INSEAD Day 4 - 728x90

Saudi Arabia

BYD logs record EV sales in 2025

It sold 2.26m EVs vs Tesla's 1.22 by Sept end.

Google to invest $6.4bn

The investment is its biggest-ever in Germany.

Pfizer poised to buy Metsera

The pharma giant improved its offer to $10bn.

Ozempic maker lowers outlook

The company posted tepid Q3 results.

Kimberly-Clark to buy Kenvue

The deal is valued at $48.7 billion.
  • Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- First, deeply religious Saudi Arabia opened its doors to Western raves and music festivals. Now it's turning to long-neglected Saudi traditions as it seeks to draw tourists and reshape its national identity. In "Terhal", a lavish stage show in Riyadh, an actor in a red-and-white headdress...
  • Arab-China summit sees $10bn deals on first day

    Investment agreements between the two sides covered diverse sectors such as technology, renewables, agriculture, real estate, minerals, supply chains, tourism, and healthcare.
  • Saudi SME Bank signs $266m deals with fintech firms, investment funds

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The SMEs Bank system of the National Development Fund has signed 20 agreements valued at more than SAR 1 billion ($266 million) with several financial technology entities, local and international investment funds and e-commerce platforms. These deals include 10 agreements and MoU by the SMEs Bank...
  • 10th Arab-China Business Conference opens in Riyadh

    The conference -- being held under the theme "Collaborating for Prosperity" -- aims to strengthen the Arab-Chinese friendship and foster a shared prosperous future.
  • Arab-China summit will bolster bilateral economic ties

    The event is aimed at bolstering trade and economic alliances between Arab and Chinese business communities and to explore a variety of investment opportunities. The sectors in focus include technology, renewable energy, agriculture, real estate, minerals, and supply chains.
  • Saudi NIDLP publishes report highlighting ‘achievements’ in four key sectors

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- In order to ensure compliance with the goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) has come out with its annual report for the year 2022, reviewing achievements in the four core sectors of the economy: energy, industry, mining, and logistics...
  • Saudi Arabia and UK hold discussions to boost economic partnership

    London, UK-- Saudi Arabia and the UK have held discussions to boost trade and economic partnership between the two countries. The discussions were held during Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi visit to London, where he held a number of meetings with British ministers and leaders of major...
  • Sudan warring parties agree to 24-hour ceasefire: mediators

    Although many ceasefires have been broken, yet the twenty-four truce is seen as a chance to give the people of Sudan a brief respite from the ongoing civil war. Saudi and US mediators have warned that failure to observe the ceasefire would force facilitators to consider adjourning talks in Jeddah.
  • GCC digital banking targets $2trn with cloud services

    GCC authorities, however, acknowledge the accompanying challenges and are developing regulations to enhance digital banking experiences. A key requirement is that Cloud Service Providers must reside in their service regions, overcoming which could significantly expand regional financial services and mark a new phase in GCC's financial evolution.
  • After missing out on Messi, Saudis give Benzema gala welcome

    Fireworks and flame-throwers greeted Benzema, wearing their black and yellow kit with the number nine, at Al-Ittihad's 60,000-seater stadium in Jeddah, where a giant 'KB9' was emblazoned on the pitch in bright lights. Benzema, who won five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey with Madrid,...
  • Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to visit China next week

    "At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine Mahmud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration of ties between...
  • Iran envoy to Saudi Arabia: Israel out to disrupt Tehran-Riyadh detente

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Israel is not happy with the restoration of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh and is actively seeking to disrupt it, Alireza Enayati, Iran's new ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said in an interview with Iran's al-Alam news network. “Many of our friends and brothers welcomed the...
  • UAE, fintech lead as venture funding surges in MENA

    At $445 million, startups in the region witnessed a robust 153 percent year-on-year growth in venture funding despite a 7 percent drop in deal volume, says a latest report.
  • Saudi Arabia’s relations with US, China ‘not zero-sum game’

    Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, in a joint press conference with Blinken, played down talk that the oil-rich kingdom was moving away from Washington in favour of its giant rival, Beijing. "I don't ascribe to this zero-sum game," Prince Faisal said in Riyadh. "We are all capable of having...
  • Saudi Arabia to import 1.5 million head of cattle this Hajj season

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's livestock imports during the current Hijri year increased by 40 percent compared to the same period last year, the kingdom's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said Thursday. Since the beginning of this month, a total of 700,000 imported head of livestock have been...
  • US, Saudi Arabia urge Western nations to repatriate IS militants

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Riyadh and Washington urged Western governments Thursday to repatriate citizens who joined the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, where thousands still languish in prisons or camps. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said it was "disheartening and absolutely unacceptable" that some wealthy countries had not...
  • Saudi Arabia’s GDP grows 3.8 percent in first quarter: GASTAT

