Reports

2025-05-18

Daily Market Monitor 18-05-2025

Tadawul Review:

Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) fell on Thursday, losing -47 points (0.4%) to close at 11,485. The index opened 5 points lower than the previous close and continued to decline until just before the middle of the session. It then gradually increased for a while before reversing course and falling again to close in the red zone. Overall, 20 out of 21 sectors closed in the red zone, while 179 shares fell and 61 rose. Banks (-‎‎0.4%), Materials (-0.5%), and Utilities (-1.4%) sectors contributed the most to the index fall. Stockwise, ACWA Power (-1.7%), Al Rajhi Bank (-0.5%), and Saudi National Bank (-0.8%) were the major contributors. The trading activity witnessed a decrease in volume and value of -14% and -12%, respectively, to reach 235mn shares and SAR5.2bn in value traded.

Market Wrap International:

Wall Street wrapped up the week on a positive note Friday, with all major indexes posting weekly gains, as optimism around easing U.S.-China trade tensions buoyed investor sentiment. While concerns lingered over a stalled tax and spending bill in Washington, markets largely shrugged off a dip in consumer confidence. Defensive sectors like Health Care (+1.96%), Utilities (+1.42%), and Real Estate (+1.26%) led the gains. The Nasdaq climbed by 0.5% and the S&P 500 rose by 0.7%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained by 0.8%.

European equities closed the week on a strong note, buoyed by optimism over a temporary truce in the U.S.-China trade conflict, which lifted broader market sentiment. Gains were led by industrial and defense-related stocks, with German tank components manufacturer Renk rallying after a rating upgrade from JPMorgan. The Euro STOXX 600 advanced by 0.4%, DAX gained 0.3%, CAC 40 rose 0.4%, and FTSE 100 increased 0.6%.

Asian markets traded mostly lower on Friday, tracking mixed signals from Wall Street as investors digested recent tariff developments and adopted a cautious stance ahead of further clarity on global trade negotiations. The KOSPI advanced by 0.2%, while the SHCOMP fell by -0.4%, the Hang Seng dropped by -0.5%, and the Nikkei 225 declined by -0.005%.

Daily Market Monitor 18-05-2025