Arab News, Monday, Jan 16, 2023 | Jamadi Al Thani 23, 1444
Closing Bell: Saudi benchmark index sheds 0.16% amid lingering uncertainties
Saudi Arabia:
Saudi stocks frazzled on Sunday as the benchmark index closed 17 points lower —
or 0.16 percent — at 10,726.87, without any redeeming factors on the horizon
ahead of the earnings season.
At 10:58 a.m., the Tadawul All Share Index touched
10,808.05; from there, it was an uninspired ride down the hill.
The index could not even sustain Thursday’s
momentum when it closed 1.27 percent higher, following recovering oil prices and
reassuring US inflation data, resulting in a blip of confidence.
“At the end of last week, the US markets received
some support after the decline in inflation levels and optimism about the
Federal Reserve slowing down interest rate hikes, while oil prices rose in light
of expectations that demand from China would rise after easing down restrictions
related to COVID-19,” Raed Mohamed Diab, vice president of investment strategy
and research of Kuwait-based Kamco Invest, told Arab News.
He added: “Despite that, the Saudi market
stabilized at the same levels as last week, as it seems that there is some
caution regarding the investment climate and waiting for brighter signs.”
While MSCI Tadawul 30 Index fell 0.19 percent to
close at 1,491.66, the parallel market Nomu mustered a 0.7 percent increase to
close at 19,367.21.
TASI’s total trading turnover of the benchmark
index on Sunday dropped 32 percent to SR3.5 billion ($930 million) from
Thursday’s SR5.2 billion, with 133 stocks of the listed 223 declining and 79
advancing.
“The Saudi market stabilized with minimal change
in the performance of the sectors,” said Diab.
Additionally, stock markets in the Gulf
Cooperation Council region on Sunday mirrored a mixed response as Dubai, Abu
Dhabi and Bahrain gained marginally while Kuwait, Qatar and Muscat inched lower.
On the announcement front, Al Rajhi Bank informed
the stock exchange on Sunday that its board of directors has recommended a 12.5
percent cash dividend, or SR1.25 per share, after deducting zakat, doling out
SR5 billion for 2022. The bank’s share price, however, fell 0.1 percent to
SR77.80.
The subscription to Albilad MSCI US Tech
exchange-traded fund also commenced on Tadawul on Jan. 12, with the offering
period to last for 30 business days, ending on Feb. 22.
The minimum amount to commence the fund operations
is SR10 million. If the amount is not collected during the initial public
offering period, the fund manager will return the subscription amounts to the
unitholders.
Meanwhile, Saudi Chemical Holding Co., on Jan. 15,
signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding, through its subsidiary, Saudi
Chemical Co. Ltd., with Orica Mining Services Portugal for technical cooperation
on the localization of ammonium nitrate and nitric acid production.
As part of the MoU, a project to localize the
ammonium nitrate and nitric acid industry will be set up to be the first of its
kind in the region, besides introducing modern technologies in the mining
sector. The share price of SCC fell 0.37 percent to close at SR27.
On Sunday, Naseej for Technology Co. also
announced that it won a project from the Ministry of Education worth SR56.99
million, including value-added tax.
The project includes providing the Saudi Digital
Library with access to the available digital information resources, the company
said in a statement on Tadawul.