$266 Mln Deal Boosts Liquidity in Saudi Housing Market

One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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$266 Mln Deal Boosts Liquidity in Saudi Housing Market

One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the projects under the Sakani program in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC), owned by the Public Investment Fund, has signed a SAR 1 billion ($266.7 million) agreement with Bidaya Finance to buy a mortgage portfolio.
The deal is the largest of its kind, aimed at injecting liquidity into Saudi Arabia’s housing market.
The agreement, signed on Sunday, was attended by Housing Minister Majed Al-Hogail, who also chairs SRC, and Abdulaziz Al-Omair, Chairman of Bidaya Finance.
This move supports SRC’s efforts to grow the mortgage market and expand refinancing options, aligning with Vision 2030’s goal of increasing homeownership among Saudi citizens.
SRC CEO Majeed Al Abduljabbar said the deal will boost liquidity and stabilize the housing finance market, helping more Saudis own homes. He added that it builds on SRC’s plan to partner with key lenders and develop a strong secondary mortgage market.
“This agreement is a pivotal step toward achieving the strategic objectives of the Housing Program by increasing homeownership among citizens,” Abduljabbar noted.
“It also aligns with our strategy to forge strategic partnerships with leading financing institutions, fostering the development of an active secondary market for residential mortgages,” he added.
Bidaya Finance CEO Mahmoud Dahduli called the agreement a step forward in offering innovative financing solutions, enabling more citizens to achieve their housing goals and contributing to Vision 2030’s housing targets.
“This strategic collaboration with SRC reinforces our shared role in offering reliable, innovative financing solutions that empower citizens to realize their housing aspirations, aligning with the Housing Program’s goal of increasing homeownership,” Dahduli said.
Established in 2017 by the Public Investment Fund, SRC aims to make home financing more accessible by providing liquidity to lenders and supporting Saudi Arabia’s housing sector under the national transformation plan, Vision 2030.



Iran's Currency Falls to Record Low against the Dollar as Tensions Run High

A man counts Iranian rials at a currency exchange shop in Basra, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
A man counts Iranian rials at a currency exchange shop in Basra, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
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Iran's Currency Falls to Record Low against the Dollar as Tensions Run High

A man counts Iranian rials at a currency exchange shop in Basra, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
A man counts Iranian rials at a currency exchange shop in Basra, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)

Iran’s rial currency traded Saturday at a record low against the US dollar as the country returned to work after a long holiday.

The rial had plunged to over 1 million rials during the Persian New Year, Nowruz, as currency shops closed and only informal trading took place on the streets, creating additional pressure on the market, Reuters reported.

But as traders resumed work Saturday, the rate fell even further to 1,043,000 to the dollar, signaling the new low appeared here to stay.

On Ferdowsi Street in Iran’s capital, Tehran, the heart of the country’s money exchanges, some traders even switched off their electronic signs showing the going rate as uncertainty loomed over how much further the rial could drop.