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Closing Bell: 黑料社区鈥檚 key benchmark index begins 2025 with gains

The total trading turnover for the benchmark index reached SR3.3 billion ($882.8 million), with 152 stocks advancing and 71 declining. Shutterstock
The total trading turnover for the benchmark index reached SR3.3 billion ($882.8 million), with 152 stocks advancing and 71 declining. Shutterstock
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Updated 01 January 2025

Closing Bell: 黑料社区鈥檚 key benchmark index begins 2025 with gains

Closing Bell: 黑料社区鈥檚 key benchmark index begins 2025 with gains

RIYADH: 黑料社区鈥檚 Tadawul All Share Index began the year on a positive note, gaining 0.34 percent or 40.81 points to close at 12,077.31 points on Wednesday.

The total trading turnover for the benchmark index reached SR3.3 billion ($882.8 million), with 152 stocks advancing and 71 declining. The MSCI Tadawul Index also saw a slight increase, rising 5.30 points (0.35 percent) to finish at 1,514.61 points.

Meanwhile, the Kingdom's parallel market, Nomu, experienced a decline, falling 481.86 points (1.53 percent) to close at 30,993.86 points. The market saw 24 stocks gain, while 45 retreated.

Salama Cooperative Insurance Co. led the day鈥檚 gains, with its share price climbing 9.54 percent to SR19.98. Other top performers included Wataniya Insurance Co., which saw a 6.04 percent increase to SR26, and Allied Cooperative Insurance Group, which rose 5.65 percent to SR14.22. Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co. saw a 4.54 percent rise to SR13.82, while Shatirah House Restaurant Co. gained 3.44 percent, closing at SR21.68.

On the other side, Nayifat Finance Co. was TASI鈥檚 worst performer, with a 3.75 percent drop to SR14.88. Riyad REIT Fund fell 2.79 percent to SR6.61, and Al-Babtain Power and Telecommunication Co. saw a decline of 2.31 percent, settling at SR38.10. Savola Group and Gulf Insurance Group also posted losses, with their share prices falling by 1.91 percent to SR36 and 1.58 percent to SR31.20, respectively.

On the announcements front, the General Authority for Competition approved the economic concentration process for BinDawood Holding鈥檚 acquisition of 100 percent of Zahret Al Rawda Pharmacies Co. Ltd.

The decision, dated December 31, 2024, marks a significant step in the acquisition process. BinDawood has announced it will provide updates on the completion of the transaction and any material developments as they arise. By Wednesday鈥檚 close, BinDawood鈥檚 share price had risen 1.08 percent to SR6.54.

Separately, First Avenue for Real Estate Development Co. disclosed the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent with Awj Real Estate Development and Investment Co. to establish a real estate fund focused on commercial, office, and hospitality projects.

The fund will invest in four key assets: West La Perle, East La Perle, La Perle Residential Land, and La Perle Hotel Land. First Avenue is expected to hold between 40 percent and 50 percent of the fund, with Awj holding between 50 percent and 60 percent. First Avenue鈥檚 shares dropped 1.71 percent, closing at SR8.60.


鈥楢 Paperless Event鈥 鈥 the slogan of Saudi technology at the UN General Assembly for Tourism

鈥楢 Paperless Event鈥 鈥 the slogan of Saudi technology at the UN General Assembly for Tourism
Updated 07 November 2025

鈥楢 Paperless Event鈥 鈥 the slogan of Saudi technology at the UN General Assembly for Tourism

鈥楢 Paperless Event鈥 鈥 the slogan of Saudi technology at the UN General Assembly for Tourism

RIYADH: Papers are absent, and Saudi technology is present to say 鈥渁 paperless event鈥 at the UN General Assembly meetings for the tourism sector, which will be held in Riyadh, with the participation of more than 100 ministers from around the world, Al-Eqtisadiah reports.

The assembly meetings are set amidst natural green plants cultivated in the Saudi desert, surrounding the roundtable that will bring the ministers together. They will chart their plan and vision for the next 50 years, discuss the use of artificial intelligence in the global tourism sector, and ensure the human element is not marginalized.

Sara Al-Saud, the general supervisor of International Affairs for the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, said that 鈥渢here is a shortage of an estimated 43 million workers in the global tourism sector.鈥

She clarified that the topic of AI will be one of the subjects discussed by the over 100 ministers, in addition to shaping the Assembly鈥檚 vision for the next 50 years.

She added that the Assembly meetings are expected to witness the signing of memorandums of understanding and agreements during the event, alongside a number of recommendations that will be announced in due course.

For his part, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, the director-general of International Research and Planning, emphasized that the human element is very important in the tourism sector, and that artificial intelligence significantly helps small and medium enterprises improve their service quality and customer experience.

The Executive Director of UN Tourism, Natalia Bayona, explained that the global tourism sector is the largest employer of youth, with 60 percent of them working with AI. She added that many tourists worldwide use AI to explore tourist destinations.

Consequently, a survey was conducted with member states to ascertain if they have local AI strategies and to identify what support could be offered to develop the mechanism, especially since the tourism sector relies heavily on small and medium enterprises.

Globally, the tourism sector contributed 10 percent to the global gross domestic product in 2024, equivalent to $10.9 trillion, recording a growth rate of 8.5 percent compared to 2023, thereby surpassing pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

On the local front for the Saudi tourism sector, unprecedented levels were recorded in terms of visitor numbers, spending volume, job creation, and contribution to the GDP.

The direct and indirect contribution of the tourism sector to the GDP reached 11.5 percent in 2023. The International Monetary Fund predicts that the Saudi tourism sector will achieve a growth rate of 16 percent by 2034.