Asia’s First Saudi ETF Debuts in Hong Kong

The new fund covers comprehensive sector indices, including investment, finance, basic materials, energy, and communications (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The new fund covers comprehensive sector indices, including investment, finance, basic materials, energy, and communications (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Asia’s First Saudi ETF Debuts in Hong Kong

The new fund covers comprehensive sector indices, including investment, finance, basic materials, energy, and communications (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The new fund covers comprehensive sector indices, including investment, finance, basic materials, energy, and communications (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Hong Kong-based CSOP Asset Management announced that, in cooperation with the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi CSOP Fund has been listed on the Hong Kong Financial Market as the first exchange-traded fund (ETF) targeting the Saudi financial market in East Asia.
According to information released on Wednesday, the fund will enable Asian investments to benefit from the essential opportunities provided by the diverse and thriving Saudi stock market.
The Saudi ETF tracks the performance of the FTSE Saudi Arabia Index to invest in shares of more than 50 leading large and medium-sized companies listed in the Saudi Tadawul market.
The new fund covers a comprehensive number of sector indices, including investment and finance, basic materials, energy, and communications, which allows it to benefit from the performance of the most important indicators in the stimulating sectors of the Saudi economy.
The initial listing of the fund is scheduled to take place with assets under management worth more than $1 billion. At the same time, the launch of the CSOP Saudi ETF will allow East Asian investors to invest in the prosperous Saudi economy and contribute to its development by taking advantage of broad and promising future opportunities.

The Public Investment Fund seeks to boost its partnerships in various global markets, paving the way for unprecedented opportunities between the leading financial market center in Hong Kong and the Saudi stock market.
The Asian company said that Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world, noting that the Kingdom ranks as the 17th largest economy in the world in terms of nominal gross domestic product in 2022.
Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest oil exporter, and its economy expanded 8.7 percent in 2022 to exceed $1 trillion in size, outperforming its counterparts in the Middle East and the G20.
The Kingdom gained more growth engines after the unveiling of Vision 2030 in 2016, a long-term economic transformation plan to push the country into a diversified future.



Oil Edges Up on Strong US GDP Data

A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
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Oil Edges Up on Strong US GDP Data

A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

Oil prices were up slightly on Friday on stronger-than-expected US economic data that raised investor expectations for increasing crude oil demand from the world's largest energy consumer.

But concerns about soft economic conditions in Asia's biggest economies, China and Japan, capped gains.

Brent crude futures for September rose 7 cents to $82.44 a barrel by 0014 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude for September increased 4 cents to $78.32 per barrel, Reuters reported.

In the second quarter, the US economy grew at a faster-than-expected annualised rate of 2.8% as consumers spent more and businesses increased investments, Commerce Department data showed. Economists polled by Reuters had predicted US gross domestic product would grow by 2.0% over the period.

At the same time, inflation pressures eased, which kept intact expectations that the Federal Reserve would move forward with a September interest rate cut. Lower interest rates tend to boost economic activity, which can spur oil demand.

Still, continued signs of trouble in parts of Asia limited oil price gains.

Core consumer prices in Japan's capital were up 2.2% in July from a year earlier, data showed on Friday, raising market expectations of an interest rate hike in the near term.

But an index that strips away energy costs, seen as a better gauge of underlying price trends, rose at the slowest annual pace in nearly two years, suggesting that price hikes are moderating due to soft consumption.

China, the world's biggest crude importer, surprised markets for a second time this week by conducting an unscheduled lending operation on Thursday at steeply lower rates, suggesting authorities are trying to provide heavier monetary stimulus to prop up the economy.