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Saudi Arabia: Rising Demand for Housing Units Drives Property Prices Higher

Residential and commercial real estate in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Residential and commercial real estate in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia: Rising Demand for Housing Units Drives Property Prices Higher

Residential and commercial real estate in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Residential and commercial real estate in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Real estate experts have attributed the ongoing rise in Saudi Arabia’s property price index, over 16 consecutive quarters, to significant and growing demand for housing units.

This trend is supported by the success of government-backed housing projects in attracting consumer interest, the evolution of financing mechanisms, and flexible credit facilities and subsidized financing programs offered by banks.

Experts predict that property price increases, particularly in major cities, will persist through the upcoming quarters of 2025 if the launch of new housing projects continues. The real estate price index saw a 3.6% year-on-year increase in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking the fastest growth since the first quarter of 2021.

According to the General Authority for Statistics’ quarterly report on property prices for the fourth quarter of 2024, the index was primarily driven by a 3.1% rise in residential property prices, a 5.0% increase in commercial property prices, and a 2.8% rise in agricultural property prices. On a quarterly basis, the property price index rose by 1.6% in the fourth quarter compared to the third quarter, with residential property prices increasing by 1.0%, commercial prices by 2.7%, and agricultural property prices by a significant 9.8%.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Khaled Al-Mobid, CEO of Menassat Realty Co., attributed the price surge to heightened demand for housing units and the success of government-subsidized housing projects, which have attracted significant consumer interest. He noted that these factors have boosted property prices, especially in neighborhoods hosting large housing projects such as those in eastern and western Riyadh.

Previously low-priced properties in these suburban areas have experienced sharp price hikes due to increased demand. Al-Mubid believes that if the momentum of housing projects continues in major cities, coupled with strong consumer purchasing power and ongoing growth in the real estate sector, property prices will likely continue to rise through mid-2025, or at the very least, stabilize without declining.

Abdullah Al-Mousa, a real estate expert and marketer, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the sustained rise in property prices is linked to economic and investment growth driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiatives.

He pointed out that large-scale investments in infrastructure and city development, particularly in major cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, have boosted demand for real estate.

Mega projects such as Qiddiya and developments in entertainment and hospitality have also increased the value of surrounding areas and attracted interest from buyers and investors.

Al-Mousa highlighted that population growth, combined with government initiatives like the “Sakani” program, rising income levels, and stronger purchasing power, have intensified demand for residential properties. Families are increasingly seeking larger spaces and greater privacy, leading to a shift in demand toward villas and spacious apartments.

The evolution of financing mechanisms, including flexible credit facilities and subsidized loan programs, has improved homeownership accessibility. Al-Mousa noted that lower global interest rates have made borrowing more attractive, accelerating purchasing decisions and increasing activity in the real estate market. The expansion of luxury housing projects and developments targeting middle- and high-income families has further driven competitiveness and property price growth.

Real estate marketer Saqr Al-Zahrani noted that Saudi property prices have shown a marked acceleration in the fourth quarter of 2024. He attributed the rise in the general index to the complex interplay of supply and demand dynamics in the market, supported by Saudi Arabia’s recent economic and structural transformations and the influence of foreign investments.

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Business

What Is China’s Singles’ Day and How Is It Celebrated? 

A courier sorts packages for delivery on Singles Day or '11.11' Global Shopping Festival, in Beijing, China, 11 November 2025. (EPA)
A courier sorts packages for delivery on Singles Day or '11.11' Global Shopping Festival, in Beijing, China, 11 November 2025. (EPA)
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What Is China’s Singles’ Day and How Is It Celebrated? 

A courier sorts packages for delivery on Singles Day or '11.11' Global Shopping Festival, in Beijing, China, 11 November 2025. (EPA)
A courier sorts packages for delivery on Singles Day or '11.11' Global Shopping Festival, in Beijing, China, 11 November 2025. (EPA)

Black Friday? No. Cyber Monday? Nope. Prime Day? Absolutely not. The world's biggest shopping event happens in China each year - and is called Singles' Day.

Originally a holiday to celebrate being single, as a counter to Valentine's Day, the event has grown into a weeks-long online shopping festival that this year began on October 9 and runs through November 11 - making it the longest Singles' Day sales period ever.

WHEN DID THE IDEA OF SINGLES' DAY ORIGINATE?

The idea for Singles' Day originated at China's Nanjing University back in 1993 and was originally called "Bachelor's Day." On the day, single people treat themselves with gifts and presents, while also organizing social gatherings and parties.

HOW MUCH DO CONSUMERS SPEND?

