Recession Fears in US Drag Arab Markets into Another Day of Losses

An investor passes in front of a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh. (Reuters)
An investor passes in front of a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh. (Reuters)
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Recession Fears in US Drag Arab Markets into Another Day of Losses

An investor passes in front of a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh. (Reuters)
An investor passes in front of a screen displaying information on the Saudi stock market (Tadawul) in Riyadh. (Reuters)

Fears of recession in the American economy, the decline in global markets - from stocks to oil to cryptocurrencies – led to a wave of sharp losses in Middle Eastern markets on Monday, ranging between 4.5 percent and 0.9 percent, for the second consecutive day.

The UAE markets topped the declines in the Arab region, as the Dubai Financial Market Index recorded losses of 4.5 percent, reaching 4,045.9 points, while the Abu Dhabi Securities Market Index fell by 3 percent to 8,974.69 points.

In Cairo, the EGX30 Index concluded trading on Monday with losses amounting to 2.3 percent, reaching levels of 27,840.64 points, and the Egyptian pound fell against the US dollar to 49.5 pounds, the lowest level since March 11.

The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) decreased by 2.1 percent, or by 249.91 points, to close at the level of 11,504.46, with trades worth SAR 10 billion.

The General Market Index of the Kuwait Stock Exchange closed Monday’s trading at a decline to the level of 33.6927 points, or 2 percent, while the trading volume reached 260 million shares.

The Bahrain Stock Exchange Index suffered losses of 1 percent, reaching 1,931 points, while the Bahrain Islamic Index closed at 782.85, a decrease of 24.76 points.

The Muscat Securities Market Index closed down by 0.97 percent at 4602.25 points, a difference of 44.9 points from the last trading session, which reached 4647.20 points. The market value recorded a slight decrease of 0.3 percent.

On the other hand, the Qatar Stock Exchange index stabilized at 10,057.23 points after declining in the previous session by 0.7 percent to 10,057.13 points.



Riyadh Hosts Saudi-Egyptian Industrial Forum

Officials are seen at the forum on Monday. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the forum on Monday. (SPA)
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Riyadh Hosts Saudi-Egyptian Industrial Forum

Officials are seen at the forum on Monday. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the forum on Monday. (SPA)

The Saudi-Egyptian Industrial Forum kicked off in Riyadh on Monday under the patronage of Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef. The forum aims to bolster strategic industrial cooperation and integration between the two countries.

Organized by the Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce in collaboration with the Federation of Egyptian Industries, the forum witnessed the participation of Deputy Minister for Industrial Affairs Eng. Khalil bin Salamah, Saudi Export Development Authority CEO Abdulrahman Althukair, and 300 prominent Saudi and Egyptian industry leaders and investors.

Bin Salamah underscored the significance of strengthening economic cooperation and industrial integration between Saudi Arabia and Egypt. He advocated for enhanced industrial partnerships within five priority sectors identified in the Kingdom's National Industrial Strategy: pharmaceuticals, automotive, building materials, textiles, and food industries.

He highlighted the evolving strategic integration between the two countries across initiatives like "Saudi Made,Future Factories," and "Made in Egypt," as well as in the broader goods and services sector. Bin Salamah urged Egyptian industrialists to capitalize on the industrial investment opportunities available in the Kingdom, citing its ambitious plans to establish 24,000 new factories over the next decade.

Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce Chairman Hassan Alhwaizy hailed the forum as a crucial milestone in Saudi-Egyptian industrial collaboration, emphasizing the strategic partnership underpinning their economic relations, particularly in the industrial sector.

Federation of Egyptian Industries Chairman Mohamed El-Sewedy stated that current global challenges are accelerating the need for industrial integration between the two countries, strengthening their partnership to tap into the African market's potential.

Saudi-Egyptian Business Council Chairman Bandar Al-Ameri highlighted the substantial growth in trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and Egypt in recent years, fueled by developing economic partnerships between their respective business communities. He emphasized that signing the agreement to protect and encourage mutual investments represents a strategic achievement serving their shared interests.