ADNOC Distribution to Acquire 15 Service Stations in Saudi Arabia

ADNOC Distribution announced the execution of a definitive agreement to acquire 15 service stations in Saudi Arabia - WAM
ADNOC Distribution announced the execution of a definitive agreement to acquire 15 service stations in Saudi Arabia - WAM
TT

ADNOC Distribution to Acquire 15 Service Stations in Saudi Arabia

ADNOC Distribution announced the execution of a definitive agreement to acquire 15 service stations in Saudi Arabia - WAM
ADNOC Distribution announced the execution of a definitive agreement to acquire 15 service stations in Saudi Arabia - WAM

ADNOC Distribution on Thursday announced the execution of a definitive agreement to acquire 15 service stations in Saudi Arabia, reaffirming its commitment to grow its business in the Kingdom; the largest fuel retail market in the GCC.

The purchase consideration for this acquisition is AED36.7 million ($10 million). The acquisition is subject to certain conditions (including obtaining regulatory approvals).

Already the only fuel retailer operating in all seven emirates in the UAE, the addition of these new stations highlights the long term smart growth strategy to also become a leading fuel operator in Saudi Arabia.

The company sees value creation potential coming from uplift in fuel margins and the company’s integrated approach to managing fuel and non-fuel retail offerings, state news agency WAM reported.

Located in the eastern region, with sites dedicated to both highway commuters as well as in-community convenience, the new stations will be refurbished in line with ADNOC Distribution brand standards and offer high quality fuel and retail services to customers, including convenience stores.

Ahmed Al Shamsi, Acting CEO of ADNOC Distribution, said that expanding in Saudi Arabia is "is an important milestone for our company and part of our profitable growth strategy."

"We see this expansion as a natural progression since opening our first station in 2018 and look forward to significantly increasing our presence in the coming years. This is the first announcement of many we intend to make with Saudi being a key strategic market for us as we make ADNOC service stations a destination for all in Saudi."

ADNOC Distribution opened its first service station in Saudi Arabia in December 2018, located on the Riyadh-Dammam highway around 40 kilometres from the capital. It was followed shortly after by the second in the city of Hofuf within Al Ahsa Governate. Upon completion of this transaction, the new locations will bring the company’s total network to 17 across the Kingdom.



Bitcoin Drops to 11-day Low amid Tech Selloff

FILE PHOTO: Sparks strike representation of cryptocurrency Bitcoin in this illustration taken November 24, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Sparks strike representation of cryptocurrency Bitcoin in this illustration taken November 24, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
TT

Bitcoin Drops to 11-day Low amid Tech Selloff

FILE PHOTO: Sparks strike representation of cryptocurrency Bitcoin in this illustration taken November 24, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Sparks strike representation of cryptocurrency Bitcoin in this illustration taken November 24, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Bitcoin fell below $100,000 on Monday, hitting its lowest in 11 days, in a move analysts attributed to a wave of caution after the surging popularity of a Chinese artificial intelligence model sparked a selloff in Western AI-related stocks.

The world's biggest cryptocurrency struggled to make gains last week, as a rally that had seen it break above $100,000 after US President Donald Trump's election ran out of steam, Reuters reported.

At 1156 GMT, bitcoin was at $98,852.17, down around 6% on the day, having fallen sharply in early trading to hit its lowest since Jan. 16.

Technology stocks plunged, as traders worried that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek could threaten Western companies' dominance of the sector, in a move some called AI's "Sputnik moment", referring to the former Soviet Union's launch of a satellite that marked the start of the space race in the late 1950s.

Bitcoin's losses are "seemingly driven by some risk-off sentiment circulating the markets currently due to DeepSeek," wrote eToro analyst Simon Peters.

Geoffrey Kendrick, global head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, said a decline in Nasdaq futures had hurt crypto markets, but that disappointment over the Trump administration's announcement about a cryptocurrency stockpile had put digital assets more at risk of a sharp selloff.

Crypto failed to feature in Trump's day-one announcements after taking office last week, leaving some investors disappointed. In an executive order on Thursday, Trump created a working group to draft new crypto rules and explore a crypto stockpile, while the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) spiked accounting guidance that the industry said had stymied crypto adoption.

The prospect of interest rates staying higher for longer also hurt riskier assets, said Thomas Puech, CEO of digital asset hedge fund Indigo.

US Federal Reserve policymakers meet this week and are expected to keep interest rates on hold.