Last year, the total value of goods sold during the shopping bonanza - also known as "Double 11" - totaled 1.44 trillion yuan ($202 billion), according to data provider Syntun.

That is almost five times the $41.1 billion US shoppers spent last year during Cyber Week, the period from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, per data from Adobe Analytics.

Cyber Monday immediately follows Black Friday, which falls on the day after the US Thanksgiving Day holiday, the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States.

But growth has been harder to come by for major e-commerce players in China, which have extended their Singles' Day sales period and leaned heavily on subsidies and coupons to entice spending. Last year's sales growth rate of 27% was largely attributed to a longer overall festival period.

This year Alibaba Group pledged 50 billion yuan in subsidies for its 88VIP members over the Singles' Day period. The event has, in recent years, lost some of its novelty with the rise of other shopping festivals in China, including the midyear "618" sales which is the country's second-largest, and has also lengthened to a weeks-long event.

WHAT MAJOR BRANDS AND PRODUCTS ARE SHOPPERS BUYING?

While Alibaba started "Double 11" in 2009 to win over online shoppers with discounts and promotions, China's major e-commerce platforms now all take part in it. JD.com joined in 2012 and PDD Holdings-owned Pinduoduo has also become a significant player, offering low-cost products in competition with Alibaba-owned Tmall and Taobao platforms.

Last year, categories covered by a national 150 billion yuan household-appliance-subsidy scheme outperformed. With a higher comparison base this year, those categories are expected to decline.

Nomura analysts forecast in October that home appliance sales will fall 20% in the fourth quarter in China. Instant retail - one-hour delivery of online orders - is also a focus this year.

Alibaba and JD.com have poured billions into subsidies throughout 2025 to attract shoppers to rapid-delivery channels, which have been growing faster than e-commerce overall.

WHICH OTHER COMPANIES HOPE TO BENEFIT?

Many global companies, from apparel maker Nike to cosmetics firm Estee Lauder and consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble, have a big presence on Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Tmall and JD.com.

Aggressive discounting has been a hallmark of Chinese shopping festivals since pandemic restrictions ended in China in late 2022, though consumption overall has remained sluggish as people save more in the face of macroeconomic challenges and a prolonged property crisis.

According to Alibaba, 35 brands, including Nike, L'Oreal and local firms Anta and Proya, sold more than 100 million yuan of merchandise in the first hour of the sale this year.

At a press conference a few days into its Singles' Day sales period, JD.com said it would list over 100,000 "hit" products at its lowest prices of the year and sell 50,000 pairs of thermal Long Johns at 2 yuan each, shipping included.

Phone sales are expected to be strong this year, given recent launches of Apple's iPhone 17 series and Xiaomi's 17 series in September.

Within the first two hours, sales of iPhone on Apple's Tmall store exceeded the full-day total for the same period last year, according to Alibaba, which did not disclose specific figures.

Business

Lukoil Declares Force Majeure at Iraqi Oilfield Following Western Sanctions  

A Lukoil company sign at the Filanovskogo oil platform in the Caspian Sea, Russia, October 16, 2018. (Reuters) 
A Lukoil company sign at the Filanovskogo oil platform in the Caspian Sea, Russia, October 16, 2018. (Reuters) 
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Lukoil Declares Force Majeure at Iraqi Oilfield Following Western Sanctions  

A Lukoil company sign at the Filanovskogo oil platform in the Caspian Sea, Russia, October 16, 2018. (Reuters) 
A Lukoil company sign at the Filanovskogo oil platform in the Caspian Sea, Russia, October 16, 2018. (Reuters) 

Russian oil major Lukoil has declared force majeure at Iraq’s giant West Qurna-2 oilfield, four sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday, after Western sanctions on the Russian oil major hampered its operations.

The United States and Britain imposed sanctions on Lukoil - Russia’s second-largest oil company - last month and Iraq has since halted all cash and crude payments to the company, three of the sources said.

Lukoil sent an official letter to Iraq’s oil ministry last Tuesday saying there are force majeure conditions preventing it from continuing normal operations at the West Qurna-2 field, the four sources said.

If the reasons behind the force majeure are not resolved within six months, Lukoil will shut production and exit the project entirely, a senior Iraqi oil industry official said.

Reuters reported last week that Iraq’s state oil firm SOMO canceled loadings of three crude oil cargoes from Lukoil’s equity production at the West Qurna-2 field over the sanctions.

