Closing Bell: Saudi main index rises to close at 11,778

The best-performing stock of the day was Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction Co. Shutterstock
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Updated 24 March 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index rises to close at 11,778

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Monday, gaining 83.31 points, or 0.71 percent, to close at 11,778.08.

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR4.25 billion ($1.13 billion), as 134 of the stocks advanced and 106 retreated.  

The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu gained 75.17 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 30,610.63. This came as 44 of the listed stocks advanced while 37 retreated.  

The MSCI Tadawul Index gained 13.77 points, or 0.93 percent, to close at 1,493.24.  

The best-performing stock of the day was Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction Co., whose share price surged 30 percent to SR19.50. The company began trading today on the main market with a total offering size of 130.7 million shares, an offering price per share of SR15, and with Albilad Capital as lead manager.

The company also announced its annual financial results for the year, which ended on Dec. 31. According to a Tadawul statement, the firm reported a net profit of SR498.61 million in 2024, reflecting a 57.29 percent increase compared to 2023. This surge is mainly due to a jump in revenues coupled with a decrease in general and administration expenses as well as zakat fees.

Other top performers included Naseej International Trading Co., whose share price rose 9.76 percent to SR92.20 as well as East Pipes Integrated Co. for Industry, whose share price increased 7.39 percent to SR154.

Arabian Pipes Co. recorded the most significant drop, falling 4.68 percent to SR10.58, while Middle East Specialized Cables Co. also saw its stock prices decline 3.82 percent to SR37.80.

Shares in National Medical Care Co. registered a drop of 3.16 percent to SR153.

On the announcements front, Jarir Marketing Co. declared its annual financial results for the year, which ended on Dec. 31. A bourse filing revealed that the company reported a net profit of SR974 million in 2024, reflecting a 0.1 percent rise compared to 2023. This growth is owed to the increase of the selling and marketing costs, administrative and general expenses, and non-operating fees.

The company has also announced the board of directors’ recommendation to distribute SR276 million worth of cash dividends to shareholders for the fourth quarter of 2024. According to a Tadawul statement, the total number of shares eligible for dividends amounted to 1.2 billion, with the dividend per share standing at SR0.23. The statement also revealed that the percentage of dividends to the share par value stood at 23 percent.

Jarir Marketing Co. ended the session at SR12.60, up 1.12 percent.

Arabian Centers Co., or Cenomi Centers, announced it has approved the launch of sukuk with a local special offering of up to SR3.75 billion.

The company’s share price ended the session at SR20.40, up 1.96 percent.

The Capital Market Authority has approved the registration and offering of shares of Wajd Life Trading Co. on the parallel market. The firm is offering 2.5 million shares, representing 20 percent of its share capital.

CMA also approved the registration and offering of shares of Afaq Al Arabiya for Transportation & Storage Co. on Nomu, with the company offering 900,000 shares, representing 10 percent of its share capital.

The authority also gave the go-ahead for the registration and offering of shares of Rawabi Marketing International Co. on the parallel market. The group is offering 1 million shares, representing 6.45 percent of its share capital.


School, hotel outlays keep Saudi POS weekly spending above $3bn: SAMA

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School, hotel outlays keep Saudi POS weekly spending above $3bn: SAMA

RIYADH: Spending on education in Saudi Arabia increased by 4.3 percent for the week ending Jan. 10, while hotel outlays saw a 0.9 percent increase, aiding the total weekly spending to stay above $3 billion.

According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, the overall point-of-sale value dropped 16.6 percent to SR14.2 billion ($3.79 billion) with transactions representing a 7.3 percent week-on-week decrease to 236.7 million.

This week saw negative changes across all the remaining sectors.

Spending in the freight transport, postal, and courier services sector saw the biggest decrease at 35.9 percent to SR47.60 million, followed by telecommunications, which posted a 26.2 percent drop to SR188.42 million.

Expenditure on apparel and clothing saw a fall of 19.3 percent to SR1.3 billion, followed by an 18.3 percent decrease in spending on books and stationery. Jewelry outlays saw a 22.3 percent decrease to reach SR422.54 million.

Spending on car rentals in Saudi Arabia fell by 14.2 percent, while airlines saw a 6.3 percent decrease to SR48.04 million.

Expenditure on food and beverages saw a 23.6 percent decrease to SR2.07 billion, claiming the largest share of the POS. Restaurants and cafes retained the second position despite a 7.3 percent dip to SR1.76 billion.

The Kingdom’s key urban centers mirrored the national decline. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 13.6 percent dip to SR4.85 billion, down from SR5.61 billion the previous week.

The number of transactions in the capital settled at 74.78 million, down 6.1 percent week on week.

In Jeddah, transaction values decreased by 9.5 percent to SR2.02 billion, while Dammam reported a 15 percent decrease to SR707.12 million.

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

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.