Saudi Arabia: Market Value Jumps to $576 Bn

Man monitoring Saudi Market (File Photo: AFP)
Man monitoring Saudi Market (File Photo: AFP)
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Saudi Arabia: Market Value Jumps to $576 Bn

Man monitoring Saudi Market (File Photo: AFP)
Man monitoring Saudi Market (File Photo: AFP)

Saudi stock market index continued its positive gains for the seventh week in a row recording its best weekly closing price in almost four years, meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance announced strong growth in first quarter revenues for the year 2019.

Investors are especially interested in the Saudi financial market, while the market trading record new gains every week, which pushed the index to close above 9270 points, amid a more positive cash flow.

Companies and banks dividend yield will improve in line with the positive growth of the Saudi economy, in addition to the country's announcement of the largest spending budget, which exceeds the barrier of SR1.1 trillion, according to current year's budget.

Over the past 30 days, figures show that the market index managed to achieve gains above the 7 percent mark, while the market value of transactions jumped to $576.2 billion.

Total transactions of the last week increased significantly reaching about $4.91 billion, compared with $4.46 billion during the previous week, recording a liquidity rate of 10.2 percent on a weekly basis.

Since the beginning of the year, the Saudi stock market index recorded gains of about 18.5 percent, which demonstrates the vitality and effectiveness of the financial market in the country, and further, attracts investment.

Saudi stock market is one of the world’s best performing financial markets in the first months of 2019. Listed companies are to complete their first quarter financial results, with financial institutions predicting positive results.

So far, about 40 companies listed in the Saudi stock market announced their Q1 results for 2019, with 25 companies showing a remarkable increase in profitability. Major companies are expected to start announcing their financial results on Sunday.

Meanwhile, during the Financial Sector Conference, the Ministry of Finance announced Q1 results which showed a surplus of $7.42 billion dollars.

This surplus demonstrates the feasibility of the economic reforms undertaken by Saudi Arabia in light of Vision 2030, while revenues achieved a new growth rate during Q1 of 2019, at about 48 percent, and expenditure levels increased 8 percent compared with the same period in 2018.

The Financial Sector Conference recorded over 4,000 participants from 80 countries, which witnessed 21 main and experts’ sessions. It is considered a leading financial forum benefiting domestic and international financial sectors, where the platform was announced through 42 ads with 22 signed agreements, and the number of bilateral meetings reached 179.

The Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Ministry of Finance Abdulaziz bin Saleh al-Furaih described the conference as the largest financial dialogue platform in the Middle East, supporting innovation, stimulating partnerships, and building relationships between financial institutions and investors.

He also noted that the Conference contributed to the development of new standards for the financial sector in Saudi Arabia and the region, drawing attention to the importance of the Kingdom's competitive position of the financial sector globally and in the Middle East.



FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.