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Saudi POS Transactions up 28% in September

Saudi Arabia's GDP growth is expected to pick up in 2018 and 2019, according to Moody's. Reuters
Saudi Arabia's GDP growth is expected to pick up in 2018 and 2019, according to Moody's. Reuters
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Saudi POS Transactions up 28% in September

Saudi Arabia's GDP growth is expected to pick up in 2018 and 2019, according to Moody's. Reuters
Saudi Arabia's GDP growth is expected to pick up in 2018 and 2019, according to Moody's. Reuters

Point-of-sale (POS) transactions in Saudi Arabia rose 28 percent to SAR19.3 billion (USD5.1 billion) in September from SAR15.1 billion (USD4 billion) a year earlier, figures from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) showed.

Data showed that 88.5 million transactions were processed through nearly 339,000 points-of-sales in shopping malls, retail stores and pharmacies.

Based on the main economic indicators issued by SAMA on Sunday, the Saudi economy achieved during the second quarter a growth of 1.61 percent, greater than the growth rates achieved in the first quarter of this year.

Saudi Arabia’s economic growth is set to rise to 2.5 percent by the end of this year and 2.7 percent in 2019, according to new forecasts from Moody’s Investors Service, instead of its previous expectations of 1.3 percent and 1.5 percent for the same period.

Moody’s has given Saudi Arabia an A1 stable rating with a stable outlook.

It expects developments in the non-oil sector to contribute to stronger GDP growth. In its recent review, Moody’s noted that plans to diversify the Kingdom’s economy away from oil are likely to contribute to the country’s medium and long-term growth.

These revised numbers from Moody’s even exceed the forecasts of the Government announced in the preliminary statement of the 2019 budget announcement.

Public debt is expected to remain well below 25 percent of GDP in the medium term and small relative to the government’s robust financial buffers.

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Saudi EXIM Hosts Global Risk Experts Meeting in Riyadh

The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
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Saudi EXIM Hosts Global Risk Experts Meeting in Riyadh

The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA
The event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. - SPA

The Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi EXIM) hosted the Berne Union's Country Risk Specialist Meeting, providing a platform for experts and thought leaders in risk management from the export credit community.
At the meeting, which took place from November 19 to 21 in Riyadh, the attendees exchanged best practices to better protect the industry amid shifting global dynamics.
According to a press release issued by the Saudi EXIM on Saturday, the event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions.
By strengthening institutional resilience, the industry is ready to turn global economic challenges into opportunities for economic prosperity, said the release, adding that it played a crucial role in advancing global trade, strengthening international cooperation, and developing credit solutions that empower export activities while controlling risk, SPA reported.
According to the release, discussions centered on critical risks impacting international trade and the global economy, such as debt sustainability and geopolitical tensions, along with innovative approaches to risk modelling. Participants also explored the global shifts in infrastructure, energy and critical minerals sectors, and were given an overview of Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Strategy, which focuses on economic diversification through investments, developing new sectors, and promoting local industries.
In his opening remarks, Saudi EXIM CEO Eng. Saad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalb said the meeting is an ideal platform to address risks impacting global economic decision making.
He stated: "Through such meetings, we can turn challenges into strategic opportunities and enhance our resilience in an ever-changing world. At Saudi EXIM, we remain committed to enabling companies by offering expert financial and non-financial solutions to navigate risks effectively."
He also said that "at Saudi EXIM, we place great emphasis on risk management. In alignment with the main objective of this meeting, I am pleased to announce the completion of our independent country risk model, which is supported by advanced modelling tools and machine learning. This model will provide country ratings and predictions of default risks. We look forward to collaborating with our partners in other export credit agencies to exchange knowledge and expertise, and to strengthening our risk management functions with greater responsibility and effectiveness."
Associate Director at Berne Union Eve Hall said: "The global risk landscape today is highly volatile and highly interconnected. As we navigate our way around the ongoing transformations connected to energy transition and shifting industrial strategies, the traditional concept of 'country risk' is becoming increasingly complex. Our industry excels at understanding, quantifying and pricing these risks, and by bringing together this community of experts for technical exchange the Berne Union is able to help support the development of the industry as a whole. The initiatives announced by our colleagues at Saudi EXIM, making use of new technology in risk analysis, provide a fantastic example of where collaboration in this field can be effectively applied."
The release disclosed that Saudi EXIM's membership in Berne represents a significant strategic step, and is consistent with the Kingdom's commitment to expanding collaboration and integration in the global economy.
This is achieved by building partnerships with leading institutions to address the challenges facing the export credit sector. It also aligns with the bank's goal of developing the export of national products and services through partnerships with national and international financial and funding organizations.
Berne Union works with global trade organizations to encourage the adoption of best practices in export credit insurance, and to cooperate in maintaining the stability of global trade.
Saudi EXIM, a development bank under the National Development Fund, contributes to diversifying the Kingdom's economic base by improving the efficiency of non-oil export ecosystems, bridging financial gaps, and minimizing export risks. This plays a role in helping the non-oil national economy grow, in line with Vision 2030.