the KAFD Conference Centre in Riyadh. Held under the theme “Accelerating Partnerships, Unlocking New Opportunities,” the one-day event will showcase potential investments between Saudi and Australia in agriculture, mining, technology, infrastructure, healthcare and education sectors. It is organized by Australian conglomerate Trademark Group of Companies seeking the entry of Australian firms to Saudi and the GCC.

Siemens Energy receives USD 1.5 bn order for two power plants in Saudi

Siemens Energy has received a USD 1.5 bn order for two power plants in the Kingdom, the company said in a statement. The German turbine and generator manufacturer said it entered a long-term maintenance contract for the two power plants — Taiba 2 and Qassim 2 — over a 25-year period.

What we know: The two power plants — set to be built in the western and central regions in the Kingdom — will be two of the world’s largest and most-advanced combined-cycle power plants. Siemen Energy’s gas turbines and other power plant technologies will generate 2 GW of power at each site, according to the statement.

China is getting a piece: China Energy International Group will serve as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor for these projects, according to the statement.

The pitch: The power plants will provide additional energy to support the Kingdom’s growing population and economy — and replace parts of the aging, oil-dependent fleet. They aim to slash CO2 emissions by up to 60% compared to oil-fired plants.

The timeline: The plants will initially be connected to the grid in a simple cycle mode in 2026 and transition to a combined cycle power plant in 2027.

What they said: “The new gas-fired power plants will provide a reliable energy supply and contribute to the sustainable and future-oriented development of the country. Our Siemens Energy local service hub in Dammam will make an important contribution in expanding and localizing technology and competencies in the Kingdom,” Karim Amin, who is a member of the managing board of Siemens Energy said.

Siemens Energy has been busy with the Kingdom’s emissions reduction: Aramco said last year that it is partnering up with Siemens Energy to develop a direct air capture (DAC) test unit in Dharan. The test unit will have the capture capacity of up to 12 tons of CO2 annually and is set to be completed this year, paving the way for a larger pilot facility that will have a CO2 capture capacity of 1.25k tons per year.

All under one big plan: The Kingdom aims to reduce carbon emissions by 278 mn tons per annum (mtpa) by 2030 before reaching carbon neutrality by 2060.

IN OTHER ENERGY NEWS- The Energy Ministry launched an “unprecedented” geographic survey project to identify suitable sites to develop renewable energy sites across the Kingdom, according to a statement by the ministry. The statement said the project’s contracts were awarded to local firms to install 1.2k stations to measure solar and wind energy over 850k sqm.

The first of its kind: Energy Minister Prince Abdelaziz bin Salman said that no other country globally has attempted to conduct a similar survey on such an area scale, according to the statement. (Think the land areas of UK and France combined or Germany and Spain combined, according to the minister)

IN CONTEXT- The project will be key in having the Kingdom generate 50% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. The Kingdom plans to tender new renewable energy projects with a capacity of 20 GW annually starting this year, according to the minister. It hopes to reach between 100 GW and 130 GW by the end of the decade.

Vision 2030 might cost Saudi USD 1.3 tn — just for construction

The value of Saudi’s construction sector output rose 4.3% y-o-y to USD 141.5 bn in 2023, according to Knight Frank’s latest figures (pdf). Saudi’s construction output value is expected to hit USD 181.5 bn by 2028, Knight Frank expects, with more or less the same breakdown of sectoral contributions.

By the numbers: The residential sector saw the most awards at USD 43.5 bn — projected to reach USD 57 bn by 2028. This is followed by the energy and utilities sector, which raked in USD 35 bn, and is also expected to rise in the same period to USD 46.5 bn. Currently, the construction cost per square meter lies between SAR 3.8 and SAR 10k, which makes Riyadh the most expensive city in the Middle East in which to build real estate.

REMEMBER- Real estate has been the main driver for inflation in the Kingdom as rental prices climbed 10.5% y-o-y in May as growing demand for office space amid Saudi’s regional headquarters program is driving up prices with supply coming up short.

Riyadh leads the pack: Riyadh accounted for 38% of existing contract awards with a total of USD 54 bn — more than any other Saudi city. Makkah and Tabuk followed Riyadh in contract awards, landing around USD 28 bn each. Construction projects in Riyadh are expected to continue growing over the next several years, with Saudi Vision 2030 penciling in a USD 229 bn real estate development plan for the capital city that includes delivering 20k hotel keys, 241k residential units, and a combined 6.4 mn sqm of office and retail space.

