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'S&P' Raises Saudi Arabia's Credit Rating to A/A-1 with Stable Outlook

The agency forecasts the non-oil sector to remain strong through 2026 (File/AP)
The agency forecasts the non-oil sector to remain strong through 2026 (File/AP)
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'S&P' Raises Saudi Arabia's Credit Rating to A/A-1 with Stable Outlook

The agency forecasts the non-oil sector to remain strong through 2026 (File/AP)
The agency forecasts the non-oil sector to remain strong through 2026 (File/AP)

The world credit rating agency ”S&P Global Rating” updated its credit report for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia raising its long and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings to 'A/A-1' with Stable Outlook.

The agency indicated in its report that this rating upgrade is a result of the Kingdom's significant reforms efforts in recent years and its realization of structural improvements that contributed to supporting a sustained development of the non-oil sector, in addition to improving public finance management and maintaining balanced public debt level.

The agency highlighted the strong real GDP growth of 8.7% in 2022, the highest among the G-20 economies. It expects moderate economic growth, averaging 2.6% in 2023-2026 with GDP/capita averaging $31,500 (significantly above pre-pandemic levels).

The agency forecasts the non-oil sector to remain strong through 2026 due to service sector growth supported by the significant ongoing social reforms and female workforce participation. It also expected the continuity of fiscal surpluses through 2024 (after reaching 2.5% of GDP in 2022).

The report indicated that inflation in the Kingdom is relatively low compared to its peers. It expected that it will remain under control thanks to the government efforts in subsidizing fuel and food, as well as the currency peg to the relatively strong US dollar.

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Positive Outlook for Saudi Stock Market Next Week

A trader monitors the screen at the Saudi Exchange in Riyadh. (AFP)
A trader monitors the screen at the Saudi Exchange in Riyadh. (AFP)
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Positive Outlook for Saudi Stock Market Next Week

A trader monitors the screen at the Saudi Exchange in Riyadh. (AFP)
A trader monitors the screen at the Saudi Exchange in Riyadh. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) ended the second week of March with a slight decline for the third consecutive week, closing down 0.73% at 11,725.88 points, compared to the previous week's close of 11,811.11 points.

In an analysis of the market performance during the week ending March 13, Dr. Suleiman Al-Humaid Al-Khalidi, a financial market analyst, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the market experienced a sharp decline not seen in years, coinciding with a drop in global markets, particularly in the US, where $2 trillion in value was wiped out in a single day.

This accounted for roughly 60% of the total market value of the Saudi stock market.

Al-Khalidi noted that the key player in the Saudi market is the banking sector, especially Al-Rajhi Bank's shares, which showed resilience and did not follow the downward trend. This was attributed to the strong profits reported by the banking sector in 2024.

The primary factors contributing to the market’s decline include global economic pressures, particularly US tariffs on most global economies, ongoing global uncertainty, and the Federal Reserve's tight monetary policies, he explained.

These factors have significantly impacted liquidity flows into financial markets. Additionally, fluctuations in global oil prices, despite recent stability, have also played a role.

This downturn has been accompanied by caution among sovereign wealth funds, investment institutions, and some portfolios in injecting new liquidity or altering their positions until there is more clarity in the financial markets, he went on to say.

Moreover, Al-Khalidi said that the Saudi stock market has not accurately reflected the true strength and size of the Saudi economy, which has grown to SAR 4 trillion, up from SAR 600 billion in 2016, before the launch of Vision 2030.

Additionally, the country’s GDP has reached approximately $1.1 trillion.

Looking ahead to the market's performance in the coming week, he noted that there are strong support levels at 11,550 points, followed by 11,450 points.

These levels could help shift the market toward an upward trajectory and better reflect the robust growth of the Saudi economy.

Al-Khalidi emphasized that the banking and energy sectors could play a leading role in driving the market higher, pushing the index beyond this week’s closing levels.

He also pointed out that some stocks are hitting new lows, presenting significant investment opportunities for those seeking safe havens with steady returns in the Saudi market.