عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Single Stock Options Contracts Help in Developing Saudi Market, Attracting Investors

Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) announced that Single Stock Options (SSOs) contracts will be available to trade as of Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) announced that Single Stock Options (SSOs) contracts will be available to trade as of Monday. (SPA)
TT
TT

Single Stock Options Contracts Help in Developing Saudi Market, Attracting Investors

Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) announced that Single Stock Options (SSOs) contracts will be available to trade as of Monday. (SPA)
Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) announced that Single Stock Options (SSOs) contracts will be available to trade as of Monday. (SPA)

The Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) launched on Monday single stock options (SSOs) contracts, the newest offering in its derivatives market.

The new offerings include American-style options that are physically settled for some of the Kingdom’s most prominent companies: Saudi Aramco, Al Rajhi Bank, stc and SABIC.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, financial analysts described the launch of the SSOs contracts as a move towards developing the Saudi financial market, diversifying its investment tools and channels, and attracting capital, major investment companies, and foreign investors to the Saudi market.

CEO of Razeen Capital Mohammed Al-Suwayed said options contracts were very important in attracting additional capital to the Saudi Exchange, and helping long-term investors protect their investments and increase methods of controlling financial market risks.

Financial analyst Abdullah Al-Jabali,noted that the SSOs contracts would contribute to the development of the Saudi financial market and its investment tools, and expand the base of channels for investors.

He added that the Capital Market Authority’s selection of four of the largest and most heavily weighted companies in the market for the SSOs contracts confirms the Authority’s keenness on the importance of this investment tool and the necessity of its use by trading and investment professionals in the financial and stock markets.

In a statement, Tadawul announced that SSOs contracts will be available to trade as of Monday, in which investors can trade SSOs on four listed stocks as their underlying assets.

It added that SSOs contracts were the third derivatives product to be introduced in the Saudi Exchange and will be cleared by the Securities Clearing Center Company “Muqassa”.

The first tranche of SSOs will be based on the following listed companies: Aramco, Al Rajhi Bank, Saudi Telecom Co. and SABIC.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."