    The Gross Domestic Product at current prices amounted to SAR 1 trillion ($267.95 billion) in Q1/2023. Crude petroleum and natural gas activities had the highest contribution to GDP with 26.7 percent, followed by government services activities with 15.3 percent and manufacturing excluding petroleum refining with 9.7 percent.
  • Argentina football star Messi joining MLS side Inter Miami after PSG exit

    The romance of a Barcelona return and prospect of eye-watering riches in Saudi Arabia fell by the wayside as Messi opted to join MLS, with Miami a city he has holidayed in on previous occasions. Messi said he would have loved to return to Barcelona but was afraid that the...
  • Saudi Arabia and Oman launch ‘joint tourist visa’ to boost industry

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia and Oman have launched a joint tourist visa to boost trade and investment cooperation in tourism-related projects. The unified tourist visa between the two countries was one of the several initiatives agreed upon at a high-level meeting held between officials of the two countries.  The new...
  • US remains invested in Gulf partnerships, Blinken tells diplomats

    Blinken spoke during a Gulf Cooperation Council ministerial meeting in the capital Riyadh following talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
  • Oil, investment and reforms propel Saudi economy

    The Kingdom has the highest economic growth among the G20 countries in 2022, driven by strong oil production and non-oil sector growth, says the latest IMF report.
  • NEOM signs $5.5bn contracts to build housing for growing workforce

    Dubai, UAE -- NEOM has finalized contracts worth SAR 21 billion ($5.59 billion) with investors for the expansion of the first phase of its residential communities to house the region’s growing workforce, making it one of the largest international public-private partnerships for accommodation. The bidders for the first phase of...
  • Iran hints at cooperation with Saudi Arabia on ‘peaceful nuclear technologies’

    Tehran, Iran-- With the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the talk in government circles in Tehran is now focused on cooperating with Riyadh on peaceful nuclear technologies. A hint of the potential cooperation between the two former adversaries came in a tweet by a media outlet...
  • PGA Tour-LIV Golf deal: A profit-driven game changer

    US-based PGA Tour and Europe's DP World Tour have partnered with LIV's Saudi sponsors to form a new jointly-owned, profit-oriented entity, inviting mixed reactions from Golf world.
  • Iran reopens embassy in Saudi Arabia, confirming China-brokered detente

    "We consider today an important day in the relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Bigdeli told a flag-raising ceremony. "The cooperation between the countries is entering a new era."
  • Foreign non-institutional investors’ ownership in Saudi equities up

    Dubai, UAE -- Non-institutional foreign investors increased their ownership in Tadawul-listed equities, excluding Saudi Aramco, to SAR 310.80 billion ($82.87 billion), in the week that ended on June 1, Argaam reported. The ownership of non-institutional foreign investors is represented by swap agreements, residents, and qualified foreign investors (QFIs). However, it...
  • Top 10 Saudi banks experience slow profit growth in Q1

    Despite improvement in cost-to-income ratio, net profit sees only a marginal rise of 2.7% QoQ to $4.61bn due to slower growth in operating income and high impairment charges.
  • Blinken on three-day Saudi Arabia visit to rebuild strained ties

    Blinken's trip will also focus on efforts to end conflicts in Sudan and Yemen, the joint battle against the Islamic State group and the Arab world's relations with Israel. His visit comes at a time of quickly shifting alliances in the Middle East, centered around a China-brokered rapprochement in March...
  • Saudi Arabia’s RVCMC to hold biggest carbon credit auction in Nairobi

    The event on Jun 14 aims to sell more than 2 million tons of high-quality CORSIA carbon credits registered with Verra, which manages a variety of carbon offset programs, including the Verified Carbon Standard. More than 15 companies from Saudi Arabia and other countries will participate in the auction.
  • Karim Benzema signs for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad: club source

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Real Madrid's Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema has signed for Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad for three years starting next season, a source in the Jeddah-based club told AFP on Tuesday. "Benzema has signed a contract for his transfer to Al-Ittihad for a three-year period starting next season," the...
  • Blinken urges Saudi-Israel normalcy, pledges no nukes for Iran

    "The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. We believe we can and indeed we must play an integral role in advancing it," Blinken told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the powerful pro-Israel lobby.
  • TRENDS poll: Technology most booming GCC sector

    Tourism and Finance were the next flourishing sectors named in the poll in which the majority of the respondents were in the 20-29 age group and mostly from Egypt.
  • SABIC Agri to pay $378m H1 dividends

    The SAR 3 per share dividend will be paid on 31 July.
  • Iran says will reopen embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday

    Iran is set to reopen its embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday following a seven year closure, Tehran and a diplomatic source said, sealing a Chinese-brokered rapprochement deal announced in March. Riyadh severed relations with Tehran in 2016 after its embassy and consulate in Iran were attacked during protests.
  • Modric, Lloris among ‘more than 10’ Saudi targets, besides Messi and Benzema: source

