A cautiously positive performance at the end of the week's trading
The Saudi Stock Exchange's main index, TASI, ended Thursday's trading session, the last of the week, with a slight but positive gain, closing at 10,640 points, a rise of 0.1%. This performance comes at the end of a volatile week and reflects a cautious wait-and-see approach among investors regarding local and global economic developments. Total trading value reached approximately SAR 3.3 billion, with nearly 138 million shares traded, while the total market capitalization remained stable at around SAR 9 trillion.
The Saudi market: A mirror of the national economy and its regional importance
The Saudi stock market, Tadawul, is the largest in the Middle East and North Africa region, and its performance serves as a vital indicator of the health of the Saudi economy, the largest in the Arab world. The index's performance is closely linked to several factors, including global oil prices, the monetary policies of major central banks, and indicators of domestic economic growth. This stable performance comes amidst the major economic transformations underway in the Kingdom as part of Vision 2030, which aims to diversify income sources and reduce dependence on oil. Vision 2030's programs have contributed to attracting significant foreign investment to the Saudi financial market following its inclusion in global emerging market indices such as MSCI and FTSE Russell, thus increasing market depth, liquidity, and attractiveness to international investment portfolios.
The performance of companies and sectors varied
Today's trading session saw mixed performance among companies, with 133 declining shares and 109 rising out of a total of 262 companies listed on the main market. Among the top gainers were companies such as Thimar, Al Andalus, Dar Al Arkan, Shams, and Adis, reflecting investor interest in specific sectors that may be driven by positive news or future growth prospects. Conversely, the biggest losers were Sinomy Retail, Al Sharqia Development, Al Mousa, Aseeg, and Al Asmak.
The parallel market 'Nomu' continues its positive performance
On the parallel market, Nomu, a vital platform for promising small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the index closed with a notable increase of 0.5%, reaching 24,016 points. Trading value on Nomu reached approximately SAR 20 million, with 2.6 million shares traded, while the total market capitalization of the parallel market reached SAR 43.2 billion. This market saw 54 companies' shares rise compared to 29 that declined, indicating continued confidence in the growth opportunities offered by this segment of companies, which represent the future of the Kingdom's diversified economy.
