Turkiye to host 1st round of free trade pact negotiations with GCC states

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index ended the week’s first trading session on Sunday by gaining 149.22 points, or rising 1.24 percent, to close at 12,175.43.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR6 billion ($1.6 billion) as 143 of the stocks advanced, while 84 retreated.
The Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, also rose 82.97 points, or 0.31 percent, to close at 26,502.98. This comes as 36 stocks advanced while 34 retreated. 

The MSCI Tadawul Index gained 22.36 points, or 1.49 percent, closing at 1,524.49. 

The best-performing stock of the day was Kingdom Holding Co. The company’s share price surged 9.95 percent to SR8.95. 

Other top performers included Miahona Co. and Saudi Manpower Solutions Co. 

The worst performer was Almunajem Foods Co., whose share price dropped by 4.66 percent to SR98.20. 

Sabic Agri-Nutrients Co. announced its interim consolidated financial results for the period ending June 30. 

According to a Tadawul statement, the firm’s net profit stood at SR1.54 billion at the end of the first six months of 2024, down 5.26 percent when compared to the corresponding period in 2023. 

The decrease in net profit included a 6 percent drop in average selling prices, which was limited by a 2 percent increase in sold quantities. 

Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Services Group has also announced its interim financial results for the first six months of 2024. 

A bourse filing revealed that the firm’s net profits reached SR1.1 billion in the period ending on June 30, reflecting a 13.2 percent surge compared to the first six months of 2023. 

The rise in net profit was mainly attributed to the revenue growth following an increase in the number of patients. 

The company also announced a board of director’s decision to distribute SR409.5 million in cash dividends to shareholders for the second quarter of 2024. 

The total number of shares eligible for dividends amounted to 350 million, with the dividend per share standing at SR1.17, according to a separate Tadawul statement. 

It also revealed that the percentage of dividends to the share par value stood at 11.7 percent.

National Shipping Co. of Saudi Arabia, also known as Bahri, announced its interim financial results for the period ending June 30. 

A bourse filing disclosed that the firm’s net profit climbed 20 percent year on year to reach SR1.18 billion in the first six months of 2024. This surge was primarily linked to an increase in gross profit and finance income. 

“Bahri had a good first half of this year and delivered commendable operational performance across our divisions,” CEO of Bahri Ahmed Ali Al-Subaey said in a statement. “Our success was driven by optimized fleet management and route efficiency, supported by improved market conditions for VLCCs (very large crude carrier) and chemical tankers.”

The Capital Market Authority has issued its resolution approving Arabian Contracting Services Co.’s request to increase its capital from SR500 million to SR550 million. This will be done by issuing one bonus share for every 10 owned by the shareholders enlisted in the registry at the Securities Depository Center as of the closing of the second trading day after the due date, which will be determined later by the firm’s board. 

According to a statement, such an increase will be paid by transferring SR50 million from the “retained earnings” account to the company’s capital. 

Qualified investors can start subscribing to 750,000 shares of ASG Plastic Factory Co. on July 28. The firm is set to list on the Nomu parallel market at a price between SR40 and SR44 per share. 

The offered holdings represent 10.64 percent of the post-initial public offering capital of SR70.5 million or 11.90 percent of the pre-IPO capital, divided into 7.05 million shares at a par value of SR10 each.