https://www.arabnews.com/cat/4/rss.xml en https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619793/business-economy RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale transactions remained above the $3 billion mark for the third consecutive week, underscoring the resilience of consumer activity even as overall spending moderated in mid-October.  According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, consumer spending stood at SR12.2 billion ($3.25 billion) during the week ending Oct. 18, reflecting a 9 percent decline from SR13.4 billion a week earlier.  Wed, 22 Oct 2025 01:10:02 +03 owen.bennett 2619793 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619784/business-economy RIYADH: The opening of the Riyadh Metro has transformed the Saudi capital’s housing market, with villa prices near stations jumping as much as 78 percent since 2023, according to a new report.  An analysis by Knight Frank found that apartment prices increase by about SR96 ($25.60) per sq. meter for every 500 meters closer to a metro station.  The report, titled “The Value of Access: Measuring the Impact of Riyadh Metro on Real Estate,” underscores how improved transport connectivity is fueling demand in a city undergoing rapid transformation under Vision 2030.  Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:10:25 +03 owen.bennett 2619784 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619697/business-economy RIYADH: Just weeks after the conclusion of the second edition of the Esports World Cup, the Saudis were ready for the next step.  In late September, the Public Investment Fund, along with investment partners, acquired the American video game company Electronic Arts for $55 billion, a deal considered one of the largest in the sector. Riyadh is now given the key to entering global markets, bringing it closer than ever to achieving its goals, particularly those related to attracting tourists from Japan and South Korea, historical leaders in this sector. Tue, 21 Oct 2025 06:10:50 +03 owen.bennett 2619697 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619683/business-economy RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Tuesday, falling 98.75 points, or 0.85 percent, to close at 11,545.80.  The benchmark index recorded a total trading turnover of SR4.91 billion ($1.31 billion), with 35 stocks advancing and 221 declining.  The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu also shed 149.66 points, or 0.59 percent, to close at 25,072.11.  Meanwhile, the MSCI Tadawul Index fell 0.73 percent to 1,507.47.  Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:10:56 +03 owen.bennett 2619683 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619682/business-economy RIYADH: Goldman Sachs is expanding its wealth management division in Saudi Arabia, the bank said, as global financial firms increase their presence in the Middle East’s largest economy.   The New York-based banking giant has launched the first phase of its private banking services locally, Al-Eqtisadiah reported. The expansion will enhance operations from its Riyadh office, where the US lender has maintained a presence for over a decade.  Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:10:23 +03 owen.bennett 2619682 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619677/business-economy RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund–owned Soudah Development has signed a strategic partnership with the Future Investment Initiative Institute to advance sustainable investment and tourism in the Aseer region.  The collaboration, unveiled ahead of the FII9 conference in Riyadh from Oct. 27 to 30, will see both entities cooperate on thought leadership programs, global forums, and innovation initiatives aimed at promoting environmental responsibility and community development, the company said in a statement.  Tue, 21 Oct 2025 04:10:13 +03 owen.bennett 2619677 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619660/business-economy RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Madinah region is advancing more than 224 development projects valued at over SR200 billion ($53 billion), underscoring the Kingdom’s accelerating investment drive, according to a new report.  Data released by the Al-Madinah Al-Munawara Chamber showed that the region’s real estate market recorded transactions exceeding SR2.7 billion in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting an annual growth of about 8 percent.  Tue, 21 Oct 2025 01:10:05 +03 owen.bennett 2619660 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619659/business-economy RIYADH: Lower energy costs will help inflation ease to 12.2 percent this year and 10.3 percent in 2026 across the Middle East and North Africa, according to the International Monetary Fund.  In its October 2025 Regional Economic Outlook, the IMF said inflation is slowing from 14.2 percent in 2024, with fiscal tightening and subsidy reforms also having an impact. Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:10:54 +03 owen.bennett 2619659 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619653/business-economy RIYADH: The global market for environmental, social and governance sukuk reached a record $6.5 billion in the third quarter, bringing total issuance this year to $13.5 billion, Fitch Ratings said.  The surge has already set a new full-year record for 2025, underscoring the growing investor appetite for sustainable Islamic finance instruments, according to the US-based agency. Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:10:40 +03 owen.bennett 2619653 at https://www.arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619651/business-economy RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ride-hailing sector witnessed a major surge during the third quarter of 2025, reaching 39.04 million trips thanks to a 78 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Transport General Authority.  The TGA revealed that ride-hailing trips were heavily concentrated in the Kingdom’s major urban centers, with the Riyadh region responsible for 43.9 percent of all trips. It was followed by the Makkah region at 22.13 percent and the Eastern Province at 14.5 percent, according to a report from the Saudi Press Agency. Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:10:08 +03 owen.bennett 2619651 at https://www.arabnews.com