Recession Fears in US Drag Arab Markets into Another Day of Losses

An investor passes in front of a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh. (Reuters)
An investor passes in front of a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh. (Reuters)
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Recession Fears in US Drag Arab Markets into Another Day of Losses

An investor passes in front of a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh. (Reuters)
An investor passes in front of a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh. (Reuters)

Fears of recession in the American economy, the decline in global markets - from stocks to oil to cryptocurrencies – led to a wave of sharp losses in Middle Eastern markets on Monday, ranging between 4.5 percent and 0.9 percent, for the second consecutive day.

The UAE markets topped the declines in the Arab region, as the Dubai Financial Market Index recorded losses of 4.5 percent, reaching 4,045.9 points, while the Abu Dhabi Securities Market Index fell by 3 percent to 8,974.69 points.

In Cairo, the EGX30 Index concluded trading on Monday with losses amounting to 2.3 percent, reaching levels of 27,840.64 points, and the Egyptian pound fell against the US dollar to 49.5 pounds, the lowest level since March 11.

The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) decreased by 2.1 percent, or by 249.91 points, to close at the level of 11,504.46, with trades worth SAR 10 billion.

The General Market Index of the Kuwait Stock Exchange closed Monday’s trading at a decline to the level of 33.6927 points, or 2 percent, while the trading volume reached 260 million shares.

The Bahrain Stock Exchange Index suffered losses of 1 percent, reaching 1,931 points, while the Bahrain Islamic Index closed at 782.85, a decrease of 24.76 points.

The Muscat Securities Market Index closed down by 0.97 percent at 4602.25 points, a difference of 44.9 points from the last trading session, which reached 4647.20 points. The market value recorded a slight decrease of 0.3 percent.

On the other hand, the Qatar Stock Exchange index stabilized at 10,057.23 points after declining in the previous session by 0.7 percent to 10,057.13 points.



Saudi Mineral Resources Minister, US Energy Secretary Discuss Strengthening Strategic Cooperation 

The Saudi and American delegations meet at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Sunday. (SPA)
The Saudi and American delegations meet at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Sunday. (SPA)
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Saudi Mineral Resources Minister, US Energy Secretary Discuss Strengthening Strategic Cooperation 

The Saudi and American delegations meet at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Sunday. (SPA)
The Saudi and American delegations meet at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on Sunday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef held official talks on Sunday with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright as part of his current visit to the Kingdom.

The talks at the ministry headquarters in Riyadh focused on strengthening the strategic relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US in the mining and minerals sector.

They explored ways to expand cooperation in the mining sector and emphasized the importance of minerals in the energy transition, advanced technology industries, and modern economies linked to clean energy, as well as their significance in the electric vehicle industry and its components.

The two sides discussed ways to boost economic cooperation and high-value investment opportunities in both countries and the enablers available to leverage these opportunities in support of deepening their longstanding partnership.

Alkhorayef invited the US energy secretary to attend the Future Minerals Forum, which will be held in Riyadh next year.

Wright later visited the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran. He was welcomed by Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, KFUPM President Muhammad Al-Saggaf, and senior university officials.

Wright was briefed on the university's academic and research specializations, as well as its efforts to foster innovation and develop human capital in the fields of energy, engineering, and science. He met with faculty members and students and learned about the university's initiatives to advance educational and research programs in line with the highest international standards.

He was introduced to KFUPM’s international collaboration and academic exchange programs, particularly those with leading US institutions, which are designed to foster knowledge sharing, encourage joint learning, and provide students with global exposure that enhances both their academic growth and career prospects.

This visit underscores KFUPM’s role as a leading academic and research institution in the energy sector and strengthens research and academic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the US.