Saudi Exchange approves listing of $12.08bn in govt debt instruments

Saudi Exchange approves listing of $12.08bn in govt debt instruments
A Tadawul statement revealed that the exchange approved increasing the issuance of a government debt instrument, dated April 7, from SR15.98 billion to SR17.63 billion. Shutterstock
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Updated 27 May 2024
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Saudi Exchange approves listing of $12.08bn in govt debt instruments

Saudi Exchange approves listing of $12.08bn in govt debt instruments

 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange has approved the listing of SR45.28 billion ($12.08 billion) worth of government debt instruments submitted by the Ministry of Finance. 

A Tadawul statement revealed that the exchange approved increasing the issuance of a government debt instrument, dated April 7, from SR15.98 billion to SR17.63 billion. 

Similarly, the bourse also approved the increase of another instrument, dated April 1, from SR29.29 billion to SR38.53 billion. 

According to a Tadawul statement, the listing commenced on May 27. 

On May 23, the exchange approved the Ministry of Finance’s request to list Saudi government debt instruments with a total value of SR18.84 billion. Trading in these debt instruments will begin on May 27. 

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia’s National Debt Management Center revealed that the Kingdom completed its riyal-denominated sukuk issuance for May at SR3.23 billion. 

In a press statement, the NDMC disclosed that the Shariah-compliant debt product for the month was divided into two tranches: the first, valued at SR71 million, set to mature in 2029, and the second, valued at SR3.16 billion, due in 2026. 

In April, Saudi Arabia issued sukuk amounting to SR7.39 billion, compared to SR4.44 billion in March and SR7.87 billion in February. 

In March, the NDMC also concluded its second government sukuk savings round, with a total volume of requests reaching SR959 million, allocated to 37,000 applicants. 

In March, the center announced that this financial product, also known as Sah, offers a return of 5.64 percent and has a maturity date of March 2025. 

In April, a report released by credit-rating agency S&P Global projected that global sukuk issuance will hover between $160 billion and $170 billion in 2024. 

The US-based firm also noted that the issuance of this debt product began on a strong footing in 2024, with Saudi Arabia becoming a key contributor to the performance. 

Another study released by Fitch Ratings in April echoed similar views, noting that global sukuk issuance is expected to continue its robust growth in the coming months, propelled by economic diversification efforts and the development of the debt market.


Saudi firm Halo AI closes $6m seed round 

Saudi firm Halo AI closes $6m seed round 
Updated 14 sec ago
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Saudi firm Halo AI closes $6m seed round 

Saudi firm Halo AI closes $6m seed round 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s focus on artificial intelligence is starting to take shape after local firm Halo AI secured $6 million in seed funding.

The funding round, led by Saudi-based Raed Ventures and UAE’s Shorooq Partners, also garnered interest from former C-level executives from Snapchat, as well as leaders from Microsoft, Airbnb, Amazon, and investors behind gaming unicorns, according to a press release. 

This investment aligns with the Kingdom’s efforts in AI as it pursues its ambitious initiatives to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in the field. 

The National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence, launched in 2020, is a cornerstone of these efforts, seeking to attract $20 billion in investments by 2030 and cultivate a workforce of 20,000 AI and data specialists. 

Halo AI, which specializes in using the tech to enhance collaborations between brands and creators, is gearing up to move beyond its successful launch in the Kingdom to new markets, including Dubai and Kuwait, with further expansion across the Middle East and North Africa, and into Europe as well as North America. 

“After decades of building ad products at Meta and Snapchat, we recognized that traditional approaches couldn’t solve the fundamental inefficiencies in creator marketing,” said Vito Strokov, co-founder and CEO of Halo AI. 

“Our agentic AI operates as an intelligent partner in the collaboration process, making autonomous decisions about creator-brand matches, optimizing campaign performance in real-time, and consistently delivering breakthrough results,” Strokov added, stating that the platform reduces manual work by 85 percent while delivering performance metrics that exceed industry standards. 

The investment, announced during the 1 Billion Pitches competition at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in UAE, will support Halo AI’s global expansion plans. 

The creative economy is a sector set to be significantly impacted by AI. According to Halo, its technology is designed to automate and optimize creator-brand partnerships, claiming to achieve a 97 percent campaign completion rate compared to the industry average of 65 percent. 

Additionally, campaigns can be launched within 48 hours, while creators are guaranteed payment within 72 hours — claims that underscore Halo AI’s potential to develop the market. 

The company claims it has already secured partnerships with brands such as Kitopi, ToYou, 1/2M, and Syarah. 

Tina Daher, principal at Shorooq Partners, highlighted the platform’s impact on the creator economy. 

“Halo AI’s pioneering technology is a game-changer, bringing unmatched precision, scalability, and efficiency to this space. At Shorooq, we’re excited to support Halo AI’s vision to redefine how brands and creators connect, enabling them to unlock unprecedented value and impact across the region and globally,” Daher said. 

