Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) rose on Wednesday, gaining +51 points (+0.4%) to close at 11,730 levels. TASI began the session positively, opening with a 75-point rise, and then fluctuated throughout the session until the end. In general, 15 out of 21 sectors closed in the green zone, and 169 shares rose while 62 fell. Energy (+2.0%), Materials (+0.9%), and Real Estate (+1.0%) sectors contributed the most to the index rise. Stockwise, Aramco (+2.0%), Arab National Bank (+2.3%), and Dar Al Arkan (+3.4%) were the major contributors. The trading activity witnessed a decline in volume and value of -23% and -23%, respectively, to reach 311 shares and SAR6.9bn in value traded.
U.S. stock index futures increased on Wednesday, extending the recent recovery on Wall Street, though overall sentiment is still delicate. Futures were elevated following remarks from a high-ranking Bank of Japan official, who minimized expectations of an imminent interest rate hike amidst ongoing market volatility. The S&P 500 decreased by -0.8%, the Nasdaq Composite fell by -1.1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by -0.6%.
European stocks rose on Wednesday as global markets aimed to recover from the sharp declines experienced on Monday. The FTSE 100 and DAX indices both experienced increases of 1.8% and 1.5%, respectively, reflecting positive market performance, while the CAC 40 index saw a larger gain of 1.9%.
Asian markets posted notable gains on Wednesday, with Japanese shares rebounding from earlier declines after a central bank official’s remarks reduced concerns about an imminent interest rate hike. Despite this, indices experienced modest pullbacks, with the Hang Seng increasing by 1.4%, the NIKKEI 225 advanced by 2.5%, and the KOSPI rose by 1.8%.