The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) fell on Thursday, decreasing by 45 points (-0.4%) to close at 10,453. The index opened slightly higher than its previous closing level and experienced small fluctuations in the early minutes, then started to decrease until the end of the session. Overall, 21 out of 21 sectors closed in the red zone, while 190 shares fell and 57 rose. Health care equipment and services (-1.8%), Real Estate (-1.1%), and Food and beverages (-1.4%) sectors contributed the most to the index fall. Stockwise, Sulaiman Al Habib (-2.4%), Almarai (-2.0%), and Aramco (-0.2%) were the major contributors. The trading activity witnessed a decline in volume and value of -17% and -4%, respectively, to reach 193mn shares and SAR3.5bn in value traded.
Market Wrap International:
U.S. equities were mixed as investors weighed signs of slowing growth against optimism in technology, leaving the Dow Jones lower (-0.6%) and S&P500 (-0.05%), while the Nasdaq advanced (+0.4%) on strong demand for AI-linked stocks.
European markets traded in tight ranges under pressure from elevated bond yields and muted economic data, with the FTSE 100 (-0.2%) and Euro STOXX 600 (-0.1%) edging lower, while the DAX (-0.02%) and CAC (+0.02%) finished broadly flat, underscoring investor caution.
Asian markets outperformed, boosted by robust foreign inflows and strength in semiconductors, with the Kospi (+1.5%), Nikkei 225 (+0.9%), and Hang Seng (+1.2%) all posting solid gains, while the Shanghai Composite (-0.1%) lagged on persistent property-sector concerns.