Raed Ventures also underscored the company’s significance in a rapidly growing sector. 

“The creator economy is booming, and brands are seeking authentic connections with their audiences,” said Wael Nafee, general partner at Raed Ventures. 

“Halo AI’s innovative AI-powered platform is transforming how creator-brand partnerships are formed and executed. We’re proud to lead their fundraising round and confident Halo AI will become a definitive platform in this rapidly growing market,” he added. 


Sovereign fund ADIA invests $500m in US power firm AlphaGen

Sovereign fund ADIA invests $500m in US power firm AlphaGen
Updated 40 min 24 sec ago
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Sovereign fund ADIA invests $500m in US power firm AlphaGen

Sovereign fund ADIA invests $500m in US power firm AlphaGen

LONDON: The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is investing $500 million in Alpha Generation, a US power infrastructure company owned by private equity, the companies told Reuters on Monday, as the race to invest in power generation assets intensifies.

Formed a year ago by ArcLight Capital Partners to manage and operate the buyout firm’s power infrastructure investments, AlphaGen constitutes one of the largest portfolios of independent power assets in the US, with more than 11 gigawatts of generation capacity spread across six states.

“This investment, and the partnership between ourselves and ADIA, will help catalyze both the future growth of, and the value of, this strategic portfolio of assets,” Angelo Acconcia, partner at ArcLight, told Reuters in an interview.

ADIA’s $500 million is for a minority stake in AlphaGen, according to a joint statement from the parties. Acconcia declined to comment on the size of the minority stake or the valuation at which the ADIA investment valued AlphaGen.

The move by the sovereign wealth fund comes amid a frenzy of deals activity in the US power industry, as the boom in artificial intelligence and data centers, as well as electrification efforts in manufacturing and transportation, is driving power demand to record levels, with further growth projected through the rest of the decade and beyond.

This is making investments into the US power sector, whether for generation assets, transmission infrastructure, energy storage or associated companies, increasingly attractive both for money managers and existing industry players.

On Friday, in the largest US power acquisition in nearly two decades, Constellation Energy agreed a $16.4 billion deal to purchase Calpine from the investors which owned the independent power producer.

Unlike utilities, independent producers — such as the plants operated by AlphaGen — can sell power at market prices, allowing them to profit more when demand rises.

ArcLight, an energy-focused private equity firm founded in 2001, has owned, controlled, or operated more than 65 GW of generation assets and 47,000 miles of transmission infrastructure, according to the statement.

The ADIA investment into AlphaGen is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the first half of 2025, the statement added.


Oil Updates — prices remain near 4-month highs as Russia sanctions weighed

Oil Updates — prices remain near 4-month highs as Russia sanctions weighed
Updated 14 January 2025
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Oil Updates — prices remain near 4-month highs as Russia sanctions weighed

Oil Updates — prices remain near 4-month highs as Russia sanctions weighed

LONDON: Oil prices eased on Tuesday but remained near four-month highs as the impact of fresh US sanctions on Russian oil remained the market’s key focus.

Brent futures slipped 28 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $80.73 a barrel by 7:00 a.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 18 cents, or 0.2 percent to $78.64 a barrel.

Prices jumped 2 percent on Monday after the US Treasury Department on Friday imposed sanctions on Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas as well as 183 vessels that trade oil as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers.

“Headlines surrounding Russia oil sanctions have been the dominant driver for oil prices over the past week, and combined with resilient US economic data, the tighter supply-demand dynamics have been seeing some momentum,” said IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong.

“Prices are taking a slight breather today. With prices rising fast and furious by close to 10 percent since the start of the year, it does prompt some profit-taking as event risks around upcoming US inflation data releases loom.”

The US producer price index will be released later in the day, with consumer price index data on Wednesday.

The stakes are high for Wednesday’s figures, where any rise in core inflation greater than the forecast 0.2 percent would threaten to close the door on further Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year.

Lower interest rates typically help in stimulating economic growth, which could prop up oil demand.

“The recent rally to a three-month high does signal an improvement in sentiment, but while broad bearish pressures have eased for the time being, a stronger catalyst is still needed to fuel a sustained broader uptrend,” IG’s Yeap added.

While analysts were still expecting a significant price impact on Russian oil supplies from the fresh sanctions, the actual physical impact could be less.

“These sanctions have the potential to take as much as 700k b/d of supply off the market, which would erase the surplus that we are expecting for this year. However, the actual reduction in flows will likely be less, as Russia and buyers find ways around these sanctions – clearly there will be more strain on non-sanctioned vessels within the shadow fleet,” ING analysts said in a note.

Meanwhile, demand uncertainty from major buyer China could blunt the impact of the tighter supply. China’s crude oil imports fell in 2024 for the first time in two decades outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, official data showed on Monday.

“New sanctions on Russian tankers are expected to impact crude supply to China and India, though key players in these countries are still assessing the legal situation and possible workarounds,” said Sparta Commodities’ Philip Jones-Lux. 


