عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

High Interest Rates to Boost Profitability of Saudi Banks

Saudi Arabia is working to create the appropriate environment to ensure the durability of financial banks and the diversity of their products (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is working to create the appropriate environment to ensure the durability of financial banks and the diversity of their products (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

High Interest Rates to Boost Profitability of Saudi Banks

Saudi Arabia is working to create the appropriate environment to ensure the durability of financial banks and the diversity of their products (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is working to create the appropriate environment to ensure the durability of financial banks and the diversity of their products (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Fitch Ratings predicted that higher oil prices and interest rates will enhance the profitability of Saudi banks during 2022-2023.

This comes at a time when the loan-to-deposit ratio of Saudi banks is at its highest level in 15 years.

Fitch said that a 200bp increase in interest rates would boost Fitch-rated Saudi banks’ operating profit by 14%.

Fitch also expected that the costs of financing Saudi banks will decline after SAMA pumped 50 billion riyals into the banking system last June.

In other news, Saudi Arabia’s finance companies have demonstrated outstanding performance as their total assets reached SR67 billion ($17.85 billion) in 2021, a 26 % increase from 2020, according to a report by the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA.

Aggregate capital surged 37% to SR19.6 billion in 2021 from SR14.3 billion in 2020.

Net profits also skyrocketed by 114% in 2021, achieving SR1.9 billion, the report stated.

The credit portfolio stood at SR68.1 billion at the end of 2021, a 26 % rise from its value in 2020.

New financing provided during 2021 amounted to SR25.4 billion, a 47 % increase from 2020.

Shareholder’s equity increased 30% to SR25.5 billion in 2021 compared to SR19.6 billion in 2020, the report added.

Looking at net profits breakdown by type of finance company, the non-real-estate ones have recorded SR1.4 billion while real estate finance companies received a net profit of SR0.4 billion in 2021.

Moreover, the share of non-real-estate finance companies in the total credit portfolio was 62% versus 38% for real estate finance ones.

The breakdown of credit portfolio by customer segment is 75% for retail customers, 22% for micro, small and medium enterprises, and 3% for corporates.

In the case of credit portfolios as per primary sectors, residential real estate made up 32%, followed by auto-finance loans at 27% and personal credit at 21%.

Evaluating the credit portfolio breakdown by economic activity, the top three sectors with the highest shares were trade at 21%, construction at 20%, services at 14%, and transportation and telecommunications at 9%.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Saudi Arabia Among Top 10 Investors in Tunisia With Over $375 Mln

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef speaks during the business forum in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef speaks during the business forum in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia Among Top 10 Investors in Tunisia With Over $375 Mln

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef speaks during the business forum in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef speaks during the business forum in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi investments in Tunisia have gathered momentum over recent years, placing the kingdom among the country’s top 10 foreign investors, with cumulative investments surpassing $375 million by the end of 2024.

The figures were disclosed at the Saudi-Tunisian Business Forum, held in Riyadh on Monday on the sidelines of the 12th session of the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee, where officials and business leaders met to explore ways to deepen investment ties between the two countries.

The forum was attended by Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef and Tunisia’s Minister of Economy and Planning, Dr. Samir Abdelhafidh.

The forum was organized by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources in cooperation with the Ministry of Investment and the Federation of Saudi Chambers, with the participation of official delegations and more than 300 representatives from the public and private sectors in both countries.

High-level visits

In his opening remarks, Alkhorayef emphasized the strength of long-standing Saudi-Tunisian relations, which are rooted in the shared vision of the two countries’ leaderships and reinforced by high-level reciprocal visits.

He said these visits had formed a cornerstone in supporting economic momentum and driving recent growth in bilateral trade.

Alkhorayef described the Saudi Tunisian Business Forum as an important milestone for enhancing investment partnerships and transforming promising opportunities into projects with tangible economic impact.

“We are betting today on investors, business leaders, and private sector champions in both countries to lead growth in promising sectors, including advanced industries, tourism, renewable energy, and mining,” he said.

“Our role as governments is to enable, legislate, and facilitate procedures, while the private sector’s role is to build, innovate, and turn these enablers into productive projects, job opportunities, and shared success stories that reflect the value and depth of the partnership, toward comprehensive economic integration based on the competitive advantages of both countries.”

Investment fundamentals

For his part, Abdelhafidh said the Saudi Tunisian Business Forum serves as a practical platform for strengthening investment partnerships, noting the steady rise in Saudi investments in Tunisia in recent years, with the kingdom among the top 10 investing countries and total investments exceeding $375 million by the end of 2024.

He said Tunisia offers competitive investment fundamentals, including a strong pool of engineering and technical talent, as well as the capacity to absorb large-scale projects, particularly in renewable energy, automotive and aerospace components manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry.

Supply chains

In a related context, Saudi Tunisian Business Council Chairman Dr. Omar Al Ajaji highlighted the importance of the private sector’s role in strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.

