Closing Bell: Saudi main index ends marginally lower at 10,885 

The best-performing stock was National Metal Manufacturing and Casting Co., with its share price rise by 6.54 percent to SR17.10. Shutterstock
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Updated 18 August 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index ends marginally lower at 10,885 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index edged down on Monday, slipping 11.81 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 10,885.58. 

Total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR3.86 billion ($1.03 billion), with 104 stocks advancing, while 148 declined. 

The MSCI Tadawul Index also decreased, dropping 1.9 points, or 0.14 percent, to close at 1,407.55. 

The Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, lost 110.54 points, or 0.41 percent, to close at 26,522.54. This comes as 41 stocks advanced, while 48 retreated. 

The best-performing stock was National Metal Manufacturing and Casting Co., with its share price rise by 6.54 percent to SR17.10. 

Other top performers included Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co., which saw its share price increase by 5.94 percent to SR7.67, and Retal Urban Development Co., which saw a 4.62 percent rise to SR13.59. 

Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co. posted the steepest decline of the session, with its shares down 3.82 percent to SR23.95. 

Almoosa Health Co. saw its shares fall 3.58 percent to SR166.90, while Al Maather REIT Fund declined 3.21 percent to SR9.06. 

On the announcements front, View United Real Estate Development Co. signed a Shariah-compliant credit facility agreement with Al Rajhi Bank worth SR13.5 million.   

According to a statement on Tadawul, the deal’s goal is to finance the purchase of land in Riyadh with the aim of implementing View’s strategic plan to increase its real estate development projects.   

The company’s share price remained unchanged at SR6.06 on Nomu. Meanwhile, Al Rajhi Bank’s shares closed 0.42 percent higher at SR95.30 on the main market. 

ASG Plastic Factory Co. reported interim financial results for the first six months of 2025, with net profit reaching SR16.5 million. The company reported an 11 percent drop in net profit for the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2024. 

The decline was driven by weaker performance in the pipes and fittings subsidiary, higher operating expenses, including increased depreciation from new production lines and rising salary costs due to expanded staffing, as well as elevated selling and marketing expenses from higher shipping volumes and additional promotional campaigns. 

The company’s shares closed 1.73 percent lower at SR51.10. 

Similarly, Atlas Elevators General Trading and Contracting Co. also announced its preliminary financial results for the first half of 2025. 

In a corrective statement, the company said that net profit for the current period amounted to SR4.35 million, a 52.5 percent year-on-year drop. 

Its shares closed 2.02 percent higher at SR17.


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.