Saudi Avalon Pharma Prepares for IPO on Main Market

Al-Dukheil Financial Group has been appointed financial adviser and book-runner for the IPO, while al-Inma Investment is acting as lead manager (Avalon Pharma)
Al-Dukheil Financial Group has been appointed financial adviser and book-runner for the IPO, while al-Inma Investment is acting as lead manager (Avalon Pharma)
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Saudi Avalon Pharma Prepares for IPO on Main Market

Al-Dukheil Financial Group has been appointed financial adviser and book-runner for the IPO, while al-Inma Investment is acting as lead manager (Avalon Pharma)
Al-Dukheil Financial Group has been appointed financial adviser and book-runner for the IPO, while al-Inma Investment is acting as lead manager (Avalon Pharma)

Saudi pharmaceutical manufacturer Middle East Pharmaceutical Industries Company, Avalon Pharma, said it would sell shares on the Saudi Exchange's Main Market through an initial public offering (IPO).

Avalon Pharma said in a statement that it received approval to offer six million shares, or 30% of its issued share capital, with final pricing to be determined following a Jan. 14-18 book-building period.

Headquartered in Riyadh, Avalon Pharma's main activities include developing, manufacturing, and marketing consumer health and beauty brands and generic prescription medicines.

Al-Dukheil Financial Group has been appointed financial adviser and book-runner for the IPO, while al-Inma Investment is the lead manager.

Last September, the company announced the launch of its fourth factory in the Kingdom, "Avalon 4," which is expected to be completed by 2026 in the Industrial City in Riyadh, with an investment exceeding $26.8 million.



Ukraine Receives First 3 Bln Euro Tranche of G7 Loan from EU

An explosion of a drone after it hit an apartment building is seen in the sky during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
An explosion of a drone after it hit an apartment building is seen in the sky during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
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Ukraine Receives First 3 Bln Euro Tranche of G7 Loan from EU

An explosion of a drone after it hit an apartment building is seen in the sky during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
An explosion of a drone after it hit an apartment building is seen in the sky during a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 10, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Ukraine received its first 3 billion euro ($3.09 billion) tranche of the European Union's portion of the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loan agreed for Ukraine by the G7 group of countries, its prime minister Denys Shmyhal said on Friday.

It was the first tranche of EU loan secured by profits from frozen Russian assets, Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram app.

G7 leaders in October agreed to provide some $50 billion in loans to Ukraine via multiple channels.
"Today, we deliver €3 billion to Ukraine, the 1st payment of the EU part of the G7 loan. Giving Ukraine the financial power to continue fighting for its freedom – and prevail," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media platform X.

In other economic news, Ukraine's steel output rose by 21.6% in 2024 to 7.58 million metric tons, its producers union said late on Thursday, though fighting that is closing in on the country's only coking coal mine threatens to slash volumes this year.

Steel production has already suffered since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, which has led to the destruction of leading steel plants.

Ukraine, formerly a major steel producer and exporter, reported a 70.7% drop in output in 2022 to 6.3 million tons. It fell to 6 million tons in 2023.

The steelmakers' union said in October the potential closure of the Pokrovsk mine, Ukraine's only coking coal mine, could cause steel production to slump to 2-3 million metric tons in 2025.
Advancing Russian forces are less than 2 km (1.24 miles) from the mine, Ukrainian military analyst DeepState said on Friday.
The mine's owner, steelmaker Metinvest BV, said last month it had already halted some operations at the mine and two industry sources said it was operating at 50% capacity.
Producers have said they hope to find coking coal from elsewhere in Ukraine should the mine be seized by Russian troops, but imports would inevitably be needed which would raise costs.