    Saudi authorities are "in contact with more than 10 players, many of them won the World Cup or the Champions League, to join the Saudi league next season", the source close to the negotiations said. In addition to Messi, "the list includes Benzema, Ramos, Di Maria, Modric, Hugo Loris, Kante,...
  • Qatar, UAE lead GCC in women participation, women catching up in Saudi

    Dubai, UAE -  Around 70 percent of top-performing teams in the GCC have a higher percentage of women, underscoring the positive impact of gender diversity on organizational success, a survey by Bain & Company has revealed.  Leading the way in this transformation are the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar,...
  • Oman looks to entice investors at Dhahran Expo to its fishing industry

    Muscat, Oman-- Looking to entice investors to the country's fisheries sector, Fisheries Development Oman (FDO) is taking part in Saudi International Marine Exhibition and Conference (SIMEC) event, Aquafish Second Edition, with a plan to highlight Oman's flourishing fishing industry and lucrative investment opportunities it offers. The event, taking place from...
  • Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal to sign football star Messi in mega-deal

    Al Hilal football club officials are in Paris to seal a mega-deal with Lionel Messi, who is leaving Qatar-owned Paris-Saint Germain. The officials will meet Messi's agent, Jorge, with the aim of completing the signing. One source said Saudi delegation has one goal: "to return with Messi official approval to...
  • Opec+ to extend cuts in oil output into 2024 as prices flag

    Vienna,  Austria – OPEC+ has decided to adjust the level of overall crude oil production to 40.46 mb/d, starting 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2024. This was announced by the global organisation in a statement following the 35th OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting in Vienna today. According to the...
  • An output cut of one million barrels per day (bpd) was being discussed at OPEC+, sources said before the announcement. Credit: Pixabay

    OPEC+ update: Saudi oil output cut likely to worsen fears of recession

    Analysts had largely expected OPEC+ producers to maintain their current policy, but signs emerged this weekend that the 23 countries may make deeper cuts.
  • US, Saudi Arabia urge truce talks between warring Sudan groups

    The last truce was agreed to allow desperately needed humanitarian aid and safe passages into areas of Sudan ravaged by the fighting, but like all that preceded it was routinely violated by both sides.
  • Syrian leaders want UN to re-begin talks with President Assad

    Syria's opposition urged the resumption of moribund United Nations-sponsored talks with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who has returned to the Arab fold after years of isolation. "The international, regional and Syrian conditions provide an appropriate circumstance for the resumption of direct negotiations...," the Syrian Negotiation Commission said in...
  • Saudi Arabia rises three ranks in education impact on UN SDGs

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia has advanced three ranks in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings in 2023, with 25 Saudi universities securing a presence in the global performance index. The number of Saudi universities was 22 in 2022 within the international ranking, which sorts universities that impact achieving...
  • OPEC+ looks to slash production to rein in weak prices

    The UAE energy minister Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei said he expected the outcome of meeting to "balance the market and ensure we are ready for any challenges in the future". Analysts expected OPEC+ producers to maintain their current policy, but signs emerged that staying the course might fall short of...
  • Global Research Council re-elects Saudi Arabia as MENA region chair

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia has been re-elected to represent the MENA region on the board of the Global Research Council (GRC) during its 11th annual meeting in The Hague, The Netherlands. Dr. Munir Eldesouki, the President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, will continue to represent Saudi Arabia...
  • GCC feeds growing appetite for catering services

    Rising disposable incomes, demand from businesses and events, online food delivery services, and increased tourism are driving the growth of Gulf catering services market.
  • Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, other regional powers plan naval coalition

    Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani has declared the formation of a new naval coalition. This alliance, encompassing regional powers like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Iraq, aims to enhance maritime security and underlines the increasing recognition of the need for regional synergy in establishing security.
  • ‘Benzema and Messi to Saudi Arabia?’: Saudi minister’s comment fuels speculation

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's Minister of Sports, Abdelaziz Al-Faisal, has reportedly added fuel to the speculation surrounding Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema's potential moves to the Gulf country, effectively ending their careers in European football.  Benzema is said to have received a staggering €400 million offer from an...
  • Saudi Foreign Minister meets with Iranian counterpart on BRICS sidelines

    Cape Town, South Africa -- Saudi Arabia Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, met Friday with Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on the margins of the Ministerial Meeting of Friends of BRICS Group in Cape Town. Regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to...
  • US secretary of state Antony Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia

    Blinken's June 6-8 trip comes as both the United States and Saudi Arabia are seeking to broker a durable cease fire between Sudan's warring generals. On the trip, Blinken will "discuss US-Saudi strategic cooperation on regional and global issues and a range of bilateral issues including economic and security cooperation,"...
  • Ronaldo puts swagger in Saudi football

    Al Nassr forward's first season in the kingdom ended with a whimper, but Saudi football has never enjoyed such attention.