Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 12,414

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR7.01 billion ($1.87 billion), as 102 stocks advanced, while 122 retreated. Shutterstock
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Updated 05 February 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 12,414

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dipped on Wednesday, losing 19.53 points, or 0.16 percent, to close at 12,414.40.

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR7.01 billion ($1.87 billion), as 102 stocks advanced, while 122 retreated.   

The MSCI Tadawul Index decreased by 4.85 points, or 0.31 percent, to close at 1,543.76.

The Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, rose 0.17 percent gaining 54.22 points to close at 31,250.59. This comes as 33 stocks advanced, while 47 retreated.

The best-performing stock was Ash-Sharqiyah Development Co. with its share price surging by 6.74 percent to SR22.82.

Other top performers included the Zamil Industrial Investment Co., which saw its share price rise by 4.61 percent to SR35.20, and Americana Restaurants International PLC - Foreign Co., which saw a 4.44 percent increase to SR2.59.

The worst performer of the day was Kingdom Holding Co., whose share price fell by 2.97 percent to SR10.46.

The Co. for Cooperative Insurance and SABIC Agri-Nutrients Co. also saw declines, with their shares dropping by 2.3 percent and 2.27 percent to SR153.20 and SR112, respectively.

On the announcements front, Arab National Bank announced its annual financial results for 2024 with net profits before zakat and income tax reaching SR5.7 billion up by 21.1 percent compared to the previous year.

In a statement on Tadawul, the company said the surge was driven by higher net special commission income, fee and commission income, trading gains, and dividend income. It was also supported by lower impairment charges on real estate and reduced allowance charges for expected credit losses and other provisions.

“However, this growth was partially offset by an increase in the costs related to salaries and employee related expenses, depreciation and amortization, other general and administrative expenses and premises related expenses, along with a decline in net gains on non-trading instruments, net other operating income and net exchange income,” the statement added.

ANB’s total comprehensive income amounted to SR4.6 billion in 2024, and total operations profit reached SR9.5 billion.

In today’s trading session, the shares of Arab National Bank traded 0.37 percent lower on the main market to close at SR21.44.


Gold rises on Iran war safe-haven bid; firm dollar limits upside

Updated 05 March 2026
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Gold rises on Iran war safe-haven bid; firm dollar limits upside

BENGALURU: Gold prices rose on March 5, lifted by safe-haven demand amid an escalating war in the Middle East, while a stronger dollar and concerns around the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy capped gains.

Spot gold was up 0.6 percent at $5,168.43 per ounce, as of 11:55 am Saudi time. US gold futures for April delivery were up 0.9 percent at $5,179.20.

Israel launched a large wave of strikes on Tehran on March 5, targeting what it said was infrastructure belonging to the Iranian authorities, after Iranian missiles sent millions of Israelis rushing into bomb shelters.

“On the one hand, there may be greater safe-haven demand for gold given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. On the other hand, the risk of a prolonged period of higher energy prices that takes rate cuts off the table, and adds to the chance of rate hikes, could be capping further gains,” said Hamad Hussain, a climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics.

The US dollar rose about 0.3 percent after briefly retreating from three-month highs, as the fallout from the war roiled global markets and kept sentiment fragile.

Concerns about energy supply continued to drive up oil prices and stoke inflation fears.

Gold is considered a hedge against inflation in the long run, but also tends to thrive when interest rates are lower, as it is a non-yielding asset.

President Donald Trump, on March 4, officially nominated former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh to be the US central bank’s next chair.

US economic activity grew slightly, prices continued to increase and employment levels were stable in recent weeks, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday in its latest “Beige Book” report.

Markets expect the Fed to keep rates steady at its next policy meeting on March 18, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

Investors are looking out for the weekly US jobless claims data, due later today, and the US employment report for February on March 6 for further clues on monetary policy this year.

Spot silver rose 0.5 percent to $83.80 per ounce. Platinum gained 1.1 percent to $2,172.20, while palladium lost 0.7 percent to $1,662.07.