Saudi Sovereign Fund Grows Assets 19% to $913 Billion

The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters) 
The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters) 
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Saudi Sovereign Fund Grows Assets 19% to $913 Billion

The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters) 
The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters) 

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has continued to cement its role as a driving force behind the Kingdom’s economic transformation, posting record growth in managed assets and strong financial results in its 2024 annual report.

The figures show the fund now contributes 10% of Saudi Arabia’s non-oil GDP, with managed assets reaching SAR 3.42 trillion ($913 billion) and more than $171 billion invested in priority sectors since 2021.

According to the report, released Wednesday, PIF’s managed assets rose 19% year-on-year to SAR 3.42 trillion by the end of 2024, generating an average annual shareholder return of 7.2% since 2017. Revenues climbed 25% over the same period. Liquidity and cash positions remained stable, with the fund maintaining a robust balance sheet.

The report highlighted substantial progress in delivering on the fund’s strategic investment targets, reinforcing its status as one of the largest and fastest-growing sovereign wealth funds in the world. PIF’s cumulative contribution to non-oil GDP from 2021 to 2024 reached SAR 910 billion, with an expected total impact of SAR 1.2 trillion by the end of this year.

PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan said 2024 marked “a new and promising phase of exceptional performance and qualitative innovation,” characterized by the systematic integration of artificial intelligence, smart automation, and advanced digital capabilities across all operations. He noted that this shift represents not just technological advancement, but a “transformational approach” in how PIF invests, operates, and delivers economic and social impact globally.

For his part, Chief Financial Officer Yasir Alsalman reported that SAR 213 billion were directed to priority sectors in 2024 alone, bringing total investments in such sectors since 2021 to over 642 billion riyals.

In turn, Acting Chief Operating Officer and Board Secretary General Maram Al-Johani said PIF maintained its long-term vision while strengthening its influence locally and internationally, continuing to lead Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification and generate sustainable returns.

The fund’s international portfolio expanded further in 2024, targeting sustainable returns through long-term investments and strategic partnerships in key global markets. PIF’s overseas investments aim to diversify assets and income streams, secure partnerships with major corporations and investors, and back advanced technologies that support Saudi Arabia’s economic ambitions and shape the future global economy.

PIF diversified its funding base in 2024, securing SAR 36.855 billion ($9.83 billion) in public loans and nearly SAR 26 billion ($7 billion) in private loans. The fund’s stability has earned global recognition, with Moody’s upgrading its credit rating from A1 to Aa3 in 2024, and Fitch affirming its A+ rating with a “stable” outlook.

Governance standards also drew praise. PIF scored 96% in the 2024 Governance, Sustainability and Resilience Index from Global SWF — a sharp improvement over 2021 — and ranked first worldwide among 200 sovereign investors, achieving 100% compliance in 2025. It also topped the global list of most valuable sovereign wealth fund brands, with a valuation exceeding SAR 4.13 billion, earning an A+ rating from Brand Finance.

 

 

 



TotalEnergies Tells Trump ‘Too Expensive’ to Reinvest in Venezuela

FILE PHOTO: A logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is seen on the eve of the opening of the 2025 Paris International Agriculture Fair (Salon International de l'Agriculture) at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, February 21, 2025. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is seen on the eve of the opening of the 2025 Paris International Agriculture Fair (Salon International de l'Agriculture) at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, February 21, 2025. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
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TotalEnergies Tells Trump ‘Too Expensive’ to Reinvest in Venezuela

FILE PHOTO: A logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is seen on the eve of the opening of the 2025 Paris International Agriculture Fair (Salon International de l'Agriculture) at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, February 21, 2025. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is seen on the eve of the opening of the 2025 Paris International Agriculture Fair (Salon International de l'Agriculture) at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, February 21, 2025. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo

The CEO of French oil major TotalEnergies said it was “too expensive and too polluting” to return to Venezuela, despite calls from US President Donald Trump for oil giants to invest billions in the country.

The company quit Venezuela in 2022 but the Trump administration has urged oil majors to return since the US military operation to capture the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, on Jan. 3.

Speaking on Wednesday, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné told reporters the company quit the country “because it clashed with our strategy. It was too expensive and too polluting and that is still the case,” according to Reuters.

The Trump administration has called on US energy giants to invest $100 billion to rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry.

Trump has pledged to support American oil companies that invest in Venezuela with government security assistance, saying last month that energy firms previously had problems “because they didn’t have Trump as a president.”

Venezuela boasts the world’s largest oil reserves but some US oil firms have expressed caution about rushing to re-enter — including Exxon Mobil.

Exxon CEO Darren Woods recently made headlines for saying at a White House meeting with Trump that the Venezuelan market is “uninvestable” in its current state.
Trump subsequently lashed out at Woods, threatening to sideline the oil giant and accusing the company of “playing too cute.”

Infrastructure Constraints
TotalEnergies started operating in Venezuela in the 1990s. Its departure followed a strategic shift away from heavy and high-sulfur crude and amid safety concerns.

Pouyanné has previously said that Venezuela is not high on the firm’s agenda.

TotalEnergies on Wednesday reported a slight drop in fourth-quarter profit and reduced share buybacks amid a weaker crude price environment.

