Opinion Banking and Finance The bullish case for the GCC’s sovereign bonds and sukuk Riyadh's budget deficit necessitates at least $13-$14 billion of new bond issuance in both 2025 and 2026 August 27, 2024
Economy Sharp slowdown in companies opening Saudi HQs The number of companies setting up headquarters in Saudi Arabia slowed sharply in the second quarter of 2024, after a rush to Riyadh at the start of the year. The country’s regional headquarters programme came into operation at the start of 2024, forcing international companies wanting to win government contracts worth SAR1 million ($260,000) or […] August 27, 2024
Analysis Employment Recruitment portals try to ease logjam in Saudi labour market Saudi Arabia presents a golden opportunity for recruitment platforms that seek to match multitudes of job seekers with a plethora of employers looking to hire, labour market specialists say. There are around 168 Public Investment Fund companies working on the $1.25 trillion Vision 2030 economic diversification programme, as well as foreign companies setting up offices […] August 26, 2024
Construction Saudi builders fined for anti-competitive practices A Saudi regulatory authority has imposed more than SAR6.5 million ($1.7 million) worth of fines on 14 construction firms for anti-competitive practices. They were found to have colluded in setting prices when bidding for government projects, highlighting ongoing problems in the sector. The firms violated Saudi rules protecting fair access to public contracts, according to […] August 23, 2024
Giga-projects Red Sea Global to open Thuwal island resort in weeks Saudi giga-project Red Sea Global will open hotels at a second site within weeks and more at a third location will open next year, the luxury resort developer said this week. The company, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), will open a private island called Thuwal just north of Jeddah, followed by […] August 23, 2024
Giga-projects Five Saudi banks to finance cultural development fund Five Saudi banks have agreed to provide financing for a new arts fund managed by Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Development Fund, which has been leading government support for the arts since 2021. The agreement with Al-Rajhi Bank, Alinma Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, Arab National Bank and Bank Aljazira will provide support to private sector projects in […] August 22, 2024
Infrastructure Riyadh metro to open this year, Saudi minister says Riyadh’s delayed metro system will officially open later this year, the Saudi minister of transport said this week, as the kingdom’s rapidly expanding capital wrestles with crippling traffic congestion. “The Royal Commission for Riyadh has said it will open this year,” Saleh Al-Jasser, the transport minister, said in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV. […] August 22, 2024
Giga-projects Saudi infrastructure provider signs on for The Rig giga-project Saudi adventure tourism project The Rig has contracted a local company to develop the infrastructure for one of the kingdom’s more outlandish giga-projects. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) company said International Maritime Industries (IMI) had formally agreed to provide maritime logistics and infrastructure for the project, which has an ambitious target date of 2027. The […] August 21, 2024
Analysis Finance Saudi Arabia’s PIF is focused on the home advantage The value of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund’s domestic assets under management have doubled year on year in further evidence of a strategy to focus investments in the kingdom. The AuM, referred to in the fund’s annual report as “Saudi sector development (SSD)” increased from 21 percent to 33 percent last year. The investments are […] August 20, 2024
Business of Sport Saudi Arabia adds soccer in North America to sports portfolio Saudi Arabia has added the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) to its squad of sporting investments. The kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund has partnered with the regional governing body for soccer “to support the growth of the sport at all levels”. The Public Investment Fund will sponsor football development initiatives, with […] August 16, 2024
Analysis Banking and Finance Riyadh’s investment law reforms tipped to win over sceptics Saudi Arabia’s investment law reforms are poised to release a backlog of pent-up deals – and are a tacit admission that procedures have often been cumbersome, analysts have told AGBI. Under the overhaul announced on Sunday, elements of Vision 2030 and the National Investment Strategy will be combined in a single framework that aims to […] August 13, 2024
Banking and Finance Riyadh revamps investment law as it seeks giga-project cash Saudi Arabia has updated its investment laws as it looks to attract more private sector funding for giga-projects. The update, announced on Sunday, pulls together Vision 2030 reforms and the National Investment Strategy under one framework. It aims to provide investors with “greater transparency, flexibility and confidence”, according to a government statement. Saudi Arabia has […] August 12, 2024
Sustainability Saudi Aramco and Kaust to invest $100m in R&D Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) are to invest $100 million in research and development projects. The 10-year investment will support projects focused on energy transition, sustainability, materials innovation, upstream technologies and digital solutions, aiming for both environmental and commercial benefits. NewsletterGet the Best of […] August 12, 2024
Business of Sport Investor bids invited for six Saudi football teams Saudi Arabia this week opened bids for six football teams as part of its new drive to monetise the kingdom’s sport sector and raise its foreign direct investment numbers. Local and international investors are invited to bid for Al-Okhdood, Al-Orouba and Al-Kholoud – all in Saudi Arabia’s top Pro League – as well as Al-Zulfi, […] August 8, 2024
Employment Improved labour laws benefit Saudi workers Saudi Arabia has enacted amendments to its labour laws to establish more clarity on hiring and firing and improve employee rights. The regulations, which cabinet approved on August 6, will “enhance job stability, protect the rights of all parties involved in employment contracts and increase job opportunities for Saudi citizens”, the state-owned Saudi Press Agency […] August 8, 2024
Tech Magic Leap seeks additional funds after big PIF investment Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has invested $750 million into technology and software developer Magic Leap since the beginning of 2023, strengthening its role as the majority owner. This year’s funding of $160 million builds on the sovereign wealth fund’s previous allocation of $590 million in 2023 facilitated through convertible debt arrangements, as detailed in […] August 7, 2024
Employment 35,000 Saudi citizens take up private sector jobs in July The number of Saudi citizens taking up jobs in the private sector doubled to more than 34,600 in July, up from 16,500 in June, as the kingdom looks to diversify employment away from government sectors. The total number of private sector workers reached 11.473 million in July, up slightly from 11.409 million in June, the […] August 7, 2024
Tourism GCC tourists spent $4bn in Saudi Arabia last year Nine million visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries spent more than SAR15 billion ($4 billion) in Saudi Arabia last year, as the kingdom expands its portfolio of tourism attractions. Bahrain was the top GCC source market, with 3.4 million tourists, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported, citing the tourism ministry’s annual statistics report. […] August 5, 2024
Business of Sport PIF could buy into English cricket’s The Hundred Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is reportedly considering buying a stake in the UK’s The Hundred cricket tournament. The potential move comes after confirmation that the sovereign wealth fund will next turn its attention to the sport. PIF would acquire a new team to be established in Durham in England’s north-east, adding to the eight […] August 2, 2024
Construction Finance ministry to help Binladin Group pay off debts Saudi Arabia’s finance ministry has said it will lend Binladin Group money to pay back debts to banks. It is also considering raising its stake in the construction giant. The finance ministry’s Al Istedamah Holding currently holds around 36 percent of Binladin Group, a private company owned by the Bin Ladin family since it was […] August 2, 2024
Analysis Construction Saudi real estate hiring drops amid giga-project review Saudi Arabia’s review of its many giga-projects dented real estate hiring in the country in the second quarter of this year, driving a larger decline across the GCC. The drop, revealed by Cooper Fitch’s latest Gulf Employment Index which tracks new hires, mirrors a broader slowdown in the Saudi property and construction markets. However, it […] August 2, 2024
Business of Sport Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid outlines 11 new stadiums Saudi Arabia plans to build 11 new stadiums as part of its 2034 World Cup bid, including one inside its horizontal city The Line, but without any breakdown of the costs. The Saudi bid – which is expected to win formal Fifa approval this year – centres on five cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha and […] August 1, 2024