No slowing down: “Arguably one of, if not the most expansive, real estate development programs ever seen in the world is gathering pace in Saudi Arabia as the 2030 deadline nears to realize Vision 2030,” said Knight Frank Associate Partner Amar Hussain. The Kingdom is looking to attract upwards of USD 3 tn in investments by 2030, “a figure recently confirmed by the Minister of investment during the inaugural Sino-Gulf Cooperation for Industries and Investments Forum in China last month,” said Mohamed Nabil, regional partner at Knight Frank.

Saudi’s Vision 2030 has a budgeted value that has surpassed USD 1.3 tn since its inception in 2016, 55% of which is currently under construction across 25 gigaprojects valued at USD 692 bn, according to a press release picked up by Zawya.

Care closer to full acquisition of Al Salam Health Medical Hospital from Saudi Medical Group

Care is getting 100% of Al Salam Health: National Medical Care (Care) signed a share purchase agreement with Saudi Medical Care Group (SMG) to fully acquire Al Salam Health Medical Hospital, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. The acquisition will see Care pay SAR 44 mn for the hospital; Care will finance the transaction through a mixture of existing cash and bank loans.

Familiar faces: SMG owns 100% of Al Salam Health and is a substantial shareholder in Care with a 49.2% stake, according to the disclosure.

Pending approvals: The acquisition is still subject to regulatory approvals, including the General Authority for Competition’s non-objection and consents from the general assemblies of both healthcare providers and other customary conditions.

The rationale: The acquisition aims to expand Care’s healthcare offerings in the market and tap on potential investments in the sector, according to the disclosure. It is part of Care’s five-year strategy — announced in 2022 — to extend its service offerings in Riyadh and widen its patient base by serving new target groups.

About Al Salam Health Medical Hospital: Located in Al Khobar, Al Salam Hospital is one of the largest private hospitals serving the Eastern Province with an area spanning 100k sqm and a 100-bed capacity, according to its website. Its revenues were up 10.6% y-o-y to SAR 93.1 mn in 2023.

ADVISORS- GIB Capital was tapped as Care’s financial advisor for the acquisition, with Law Firm of Alsalloum and Altoaimi acting as its legal advisor.

Kingdom’s non-oil exports up 1.6% y-o-y in April as imports decline

The Kingdom’s non-oil exports grew 1.6% y-o-y in April, according to the latest data from the General Authority for Statistics (pdf). Total non-oil exports, including re-exports — which rose in value by 56.4% y-o-y — climbed 12.4% in April compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, import volumes fell 1.3% y-o-y during the period.

The ratio of non-oil exports — including re-exports — to imports clocked in at 37.1% in April 2024, up from 32.6% during the corresponding month a year earlier. This came on the back of the growth of total non-oil exports and a drop in imports during the period.

A monthly snapshot: Merchandise exports were down 1.0% in April y-o-y on the back of a 4.2% drop in oil exports, according to figures by Gastat. The decline in oil exports saw its percentage of total exports plunge to 78.0% from 80.6% a year earlier.

On a quarterly basis: Non-oil exports fell 5.2% y-o-y in 1Q 2024, according to earlier Gastat data (pdf). Including re-exports, total non-oil exports rose 3.3% last quarter. Meanwhile, the ratio of non-oil exports to imports dropped to 34.7% in 1Q, down from 35.8% in 1Q 2023, as imports recorded a 6.4% uptick.

SOUND SMART- Re-exports are products that one country imports and re-sells to another country as-is, without providing added value or labor input in the process. This can happen for various reasons, including taking advantage of price differences between markets, fulfilling orders, or redistributing goods to markets where there is demand.

China maintained its position as Saudi’s largest trade partner: Saudi exports to China accounted for 16.6% of total exports in April, followed by Japan at 9.2%, and India at 8%. Chinese products and services also accounted for the largest share of Saudi’s imports during the month (22.4%), followed by the US (8.3%) and India (6.6%).

Plastic topped the list of our non-oil exports: Plastics, rubber and their derivatives accounted for 26.2% of total non-oil exports in April after growing by 20.5% y-o-y. Chemical products came in second to account for 25.7% of total exports during the period despite a 13.8% y-o-y decline.

Heavy machinery accounted for the lion’s share of Saudi-bound shipments: Machines and electrical equipment made up 26.6% of our total imports after reporting a 32.4% y-o-y growth in April. Transportation goods accounted for 11.7% of total imports despite falling 24.5% y-o-y.

ALSO IN TRADE- The Kingdom accounted for 25% of Turkey’s imports from the GCC in April 2024 with Saudi exports valued at USD 201.6 mn, according to Turkish government data seen by Mubasher. However, this is down 33% y-o-y from USD 301 mn in the corresponding period last year. Saudi’s imports from Turkey were up 44% y-o-y to USD 297.6 mn.

