Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) fell on Thursday, dropping 34 points (-0.3%) to close at 11,496. The index opened 11 points above its previous close, rose briefly, then declined sharply and saw some fluctuations in the red zone until the end of the session. Overall, 13 out of 21 sectors closed in the red zone, while 148 shares fell and 96 rose. Banks (-1.0%), Materials (-0.4%), and Insurance (-1.7%) sectors contributed the most to the index fall. Stockwise, Al Rajhi Bank (-1.1%), Saudi National Bank (-1.8%), and ACWA Power (-1.3%) were the major contributors. The trading activity witnessed a decrease in volume of -10% to reach 322mn shares, while the value rose by 8% to reach SAR6.5bn in value traded.
Market Wrap International:
U.S. stocks ended mixed as Treasury yields stabilized ahead of next week’s key inflation data, with energy and financials offsetting weakness in technology. The Dow Jones rose 0.5%, the S&P 500 was nearly unchanged at 0.01%, and the Nasdaq slipped -0.3%.
European markets advanced as easing bond yields and firm commodity prices lifted sentiment, though weak German industrial data limited gains. The FTSE 100 rose 0.7%, the CAC 0.3%, the Euro Stoxx 600 0.5%, while the DAX slipped -0.2%.
Asian trading was uneven, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumping 1.9% on chip and auto strength following upbeat earnings, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell -0.5% as property and tech names remained under pressure.