Business

Senate Approves Bill to End the Shutdown, Sending it to the House

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 09: The US Capitol is seen on the 40th day of a government shutdown on November 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images/AFP
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 09: The US Capitol is seen on the 40th day of a government shutdown on November 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images/AFP
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Senate Approves Bill to End the Shutdown, Sending it to the House

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 09: The US Capitol is seen on the 40th day of a government shutdown on November 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images/AFP
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 09: The US Capitol is seen on the 40th day of a government shutdown on November 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images/AFP

The Senate passed legislation Monday to reopen the government, bringing the longest shutdown in history closer to an end as a small group of Democrats ratified a deal with Republicans despite searing criticism from within their party.

The 41-day shutdown could last a few more days as members of the House, which has been on recess since mid-September, return to Washington to vote on the legislation. President Donald Trump has signaled support for the bill, saying Monday that “we’re going to be opening up our country very quickly.”

The final Senate vote, 60-40, broke a grueling stalemate that lasted more than six weeks as Democrats demanded that Republicans negotiate with them to extend health care tax credits that expire Jan. 1. The Republicans never did, and five moderate Democrats eventually switched their votes as federal food aid was delayed, airport delays worsened and hundreds of thousands of federal workers continued to go unpaid.

House Speaker Mike Johnson urged lawmakers to start returning to Washington “right now" given shutdown-related travel delays, but an official notice issued after the Senate vote said the earliest the House will vote is Wednesday afternoon, reported The Associated Press said.

“It appears our long national nightmare is finally coming to an end," said Johnson, who has kept the House out of session since mid-September, when the House passed a bill to continue government funding.

How the stalemate ended

After weeks of negotiations, a group of three former governors — New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine — agreed to vote to advance three bipartisan annual spending bills and extend the rest of government funding until late January. Republicans promised to hold a vote to extend the health care subsidies by mid-December, but there was no guarantee of success.

Shaheen said Monday that “this was the option on the table” after Republicans had refused to budge.

“We had reached a point where I think a number of us believed that the shutdown had been very effective in raising the concern about health care," she said, and the promise for a future vote “gives us an opportunity to continue to address that going forward."

The legislation includes a reversal of the mass firings of federal workers by the Trump administration since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. It also protects federal workers against further layoffs through January and guarantees they are paid once the shutdown is over.

In addition to Shaheen, King and Hassan, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, home to tens of thousands of federal workers, also voted Sunday in favor of moving forward on the agreement. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and Nevada Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen also voted yes. All other Democrats, including Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, voted against it.

The moderates had expected a larger number of Democrats to vote with them as 10 to 12 Democratic senators had been part of the negotiations. But in the end, only five switched their votes — the exact number that Republicans needed. King, Cortez Masto and Fetterman had already been voting to open the government since Oct. 1.

Many Democrats call the vote a “mistake” Schumer, who received blowback from his party in March when he voted to keep the government open, said he could not “in good faith” support it after meeting with his caucus for more than two hours on Sunday.

“We will not give up the fight,” Schumer said, adding that Democrats have now “sounded the alarm” on health care.

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, said giving up the fight was a “horrific mistake.” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., agreed, saying that voters who overwhelmingly supported Democrats in last week's elections were urging them to "hold firm.”

House Democrats swiftly criticized the Senate.

Texas Rep. Greg Casar, the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said a deal that doesn’t reduce health care costs is a “betrayal” of millions of Americans who are counting on Democrats to fight.

Others gave Schumer a nod of support. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries had criticized Schumer in March after his vote to keep the government open. But he praised the Senate Democratic leader on Monday and expressed support for his leadership throughout the shutdown.

“The American people know we are on the right side of this fight,” Jeffries said Monday, pointing to Tuesday's election results.

Health care debate ahead

It’s unclear whether the two parties would be able to find any common ground on the health care subsidies before a promised December vote in the Senate. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he will not commit to bringing it up in his chamber.

On Monday, Johnson said House Republicans have always been open to voting to reform what he called the “unaffordable care act” but again did not say if they would vote on the subsidies.

Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19-era tax credits as premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the subsidies. Some argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be routed through individuals.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins said Monday that she's supportive of extending the tax credits with changes, like new income caps. Some Democrats have signaled they could be open to that idea.

“We do need to act by the end of the year, and that is exactly what the majority leader has promised,” Collins said.

Other Republicans, including Trump, have used the debate to renew their yearslong criticism of the law and called for it to be scrapped or overhauled.

In a possible preview, the Senate voted 47-53 along party lines Monday not to extend the subsidies for a year. Majority Republicans allowed the vote as part of a separate deal with Democrats to speed up votes and send the legislation to the House.