Budget Saudi appoints new chairman + vice chairman

The United International Transportation Company (Budget Saudi) tapped Ibrahim Saad AlMojel (LinkedIn) as chairman of its board of directors alongside Abdulwahab Abdulkarim Albetari (bio) as vice chairman, they said in a disclosure to Tadawul.

Who they are: Almojel is the founding partner of Khwarizmi Holding and was CEO of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund and Aramco’s subsidiary, Wisayah. Albetari is managing partner at Tar Company and previously held the position of co-manager at Saudi American Bank.

Heat-related hajj deaths are still driving the conversation on Saudi in the global press

Heat-related deaths during this year’s Hajj continue to dominate the conversation on Saudi in the foreign press with the 1.3k death toll getting ink from Bloomberg and the Financial Times, among many others. All of them pin extreme heat and the “underworld Hajj industry” of unregistered pilgrims as the main culprits for the tragic event.

In context: “With nearly 2 mn participating each year, it is not unusual for pilgrims to die from heat stress, illness or chronic disease. It is unclear if the number of deaths this year was higher than usual, because Saudi Arabia does not regularly report those statistics. Last year, 774 pilgrims died from Indonesia alone, and in 1985, more than 1.7k people died around the holy sites, most of them from heat stress, a study at the time found,” the New York Times reports.

Talks of a gigaproject scale down once again percolating in the western press, with the BBC writing that “some of the doubts on the feasibility of such projects are turning out to be true.” An unnamed advisor affiliated with the Saudi government told BBC that a decision on where gigaprojects stand will be made soon. “The decision will be based on multiple factors,” he says. “But there is no doubt that there will be a recalibration. Some projects will proceed as planned, but some might get delayed or scaled down.”

BACKGROUND- Officials have lately hammered the idea of preventing the economy from overheating on the back of its economic diversification push. Reports of a slower buildout of Neom drove officials at the project to assure contractors and bankers that the buildout of the city was proceeding on schedule. Neom also recently came off the road in China with officials looking to rally interest from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai.

Spinneys opens first store in Saudi, with more expected in 2024

RETAIL-

Spinneys is now in the Kingdom: Spinneys opened its first store in the Kingdom, choosing the La Strada Yard in Al Nuzha district in Riyadh for its debut, according to a statement. The supermarket chain eyes rapid expansion in the Kingdom as it targets to open up to 12 stores by 2028, with new stores coming to Riyadh and Jeddah soon.

Remember: Spinneys’ CEO Sunil Kumar said earlier this year that the chain plans to open another three stores by the end of this year and at least four new stores in the Kingdom every year for the next five to 10 years.

AUTOMOTIVE-

#1- Al Jomaih-Shell JV and Autolead will bring Shell service centers to the Kingdom: The joint venture of local leading family conglomerate Al Jomaih Holding and Shell Lubricating Oil Company (Josloc), the exclusive distributor of Shell products in the Kingdom, has signed an agreement with Autolead to launch and operate Shell service centers across the Kingdom, according to a statement. The partnership also sees the launch of a network of quick service centers under Autolead’s subsidiary Quick Lead.

#2- Wallan Trading Company will open the Kingdom's first showroom for the luxury line-up of Lotus electric vehicles later this year, according to a statement. The showroom, which will open in Riyadh in 4Q 2024, will feature the UK automaker’s EV line-up, including the Lotus Eletre and Lotus Emira.

In context: Wallan Trading Company is the authorized distributor of British sports car brand Lotus’ vehicles in the Kingdom following a strategic partnership with Lotus earlier this year.

REAL ESTATE-

#1- Nearly SAR 1 bn was allocated to the Sakani program this month: The Real Estate Development Fund deposited SAR 989 mn in the accounts of the Sakani program beneficiaries for June 2024, bringing the total amount of deposited funds to the program so far to SAR 60.4 bn since its launch in 2017, state run news agency SPA reported.

What is Sakani? The program is part of a government-run housing initiative that facilitates homeownership for citizens via several financing options, including rent-to-own and mortgage loans.

#2- Egypt’s Marseilia Group eyes launching a Saudi arm: Egyptian real estate developer Marseilia Group plans to launch a Saudi arm with an EGP 10 bn (c. SAR 776.4 mn) investment as it prepares to roll up its sleeves on two projects in Riyadh and Qassim, Mubasher reported, citing statements by the company’s Chairman Sherif Helw to a group of Saudi investors. He said his company was looking to develop residential, commercial and coastal projects in the Kingdom without providing further details.