Shares of the Paris-listed company rose nearly 2% during morning deals, notching a new 52-week high.


OPEC Forecasts World Demand for OPEC+ Crude Dropping in Q2

People walk past an installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo 
People walk past an installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo 
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OPEC Forecasts World Demand for OPEC+ Crude Dropping in Q2

People walk past an installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo 
People walk past an installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo 

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Wednesday forecast world oil demand for crude from the wider OPEC+ producer group will drop by 400,000 barrels per day in ‌the second quarter of this year, a copy of its monthly oil report on OPEC’s website shows.

World demand for OPEC+ crude ‌will average 42.20 million bpd in ⁠the second quarter, ⁠OPEC said in the report, down from 42.60 million bpd in the first quarter. Both forecasts were unchanged from last month’s report.

The OPEC+ group comprising OPEC nations, plus Russia and other allies, began raising oil output ⁠last year after years ⁠of cuts, and paused production hikes in the first quarter of 2026 amid predictions of a glut.

Eight OPEC+ members meet on ‌March 1 where they are expected to make a decision on whether to resume the hikes in April.

In the report, OPEC also left unchanged its forecasts that world oil demand will rise by 1.34 million bpd in 2027 and by 1.38 million bpd this year. The 2026 forecast is higher than that of other analysts such as the International Energy Agency.

OPEC+ pumped 42.45 million bpd in January, 2026, down 439,000 bpd from December, 2025, driven by reductions in Kazakhstan, Russia, Venezuela and Iran, OPEC said in the report.

OPEC has maintained its forecast for global oil demand in 2026 at approximately 106.5 million barrels per day (mb/d), keeping the projection it announced four months ago.

It also projected that world oil consumption will grow by 1.3 million bpd in 2027 and an average of 107.9 million bpd, unchanged from last month.

OPEC+ oil production declined last month amid losses in Venezuela and Iran, supported by geopolitical tensions, the group said.

Venezuelan and Iranian crude production declined by 87,000 barrels a day and 81,000 barrels a day, respectively.

Meanwhile, the global economic growth forecasts remained unchanged from last month's assessment at 3.1% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027.

OPEC said world oil demand was gaining support from air travel and road transport, as well as from a drop in the value of the US dollar against a basket of currencies.

“This decline has made dollar-priced commodities, including oil, cheaper for consumers and provided some additional support for global demand,” OPEC said in the report.

Oil prices gained around 2% on Wednesday, buoyed by potential supply risks should US–Iran tensions escalate, while draws of crude from key stockpiles suggested stronger demand.

Brent crude oil futures were up $1.52, or 2.2%, at $70.32 a barrel by 01:20 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.50, or nearly 2.4%, to $65.46.

 

 


Saudi Aramco Achieves 70% Local Content Target through iktva Program

Saudi Aramco Achieves 70% Local Content Target through iktva Program
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Saudi Aramco Achieves 70% Local Content Target through iktva Program

Saudi Aramco Achieves 70% Local Content Target through iktva Program

Saudi Aramco announced on Wednesday that its supply chain transformation program, iktva (In-Kingdom Total Value Add), has achieved its target of reaching 70% local content.

Building on this milestone, the company said that it plans to increase local content in its goods and services procurement to 75% by 2030.

Since its launch, the iktva program has contributed more than $280 billion to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product, reinforcing its role as a key driver of industrial development, economic diversification, and long-term financial resilience.

Through the localization of goods and services, the program has strengthened the resilience and reliability of Aramco’s supply chains, enhanced operational continuity, reduced supply chain vulnerabilities, and provided protection against global cost inflation - capabilities that proved critical during periods of disruption.

Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser expressed pride in the scale of transformation achieved through iktva and its positive impact on the Kingdom’s economy, noting that the announcement represents a major milestone in the program’s journey and reflects a significant leap in Saudi Arabia’s industrial development, fully aligned with the Kingdom’s national vision.

“iktva is a core pillar of Aramco’s strategy to build a competitive national industrial ecosystem that supports the energy sector while enabling broader economic growth and creating thousands of job opportunities for Saudi nationals,” he stressed.

By localizing supply chains, the program ensures operational reliability and mitigates disruptions that may affect global supply chains, he added, noting that its cumulative impact over a decade demonstrates the sustained value it continues to generate.

Over the past decade, iktva has emerged as a leading example of supply-chain-driven economic transformation, converting Aramco’s project spending into domestic economic multipliers that have created jobs, improved productivity, stimulated exports, and strengthened supply chain resilience.

The program has identified more than 200 localization opportunities across 12 key sectors, representing an annual market value of $28 billion. These opportunities have translated into tangible investment outcomes, catalyzing more than 350 investments from 35 countries in new manufacturing facilities within the Kingdom, supported by approximately $9 billion in capital. These investments have enabled the local manufacture of 47 strategic products in Saudi Arabia for the first time.

iktva has also contributed to the creation of more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs across the Kingdom, further strengthening the local industrial base and national capabilities. To support continued growth, the program organized eight regional supplier forums worldwide in 2025, in addition to its biennial forum. These events helped connect global investors, manufacturers, and suppliers with localization opportunities in Saudi Arabia.