66% of organizations expect AI to have major cybersecurity impact in 2025: WEF

66% of organizations expect AI to have major cybersecurity impact in 2025: WEF
Updated 14 January 2025
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66% of organizations expect AI to have major cybersecurity impact in 2025: WEF

66% of organizations expect AI to have major cybersecurity impact in 2025: WEF
  • Only 37% have processes to determine the security of AI tools before implementation

DUBAI: The cybersecurity ecosystem has grown more complex with implications for both organizations and governments, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest “Global Cybersecurity Outlook” report released on Monday.

Sixty-six percent of organizations expect artificial intelligence to have a major impact on cybersecurity in 2025. But only 37 percent of organizations have processes in place to assess the security of AI tools before deployment, the report found.

Akshay Joshi, head of the WEF’s Centre for Cybersecurity, told Arab News: “Geopolitical uncertainties, advances in emerging technologies and supply chain vulnerabilities are among the key factors contributing to complexity in cyberspace, all of which point to the need for building cyber resilience across organizations and nations.”

The report calls for a shift in perspective from cybersecurity to cyber resilience, which it describes as an organization’s ability to mitigate the impact of significant cyber incidents on its goals and objectives.

Supply-chain challenges are the greatest barrier to achieving cyber resilience due to their increasing complexity, along with lack of visibility and oversight into the security levels of suppliers, according to the report.

Over half (54 percent) of large organizations consider supply-chain challenges as the greatest barrier to achieving cyber resilience.

Another significant factor is geopolitical tensions, which affect the cybersecurity strategy of nearly 60 percent of organizations surveyed in the report.

Geopolitics also affect risk perception with 45 percent of cyber leaders saying they are concerned about disruption of operations and business processes. And approximately 33 percent of CEOs say cyber espionage, loss of sensitive information and intellectual property theft are their top concerns.

There is widespread disparity regionally and economically when it comes to cyber resilience. For example, 35 percent of small organizations believe their cyber resilience is inadequate — a proportion that has increased sevenfold since 2022.

On the other hand, the share of large organizations reporting insufficient cyber resilience has nearly halved since 2022 down from 13 percent to 7 percent.

Regionally, only 15 percent of respondents in Europe and North America lack confidence in their country’s ability to respond to major cyber incidents targeting critical infrastructure. But this number rises to 36 percent in Africa and 42 percent in Latin America.

The Middle East region is more optimistic with respondents saying they are “confident” (36 percent) and “very confident” (36 percent).

“This confidence is a result of the unequivocal focus on cybersecurity in the Kingdom and across the wider region coupled with the importance given to global collaborative efforts,” Joshi explained.

In addition to these insights, the report highlighted the economic implications of cybersecurity and the role of leadership in prioritizing it as a core business enabler.

It also stressed the need for collaborative efforts to secure networks essential to the digital economy and for ways to effectively address the increasing shortage of cybersecurity skills.


Saudi Arabia’s Surj Sports Investment partners with Enfield Investment to boost global portfolio

Saudi Arabia’s Surj Sports Investment partners with Enfield Investment to boost global portfolio
Updated 14 January 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s Surj Sports Investment partners with Enfield Investment to boost global portfolio

Saudi Arabia’s Surj Sports Investment partners with Enfield Investment to boost global portfolio
  • Surj, established in 2023, is dedicated to fostering growth in the global sports sector and building a robust sporting ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East

WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia’s Surj Sports Investment Co. signed a strategic partnership agreement on Monday with US-based Enfield Investment Partners to expand and enhance investments in the global sports sector.

The partnership follows EIP’s recent launch of a $4 billion global fund aimed at investing in sports assets.

The two companies plan to explore opportunities in key areas, including clubs, leagues, media rights, and sports infrastructure, a statement issued on Monday said.

Surj, established in 2023, is dedicated to fostering growth in the global sports sector and building a robust sporting ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.

The company’s strategy focuses on direct investments in sports events and activities to enhance fan engagement and regional sports participation.

“We are delighted to partner with EIP, which has demonstrated a bold vision with the launch of its new sports assets fund,” said Surj CEO Danny Townsend.

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Surj’s journey to expand its presence in the American market and foster transformative investments in the global sports sector,” he added.

Jake Silverstein, co-founder and chairman of EIP, echoed Townsend’s sentiments.

“The launch of our Global Sports Assets Fund marks the beginning of an exciting chapter. Partnering with Surj Sports Investment enables us to align our shared vision for advancing the future of the sports industry,” he said.

As part of the collaboration, EIP plans to establish a regional headquarters in Riyadh to complement its Washington base, reflecting the partnership’s commitment to fostering growth in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

“The Kingdom’s extraordinary transformation is reshaping the global sports landscape,” Silverstein added. “Through this partnership, we aim to create meaningful and lasting impact, leveraging the resources and expertise of both parties to drive innovation and growth.”

The agreement highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the global sports arena, which has culminated in the Kingdom’s successful bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.