Not the only Egyptian developer setting a base here: Egyptian real estate giant Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) broke ground last month on their first project in Saudi. The integrated Benan city is being developed in eastern Riyadh’s Al Fursan in partnership with the National Housing Company. It will be home to some 27.8k residential units, along with a sports club and health, educational, and commercial services. The project marks the Egyptian real estate developer’s first overseas project.

ALSO- Hassan Allam Properties — the real estate arm of our friends at Hassan Allam Holding — inked an MoU in March with local real estate player Sumou Holding to set up a JV to open up cross-border investments for the companies in Saudi Arabia and Egypt and to share expertise.

AGRICULTURE-

Gov’t launches tender for five agricultural projects in Al Baha: The Environment, Water and Agriculture Ministry has launched a tender offering five farmlands for cultivation, three of which will be allocated for coffee beans and the other two for grapes and almonds, state news agency SPA reported.

INVESTMENT-

Alinma Investment — the fund manager of Alinma REIT — has completed the acquisition of a piece of real estate in Riyadh through a combination of in-kind and cash payments, according to a disclosure to Tadawul (pdf). It will acquire the property which is valued at SAR 368 mn in exchange for Al Makan Mall in Riyadh — which was valued at SAR 392 mn. A previous agreement in March saw the fund acquiring two real estate properties in Riyadh valued at SAR 592 mn in exchange for Al Makan Mall. The transfer of the ownership is set to take place in Q3 2024.

The rationale: Alinma Investment said the sale of the mall will help “maximize the fund’s returns in a way that could reflect positively on the fund’s cashflows and expected distributions.”

ARTS & CULTURE-

Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) — a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) — will set up a performing arts center in the USD multi-bn development, state news agency SPA reported. The new center is set to be the first cultural landmark in Qiddiya. It will feature three theaters with a combined seating capacity of c. 2.4k, where some 260 performances will be held annually. It is set to include an amphitheater with a panoramic view of the city.

Background: Qiddiya aims to become the world’s largest entertainment hub. The district will be home to the first Dragon Ball themed park as well as a multi-use stadium where Qiddiya plans to host major sports, cultural and entertainment events, including games at the 2034 Fifa World Cup. The destination will also be home to the world’s first gaming and esports district. QIC’s board recently approved the launch of a new water theme park that is slated to be the first of its kind in Saudi and the largest in the region.

FINANCIAL SERVICES-

Urpay — a digital wallet by Sama-licensed fintech provider neoleap — has partnered up with Mastercard to offer advanced cross-payment solutions, according to a statement (pdf). Under the partnership, urpay customers will have access to funds pick up, bank deposit and digital wallet transfers. It will also allow urpay clients to transfer funds to over 180 countries globally.

CHEMICALS-

Aramco’s petrochemicals arm to secure methanol supply from Chemanol: Tadawul-listed methanol producer Chemanol has signed a 20-year agreement with Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical (Satorp) to supply the Aramco subsidiary with 100k metric tons of methanol annually, a disclosure to Tadawul showed. No details were provided on the value of the agreement, which will go into effect by the end of 2027.

Al Jomaih Holding and Shell Lubricating Oil Company (Josloc) Al Moammar Information Systems Alinma Investment ALSO ON OUR RADAR Autolead Chemanol Hassan Allam Properties Lotus Marseilia Group Mastercard neoleap Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) Real Estate Development Fund Sakani Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical (Satorp) Spinneys Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) Urpay Wallan Trading Company

9

PLANET FINANCE

Mideast sovereign wealth fund flows to China up 2.2k% y-o-y in 2023

The world’s factory is catching the interest of Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds in a big way: Middle East sovereign wealth funds poured some USD 2.3 bn into Chinese companies in 2023, Bloomberg reports, citing Hong Kong Monetary Authority external executive director Kenneth Hui. To put this in context, the influx of funds represents a 2.2k% y-o-y increase from the USD 100 mn China received in 2022.

When one door closes, another opens: The surge in China-bound funds from our region of the globe comes as the world’s second most populous country found itself increasingly cut off from funds from Europe and the US that had historically been an important source of finance. The EU and US hiked tariffs on Chinese imports in recent years in a bid to contain the country’s rise in sectors that much of the developed world sees as a threat to their own economies.

But wealth funds in the region have signaled that they’re not immune from US pressure: Alat, the USD 100 bn AI and advanced technology investment firm created by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, made clear that it would divest from Chinese tech if requested to by the US, EnterpriseAM Saudi reported in May. “So far the requests have been to keep manufacturing and supply chains completely separate, but if the partnerships with China would become a problem for the US, we will divest,” Alat CEO Amit Midha told Bloomberg at the time. US officials have also reportedly asked Saudi to “choose between Chinese and American technology” as they develop a semiconductor industry that forms the backbone of AI technology.

