The Saudi Stock Exchange's main index (TASI) ended Thursday's trading session with a slight decline, closing down 0.14% at 10,526 points. Trading volume reached approximately SAR 1.66 billion, reflecting a cautious and watchful stance among traders at the end of the week.
According to data issued by the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul), the volume of shares traded during the session reached approximately 80.4 million shares, while the total market value of the index remained stable at a huge barrier of 8.819 trillion riyals, which confirms the leading position of the Saudi market as the largest financial market in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Company and sector performance
The session witnessed a clear divergence in the performance of listed companies, with red dominating trading screens as 156 companies closed lower. Companies such as Kemanol, Flynas, Leejam Sports, Al Ramz, and Amac led the decliners, putting downward pressure on the overall index.
In contrast, shares of 99 companies succeeded in recording varying increases, with "SADARAT", "CGS", "RAOM", "Astra Industrial" and "Riyadh Cables" topping the list, which contributed to reducing the index's losses and preventing it from slipping to lower levels.
Economic importance and general context
This slight fluctuation in the Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) is within the normal range of movements in financial markets, which are influenced by supply and demand factors and profit-taking. The Saudi stock market holds significant strategic importance as it reflects the performance of the Saudi economy, the largest in the region, particularly in light of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which aims to diversify income sources and attract foreign investment.
Local and international investors are closely monitoring the movements of the Saudi market, as the stability of the market value above the levels of 8 trillion riyals enhances confidence in the strength of the national economy and the ability of Saudi companies to adapt to global economic changes, whether related to energy prices or global interest rates.
Outstanding performance of the parallel market (growth)
In contrast to the main market, the parallel market index (Nomu) recorded a notable positive performance, closing strongly up 1% to reach 23,430 points. Trading value on Nomu at the end of the session reached approximately SAR 15.5 million, with 2.14 million shares traded, while the market capitalization of the companies listed on it stood at SAR 41.2 million.
In detail, regarding the performance of the Nomu Parallel Market, shares of 43 companies rose, while shares of 27 companies declined out of a total of 126 listed companies. This rise in the parallel market reflects the increasing appetite of investors for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and companies with high growth potential, a healthy indicator of the diversity of investment opportunities in the Kingdom and the complementary role of the parallel market with the main market in supporting economic development.
