Saudi Market Authority: Kingdom Unaffected by Global Technical Disruptions

Two investors monitor stock prices on the Saudi Tadawul screen (Reuters)
Two investors monitor stock prices on the Saudi Tadawul screen (Reuters)
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Saudi Market Authority: Kingdom Unaffected by Global Technical Disruptions

Two investors monitor stock prices on the Saudi Tadawul screen (Reuters)
Two investors monitor stock prices on the Saudi Tadawul screen (Reuters)

The Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) has assured the integrity and full operational readiness of its systems following global technical disruptions affecting various sectors.
The CMA confirmed that it has been coordinating with relevant authorities from the outset to ensure uninterrupted service for all investors during Sunday’s trading sessions.
In a statement released on Saturday, the CMA emphasized that listed companies in the financial market have been instructed to disclose any significant developments related to the issue.
The Saudi Stock Exchange, Tadawul, also confirmed the reliability and readiness of its systems to ensure uninterrupted service for all investors.
The CMA highlighted that technical teams are monitoring the systems round-the-clock to ensure the continuous functioning of services and the technical infrastructure, ensuring business continuity and system efficiency in the market.
Limited Impact
Since the onset of the global technical crisis, the Saudi National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) reported that the impact on the Kingdom has been limited.
In a statement, the NCA referenced media reports of widespread technical failures in critical sectors worldwide and clarified that the impact on national entities in Saudi Arabia has been minimal, based on current assessments.
The NCA attributed these global disruptions to a technical error in a product update released by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike early Friday morning.
Cyber Incidents
The NCA credited the robust support and significant backing from Saudi leadership for the cybersecurity sector, enabling proactive measures to detect and address cyber threats and risks.
The NCA has also been committed to fostering local cybersecurity capabilities and enhancing technological sovereignty.
The NCA affirmed that its cybersecurity regulations and standards have bolstered the security and reliability of the Kingdom’s cyberspace, positively impacting the protection of national entities and critical infrastructure.
The authority continues to oversee compliance with these regulations through its National Cybersecurity Services Portal (Haseen), working in partnership with all national entities to enhance national cybersecurity.
This initiative is fundamental to safeguarding the Kingdom’s vital interests, critical infrastructure, government services, and key sectors in both the public and private domains.



Egypt's Central Bank Leaves Key Interest Rates Unchanged

A general view of Dahab Island or Gold Island (Gezirit el-Dahab) in the middle of the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt, July 2, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
A general view of Dahab Island or Gold Island (Gezirit el-Dahab) in the middle of the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt, July 2, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
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Egypt's Central Bank Leaves Key Interest Rates Unchanged

A general view of Dahab Island or Gold Island (Gezirit el-Dahab) in the middle of the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt, July 2, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
A general view of Dahab Island or Gold Island (Gezirit el-Dahab) in the middle of the Nile River in Cairo, Egypt, July 2, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Egypt's central bank left its overnight interest rates unchanged on Thursday, as expected, saying economic growth remained slow but that inflation has been decreasing.
The bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) left the deposit rate at 27.25% and the lending rate at 28.25%.
All but one of 18 analysts in a Reuters poll had expected rates to remain unchanged, with the sole analyst forecasting a cut of 100 basis points (bps).
The decision keeps the overnight deposit rate below that of headline inflation, which was 27.5% in June. Real interest rates have been negative since January 2022. Inflation declined in June for a fourth straight month after soaring to a record 38% in September.
The MPC expects inflation to come down sharply in the first half of 2025.
"The gradual unwinding of food inflation along with the improvement of inflation expectations suggest that inflation is on a sustained downward trajectory," the MPC said.
Gross domestic product inched down to an annualized 2.2% in the first quarter from 2.3% in the final quarter of 2023, the MPC added.
"Leading indicators for Q2 2024 suggest that economic activity remains subdued. Consequently, real GDP growth is expected to slow down in FY 2023/24 compared to the previous fiscal year, before recovering in FY 2024/25," it said.
Egypt reported GDP of 3.8% in 2022/23.
The central bank raised interest rates by 600 bps on March 6 as part of an agreement with the IMF, bringing total increases since the beginning of the year to 800 bps. Egypt also sharply devalued its currency against the dollar under its IMF accord.