Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in green at 12,022

The best-performing stock of the day was Astra Industrial Group. Shutterstock
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Updated 31 October 2024
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in green at 12,022

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index edged up on Thursday, gaining 3.3 points, or 0.03 percent, to close at 12,022.11.

The total trading value of the benchmark index was SR6.54 billion ($1.74 billion), with 103 listed stocks advancing, while 124 retreated.

The MSCI Tadawul Index decreased by 4.06 points, or 0.27 percent, closing at 1,507.31.

The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu gained 356.19 points, or 1.33 percent, to close at 27,225.18, with 39 stocks advancing and 31 retreating.

The best-performing stock of the day was Astra Industrial Group, whose share price surged by 7.10 percent to SR178. 

Other top performers included Electricity and Water Utilities Co. in Jubail and Yanbu, which saw a rise of 5.95 percent to SR58.8. 

Electrical Industries Co. and Jadwa Saudi REIT Fund also recorded gains of 5.42 percent and 5.38 percent, closing at SR7.97 and SR11.36, respectively.

The worst performer was Arabian Pipes Co., with a share price decline of 5.75 percent to SR131.2. 

Americana and Arab Cooperative Insurance Co. also saw drops, with shares decreasing by 4.6 percent and 3.37 percent to SR2.28 and SR12.62, respectively. 

Methanol Chemicals Co. and Thimar Development Holding Co. also fell by 3.03 percent, closing at SR17.28 and SR41.65, respectively.

On the announcements front, Saudi National Shipping Co. reported preliminary financial results for the nine months ending Sept. 30, showing a net profit of SR1.69 billion, a 39.84 percent increase from the same period last year. 

This was attributed to improved operational performance and higher global shipping rates, especially in the chemicals and oil transportation sectors. 

The company’s stock closed at SR29, down by 1.02 percent.

Americana reported a net profit of SR440.18 million for the same period, marking a 48.22 percent annual decline. 

According to a Tadawul filing, the decline was impacted by lower earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, increased depreciation charges from new store openings, and the introduction of corporate tax in the UAE. 

The company’s stock ended the session at SR2.28, down 4.6 percent.

Modern Mills for Food Products Co. posted a net profit of SR157.89 million, a 4.8 percent increase from the same period last year, despite incurring a one-time finance cost of SR8.4 million due to debt restructuring. 

This growth was driven by top-line expansion, new product launches, and a favorable product mix. Its stock closed the session at SR43.9, unchanged.

Saudi Reinsurance Co. reported a net profit after zakat of SR474.95 million, reflecting a 351.33 percent increase from the same period last year. 

According to a Tadawul filing, this increase was due to several factors, including a 39 percent rise in net profit from insurance results, a 67 percent increase in insurance revenues, and a 947 percent surge in net investment profit, largely from capital gains on its Probitas Holding stake sale. 

The firm’s stock closed at SR37.15, down by 0.67 percent.


Saudi POS spending jumps 28% in final week of Jan: SAMA

Updated 06 February 2026
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Saudi POS spending jumps 28% in final week of Jan: SAMA

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale spending climbed sharply in the final week of January, rising nearly 28 percent from the previous week as consumer outlays increased across almost all sectors. 

POS transactions reached SR16 billion ($4.27 billion) in the week ending Jan. 31, up 27.8 percent week on week, according to the Saudi Central Bank. Transaction volumes rose 16.5 percent to 248.8 million, reflecting stronger retail and service activity. 

Spending on jewelry saw the biggest uptick at 55.5 percent to SR613.69 million, followed by laundry services which saw a 44.4 percent increase to SR62.83 million. 

Expenditure on personal care rose 29.1 percent, while outlays on books and stationery increased 5.1 percent. Hotel spending climbed 7.4 percent to SR377.1 million. 

Further gains were recorded across other categories. Spending in pharmacies and medical supplies rose 33.4 percent to SR259.19 million, while medical services increased 13.7 percent to SR515.44 million. 

Food and beverage spending surged 38.6 percent to SR2.6 billion, accounting for the largest share of total POS value. Restaurants and cafes followed with a 20.4 percent increase to SR1.81 billion. Apparel and clothing spending rose 35.4 percent to SR1.33 billion, representing the third-largest share during the week. 

The Kingdom’s key urban centers mirrored the national surge. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 22 percent rise to SR5.44 billion from SR4.46 billion the previous week. The number of transactions in the capital reached 78.6 million, up 13.8 percent week on week. 

In Jeddah, transaction values increased 23.7 percent to SR2.16 billion, while Dammam reported a 22.2 percent rise to SR783.06 million. 

POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.  

The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.  

The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the Kingdom’s broader digital economy.