AND- The UAE’s G42 struck earlier this year a partnership with Microsoft after turning its back on Chinese tech under heavy pressure from Washington, as we have previously noted.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Major Asian benchmarks are mixed this morning after yesterday’s Nvidia-led tech selloff on Wall Street. US equities futures are flat, and while most major European benchmarks look set to dip at the opening bell.

TASI	11,697	-0.3% (YTD: -2.3%)
MSCI Tadawul 30	1,471	-0.3% (YTD: -5.2%)
NomuC	26,778	-0.2% (YTD: +9.2%)
USD : SAR (SAMA)	USD 3.75 Sell	USD 3.75 Buy
Interest rates	6% repo	5.5% reverse repo
EGX30	26,902	-0.6% (YTD: +8.1%)
ADX	9,022	+0.1% (YTD: -5.8%)
DFM	4,000	-0.3% (YTD: -1.5%)
S&P 500	5,448	-0.3% (YTD: +14.2%)
FTSE 100	8,282	+0.5% (YTD: +7.1%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,951	+0.9% (YTD: +9.5%)
Brent crude	USD 86.02	+0.9%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.82	+0.5%
Gold	USD 2,346.00	+0.6%
BTC	USD 59,504.00	-7.1% (YTD: +40.6%)

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI fell 0.3% yesterday on turnover of SAR 8.7 bn. The index is down 2.3% YTD.

In the green: Miahona (+9.9%), Atheeb Telecom (+7.9%) and Jazadco (+6.9%).

In the red: Cenomi Retail (-6.0%), Mouwasat (-3.7%) and Acwa Power (-3.6%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC fell 0.2% yesterday on turnover of SAR 30.9 mn. The index is up 9.2% YTD.

In the green: Osool and Bakheet (+16.8%), AlRasheed (+7.6%) and Al Mohafaza for Education (+6.5%).

In the red: Mulkia (-9.8%), Alwasail Industrial (-4.7%) and Lana (-4.5%)

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

Shareholders of Tadawul-listed ins. firm Tawuniya have approved the board’s recommendation of a dividend of SAR 150 mn at SAR 1 per piece for FY 2023, it said in a disclosure (pdf). Distribution is set to start Sunday, 7 July.

Shareholders of Nomu-listed medical equipment supplier AME have approved the board’s recommendation to distribute SAR 14 mn in dividends at SAR 2 apiece for FY 2023, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul. The distribution date was set for Wednesday, 3 July.

CALENDAR

JUNE

1-30 June (Saturday- Sunday): Monsha’at’s support meetings, Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, and Madinah.

28 June (Friday): Start of Jeddah Season 2024, Jeddah.

JULY

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

12 July (Friday): PFL MENA 2, The Green Halls, Riyadh.

10-11 July: (Wednesday-Thursday): Global EV & Mobility Tech Forum, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, Riyadh.

21-30 July (Sunday-Tuesday): International Chemistry Olympiad, King Saud University, Riyadh.

AUGUST

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

18 August (Sunday): New academic year begins.

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

SEPTEMBER

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

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

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

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

10-12 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi Sports Show, Riyadh.

10-12 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Global AI Summit, Riyadh.

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

16-19 September (Monday-Thursday): Foodex Saudi, Riyadh.

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

18-19 September (Wednesday-Thursday): Saudi Maritime & Logistics Congress, Dammam.

18-19 September (Wednesday-Thursday): IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2024, Riyadh.

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

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

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

OCTOBER

1-3 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Intersec Saudi Arabia 2024, Riyadh.

5-7 October (Saturday-Monday): Middle East Education & Training Exhibition 2024, Jeddah.

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.

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

31 October (Thursday): No-visa travel for Saudis to Montenegro on charter flights expires.

NOVEMBER

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

4-7 November (Monday-Thursday): Saudi Build, Riyadh.

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

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

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

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

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

DECEMBER

1 December (Sunday): Opec+ to meet.

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

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

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

Signposted to happen sometime in 2024:

The AFC Champions League Elite

2025

FEBRUARY 2025

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

14-15 February (Friday-Saturday): Formula E, Diriyah.

JUNE 2025

26 June (Thursday): 2024-2025 academic year ends.

2026

UN Trade and Development Global Supply Chain Forum to take place in Saudi Arabia.

2027

The World Water Forum takes place in Riyadh.

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