Saudi Arabia opens January ‘Sah’ sukuk sale with 4.73% return 

Launched under the Financial Sector Development Program, a key pillar of the Vision 2030 agenda, “Sah” aims to raise the national savings rate to 10 percent by 2030, up from about 6 percent currently. Shutterstock
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Updated 04 January 2026
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Saudi Arabia opens January ‘Sah’ sukuk sale with 4.73% return 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has opened subscriptions for its January issuance of the government-backed “Sah” savings sukuk, offering an annual return of 4.73 percent, up from 4.68 percent in the previous month. 

In a post on X, the Kingdom’s National Debt Management Center said the subscription window opened at 10 a.m. Saudi time on Jan. 4 and will close at 3 p.m. on Jan. 6. 

The latest offering forms part of the NDMC-managed 2026 issuance calendar and reflects Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to promote financial inclusion and encourage personal savings. 

Launched under the Financial Sector Development Program, a key pillar of the Vision 2030 agenda, “Sah” aims to raise the national savings rate to 10 percent by 2030, up from about 6 percent currently. 

The NDMC said the minimum subscription amount for the January offering is SR1,000 ($266.56), while the maximum is capped at SR200,000 per investor. 

The sukuk carries a one-year maturity and offers fixed returns paid at redemption. 

Sukuk are Shariah-compliant financial instruments that grant investors partial ownership in an issuer’s underlying assets, serving as a popular alternative to conventional bonds. 

Subscriptions are available exclusively to Saudi nationals aged 18 and above through approved investment platforms, including SNB Capital, Aljazira Capital and Alinma Investment, as well as SAB Invest and Al-Rajhi Capital. 

Unlike conventional bonds, the sukuk’s returns are structured to comply with Shariah principles. Designed as a secure, low-risk savings instrument, it carries no fees and offers easy redemption, with returns aligned to prevailing market benchmarks. 

Earlier this month, the NDMC announced the successful arrangement of a seven-year syndicated loan amounting to $13 billion, aimed at supporting power, water and public utilities projects. 

Last month, the center revealed it raised SR7.01 billion through its December sukuk issuance. 

The December issuance was divided into five tranches. The first, valued at SR1.23 billion, is set to mature in 2027. The second tranche amounted to SR335 million and will mature in 2029. 

The third tranche was valued at SR1.18 billion and will mature in 2032, while the fourth tranche, worth SR1.69 billion, is set to expire in 2036. 

The fifth tranche was valued at SR2.57 billion and will mature in 2039. 


Second firm ends DP World investments over CEO’s Epstein ties

Updated 11 February 2026
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Second firm ends DP World investments over CEO’s Epstein ties

  • British International Investment ‘shocked’ by allegations surrounding Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem
  • Decision follows in footsteps of Canadian pension fund La Caisse

LONDON: A second financial firm has axed future investments in Dubai logistics giant DP World after emails surfaced revealing close ties between its CEO and Jeffrey Epstein, Bloomberg reported.

British International Investment, a $13.6 billion UK government-owned development finance institution, followed in the footsteps of La Caisse, a major Canadian pension fund.

“We are shocked by the allegations emerging in the Epstein files regarding (DP World CEO) Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem,” a BII spokesman said in a statement.

“In light of the allegations, we will not be making any new investments with DP World until the required actions have been taken by the company.”

The move follows the release by the US Department of Justice of a trove of emails highlighting personal ties between the CEO and Epstein.

The pair discussed the details of useful contacts in business and finance, proposed deals and made explicit reference to sexual encounters, the email exchanges show.

In 2021, BII — formerly CDC Group — said it would invest with DP World in an African platform, with initial ports in Senegal, Egypt and Somaliland. It committed $320 million to the project, with $400 million to be invested over several years.