Closing Bell: Saudi main market closes lower at 10,885 

A total of 72 stocks advanced while 177 declined. Shutterstock
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Updated 28 July 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi main market closes lower at 10,885 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index closed lower on Monday, falling 70.90 points, or 0.65 percent, to end the session at 10,885.32.  

The total trading turnover on the main market reached SR4.61 billion ($1.2 billion), with 546.78 million shares traded. A total of 72 stocks advanced while 177 declined. 

The MSCI Tadawul 30 Index also dropped, losing 10.55 points, or 0.75 percent, to close at 1,399.41. 

On the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu, the index declined by 209.73 points, or 0.78 percent, to finish at 26,781.28. Of the listed companies, 31 gained while 49 fell. 

Sport Clubs Co. led the gainers, rising 9.92 percent to SR11.19. It was followed by SHL Finance Co., which advanced 6.47 percent to SR23.85, and Allied Cooperative Insurance Group, which rose 6.13 percent to SR11.43. 

Riyadh Cables Co. posted a gain of 4.73 percent, while Saudi Co. for Hardware rose 3 percent. 

On the other hand, Tourism Enterprise Co. recorded the sharpest decline of the session, falling 9.84 percent to SR1.10. Banque Saudi Fransi dropped 5.26 percent to SR16.92, while Raydan Food Co. fell 4.07 percent to SR13.66.  

Thob Al Aseel Co. declined by 3.93 percent, while Northern Region Cement Co. fell 3.89 percent. 

On the announcement front, Al Majeed Oud Co. reported a 19.6 percent year-on-year increase in revenue for the first half of 2025, reaching SR618.8 million compared to SR517.2 million in the same period last year.  

The company also posted a 21.5 percent rise in net profit, which grew to SR145.2 million from SR119.5 million over the same timeframe. 

According to the company, the increase in sales was driven by the performance of newly launched products, retail network expansion, growth in its e-commerce platform, and targeted marketing campaigns during the Ramadan and Hajj seasons.  

It attributed the rise in net profit to the same commercial factors, along with improved operational efficiency measures. 

Shares of Al Majeed Oud Co. closed at SR130, down 1.52 percent. 

Raoom Trading Co. reported a 13.7 percent year-on-year decline in revenue for the first half of 2025, with sales falling to SR51.5 million from SR59.7 million in the same period last year.  

Net profit also dropped sharply, falling 91.9 percent to SR2.2 million from SR28.3 million. 

The company attributed the decline in revenue to lower average selling prices driven by market conditions and a reduction in sales volumes. 

The fall in net profit was also linked to a SR3 million loss from the revaluation of financial assets at fair value, compared to a gain of SR14.8 million in the corresponding period of 2024. 

Shares of Raoom Trading Co. closed at SR60.55, down 1.54 percent. 


Education spending surges 251% as students return from autumn break: SAMA

Updated 12 December 2025
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Education spending surges 251% as students return from autumn break: SAMA

RIYADH: Education spending in Saudi Arabia surged 251.3 percent in the week ending Dec. 6, reflecting the sharp uptick in purchases as students returned from the autumn break.

According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, expenditure in the sector reached SR218.73 million ($58.2 million), with the number of transactions increasing by 61 percent to 233,000.

Despite this surge, overall point-of-sale spending fell 4.3 percent to SR14.45 billion, while the number of transactions dipped 1.7 percent to 236.18 million week on week.

The week saw mixed changes between the sectors. Spending on freight transport, postal and courier services saw the second-biggest uptick at 33.3 percent to SR60.93 million, followed by medical services, which saw an 8.1 percent increase to SR505.35 million.

Expenditure on apparel and clothing saw a decrease of 16.3 percent, followed by a 2 percent reduction in spending on telecommunication.

Jewelry outlays witnessed an 8.1 percent decline to reach SR325.90 million. Data revealed decreases across many other sectors, led by hotels, which saw the largest dip at 24.5 percent to reach SR335.98 million. 

Spending on car rentals in the Kingdom fell by 12.6 percent, while airlines saw a 3.7 percent increase to SR46.28 million.

Expenditure on food and beverages saw a 1.7 percent increase to SR2.35 billion, claiming the largest share of the POS. Restaurants and cafes retained the second position despite a 12.6 percent dip to SR1.66 billion.

Saudi Arabia’s key urban centers mirrored the national decline. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 3.9 percent dip to SR4.89 billion, down from SR5.08 billion the previous week.

The number of transactions in the capital settled at 74.16 million, down 1.4 percent week on week.

In Jeddah, transaction values decreased by 5.9 percent to SR1.91 billion, while Dammam reported a 0.8 percent surge to SR713.71 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 the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the nation’s broader digital economy.