RIYADH: The Saudi stock market fell in the last session of the week, as investors nervously watched escalating oil prices weigh on the global economy.
As of Thursday’s closing bell, the main index, TASI, edged 1.26 percent lower at 12,605, while the parallel market, Nomu, fell 0.15 percent at 22,844.
Saudi Printing and Packaging Co. rallied 8.44 percent, topping the market gainers, while Saudi Arabian Mining Co., or Ma'aden, slipped 4.68 percent, leading the market fallers.
Among the other gainers, Al Sagr Cooperative Insurance Co. was up 6.45 percent, and Saudi Industrial Export Co. edged 4.79 percent higher.
Hail Cement Co. climbed 3.15 percent, following news that it intends to buy up to 5 percent of its ordinary shares to hold as treasury shares.
Yanbu Cement Co. advanced 2.61 percent, after reporting that it will pay SR0.75 per share in cash to shareholders in the first half of 2022.
Saudi Cement Co. rose 1.42 percent, after it proposed an interim dividend payout of SR229.50 million ($61 million) for the first half of 2022.
Al-Etihad Cooperative Insurance Co. rose 0.65 percent, after it signed a three-year deal to sell insurance through the Saudi National Bank.
In the telecom sector, stc edged down 0.58 percent, while Zain KSA closed unchanged.
Among the other fallers, Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co. lost 4.65 percent and Arabia Insurance Cooperative Co. declined 4.65 percent.
In the pharma sector, Aldawaa Medical Services Co. edged down 0.64 percent, while Nahdi Medical Co. increased 0.63 percent.
Aramco, the largest player on the Saudi oil market, closed today’s trading down 2.07 percent.
In the financial sector, the Kingdom’s largest valued bank Al Rajhi dropped 1.24 percent, while Alinma Bank slid 1.07 percent.
The energy market saw Brent crude hit $115.67 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude hit $114.49 a barrel, as of 3:19 p.m. Saudi time.
