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Saudi Stock Value Jumps 20.8%

A Saudi investor monitors Tadawul, the Saudi Stock Exchange. (Getty Images)
A Saudi investor monitors Tadawul, the Saudi Stock Exchange. (Getty Images)
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Saudi Stock Value Jumps 20.8%

A Saudi investor monitors Tadawul, the Saudi Stock Exchange. (Getty Images)
A Saudi investor monitors Tadawul, the Saudi Stock Exchange. (Getty Images)

The total value of Saudi stock traded in the market during August jumped by 20.8 percent compared to the previous month, at a time when the total purchases by foreign investors exceeded the purchases made by Saudi and Gulf investors.

The positive growth comes as the Saudi market completed the second and final phase of joining the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

The Saudi stock market index closed Monday up 58 points, recording a “green” positive closure. It ended trading on a 0.7 percent increase, to close at 7971 points, amid transactions worth $853.3 million.

The total value of shares traded for August amounted to $21 billion, while total stock market capitalization reached $506.6 billion at the end of this period, decreasing by 7.53 percent from the previous month.

The total value of shares purchased by Saudi investors during this period amounted to $9.5 billion representing 45.58 percent of total buying activity, and sales of $13 billion, representing 61.91 percent of total selling activity.

Total ownership of Saudi investors stood at 89.77 percent of total market capitalization by the end of August, representing a drop of 0.44 percent from July.

As for the GCC investors, the total value of shares purchased during this period amounted to $173.3 million, representing 0.82 percent of total buying activity, and sales of $493.3 million, representing 2.35 percent of total selling activity.

Total ownership of GCC investors stood at 1.90 percent of total market capitalization by the end of August, representing a decrease of 0.04 percent from the previous month.

During the same period, the value of foreign investors shares amounted to $11.2 billion, representing 53.60 percent of total buying activity, and sales of $7.5 billion, representing 35.73 percent of total selling activity.

Total ownership of foreign investors stood at 8.33 percent of total market capitalization late August, representing an increase of 0.47 percent from July.

These developments come at a time when the asset value of public and private investment funds in the Kingdom jumped during Q2 of this year, reaching levels of $86.1 billion, compared to $82.6 billion in Q1.

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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)
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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.