Saudi Arabia's stock market shot up more than five per cent yesterday, the first trading day after authorities announced they would allow foreigners to invest in Saudi companies through intermediaries.
The run-up extended a streak of nine sessions in which the Saudi market, known as the Tadawul, has risen. The Tadawul All Share Index reached 8,901.9 yesterday, up 13 per cent in two weeks. But despite the surge on news of the new foreign investment rules and moves to increase the market's transparency, the Saudi exchange is down 19.4 per cent for the year, the worst performer of the GCC's markets.
Observers say that Saudi's Capital Market Authority (CMA) was hoping to boost the market by opening up trading to foreigners. Starting Thursday, foreign investors could enter into swap contracts on Saudi stocks, granting them the right to profits and losses without a transfer of ownership or voting rights. The swaps, which are being sold by a dozen or so banks, including Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, are viewed as an ideal way for Saudi to bring in new investment while not ceding control over domestic industries.
"The market has performed badly, and regulators have little choice other than to open it up," said Ingmar Burgardt of BHF, a private German bank that has investments in the GCC. "A lot of wealth has been destroyed in this market."
Retail investors drive trading on the Tadawul, which has caused volatile swings in the past. Individual Saudi investors were responsible for roughly 90 per cent of market activity last month, according to the exchange. Regulators hope that welcoming large foreign investment pools will both increase trading volume and bring long-term stability to a bourse in which companies make up more than 42 per cent of the GCC's listed market value.
Market observers and participants alike have hailed the decision, saying it would undoubtedly bring in more foreign money. They also pointed to efforts the Saudi regulator has made at increasing transparency - most recently, a new law requiring stockholders with stakes of five per cent or greater to disclose their positions - as positive steps for investor confidence.
Yet as Saudi's market embarks on what appears to be a path of liberalisation, economic forces have been drawing foreign investors away from the region. The US dollar has strengthened against major world currencies in the past month, making dollar assets more attractive. Commodity prices, meanwhile, have declined.
Those circumstances have led many investors who moved in on the region as oil prices jumped in May and June to pull out. The Dubai Financial Market, where foreign ownership is allowed under a quota system, reported this week that non-Arab foreigners sold Dh243.6 million (US$66m) more in share value than they bought. This helped send stock in Emaar, the Arab world's largest property developer and a popular stock among foreigners, to a 40-month low. Emaar stock closed at Dh9.39 on Thursday, its lowest level since April 2005.
Overall, foreign investors have withdrawn more than Dh3.1bn from the market since mid-June. The DFM fell 2.5 per cent last week, closing at 4,891.15. The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the UAE's other local stock market, dropped 2.4 per cent from last Tuesday.
@email:afitch@thenational.ae
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Company%20Profile
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Read more about the coronavirus
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Results
1. New Zealand Daniel Meech – Fine (name of horse), Richard Gardner – Calisto, Bruce Goodin - Backatorps Danny V, Samantha McIntosh – Check In. Team total First round: 200.22; Second round: 201.75 – Penalties 12 (jump-off 40.16 seconds) Prize €64,000
2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000
3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
GROUPS AND FIXTURES
Group A
UAE, Italy, Japan, Spain
Group B
Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Russia
Tuesday
4.15pm: Italy v Japan
5.30pm: Spain v UAE
6.45pm: Egypt v Russia
8pm: Iran v Mexico
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
- Former first lady Hillary Clinton
- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
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Results
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Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
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