He said the forum helps business communities explore promising opportunities and opens broader horizons for integration in key sectors, particularly industry, technology, and supply chains.

Also speaking at the forum, Dr. Samir Majoul, President of the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts, emphasized the need to create a regulatory environment conducive to investment and to establish sustainable strategic partnerships that foster trade and investment flows between the kingdom and Tunisia.

The Saudi-Tunisian Business Forum reflects the two countries’ shared vision of building effective investment partnerships that expand cooperation and economic integration, support growth in bilateral trade, align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, and advance comprehensive and sustainable development in both countries.

Business

Iran's Central Bank Chief Resigns

A man walks past a sign at a currency exchange bureau as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, December 20, 2025. (Via Reuters)
A man walks past a sign at a currency exchange bureau as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, December 20, 2025. (Via Reuters)
TT
TT

Iran's Central Bank Chief Resigns

A man walks past a sign at a currency exchange bureau as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, December 20, 2025. (Via Reuters)
A man walks past a sign at a currency exchange bureau as the value of the Iranian rial drops, in Tehran, Iran, December 20, 2025. (Via Reuters)

Iran's central bank chief, Mohammad Reza Farzin, has resigned, the semi-official ​Nournews agency reported on Monday, citing an official at the president's office, as the country battles a slump in its rial currency and high inflation.

The rial, which has been falling as the Iranian economy has suffered from the impact of Western sanctions, fell to a ‌new record low on ‌Monday at around 1,390,000 ‌to ⁠the ​dollar, according ‌to websites displaying open market rates.

Iranian media outlets reported there had been demonstrations in the capital Tehran, mainly by shop owners, against the economic situation.

Farzin has headed the central bank since December 2022. His resignation will be reviewed by President Masoud ⁠Pezeshkian, the official added, according to Nournews.

Iranian state media reported ‌later on Monday, citing the communications ‍and information deputy ‍at the Iranian president's office, that former Economy ‍Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati will be appointed as the new central bank chief.

Iranian media have said the government's recent economic liberalization policies have put pressure on the ​open-rate currency market.

The open-rate market is where ordinary Iranians buy foreign currency, whereas businesses typically ⁠use state-regulated rates.

The reimposition of US sanctions in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term has harmed Iran's economy by limiting its oil exports and access to foreign currency.

The Iranian economy is at risk of recession, with the World Bank forecasting GDP will shrink by 1.7% in 2025 and 2.8% in 2026. The risk is compounded by rising inflation, which hit a 40-month high of ‌48.6% in October, according to Iran's Statistical Center.

Business

Lebanon Signs Deal to Purchase Natural Gas from Egypt

A diesel storage tank is seen at the Middle East Oil Refinery Company (MIDOR) in Alexandria, Egypt, November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
A diesel storage tank is seen at the Middle East Oil Refinery Company (MIDOR) in Alexandria, Egypt, November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
TT
TT

Lebanon Signs Deal to Purchase Natural Gas from Egypt

A diesel storage tank is seen at the Middle East Oil Refinery Company (MIDOR) in Alexandria, Egypt, November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
A diesel storage tank is seen at the Middle East Oil Refinery Company (MIDOR) in Alexandria, Egypt, November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Lebanon said Monday it plans to purchase natural gas from Egypt, seeking to reduce its reliance on fuel oil for its ageing power plants in a country hamstrung by regular electricity cuts.

The electricity sector has cost Lebanon more than $40 billion since the end of its 1975-1990 civil war, and successive governments have failed to reduce losses, repair crumbling infrastructure or even guarantee regular power bill collections.

Residents rely on expensive private generators and solar panels to supplement the unreliable state supply.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's office said in a statement that the memorandum of understanding between Lebanon and Egypt sought "to meet Lebanon's needs for natural gas allocated for electricity generation".

It was signed by Lebanese Energy Minister Joe Saddi and Egyptian Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi, according to AFP.

"Lebanon's strategy is first to transition to the use of natural gas, and second, to diversify gas sources," Saddi said, adding that "the process will take time because pipelines need rehabilitation".

Lebanon will "contact donor agencies to see how they can help finance the rehabilitation" of the Lebanese section of the gas pipelines, he said, adding that repair work would take several months.

President Joseph Aoun said the memorandum of understanding was "a practical and essential step that will enable Lebanon to increase its electricity production".

A statement from Cairo's petroleum and mineral resources ministry said that "Egypt is fulfilling its role in supplying Lebanon with natural gas, with the aim of supporting energy security for Arab countries".

In 2022, Lebanon signed a deal to import natural gas from Egypt and Jordan via Syria to boost power supply, but the contracts were never implemented due to financing issues and US sanctions on Syria.

Washington recently lifted it Syria measures following the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad last year.

In April, Lebanon signed a $250 million agreement with the World Bank to modernise its electricity sector.