ع
Saudi Exchange figures showed the Tadawul All-Share Index advancing 164.38 points to end the session at 10 455.14 while total trading value reached six billion Saudi riyals with more than two million shares exchanged. The MSCI Tadawul 30 Index gained 1.76 percent in the same session. The parallel market index added 0.70 percent to finish at 23 491.86 with 24 million riyals in turnover.
The Capital Market Authority announced the previous day that the Saudi capital market would open to all foreign investors for direct participation from February 1 2026 after the board approved amendments to the regulatory framework for non-resident investors. The changes eliminate the Qualified Foreign Investor regime and associated swap arrangements that had previously restricted access. Capital Market Authority statements indicated the move would diversify the investor base support capital inflows and improve liquidity across all market segments.
Capital Market Authority data placed international investors’ ownership in the Saudi capital market above 590 billion riyals by the end of the third quarter of 2025 with main market holdings reaching approximately 519 billion riyals. That main market position reflected an increase from 498 billion riyals at the close of 2024. A Norton Rose Fulbright assessment of the reforms found that the updated rules would remove the former minimum assets-under-management threshold of 1.875 billion riyals for qualified participants.
Banking shares figured among the session’s notable risers with Al Rajhi Bank climbing 3.4 percent and Saudi National Bank advancing 5.9 percent according to Saudi Exchange tallies. The Saudi Research and Marketing Group led advancers with a 7.83 percent gain followed by Arabian Contracting Services at 7.05 percent and CHUBB Arabia Cooperative Insurance at 6.92 percent. Advancing stocks outnumbered decliners 254 to 81 while 18 issues closed unchanged.
Dubai Financial Market data showed the benchmark index rising 1.1 percent to 6 249 its highest close since 2008 with Emaar Properties up 2.1 percent and Air Arabia gaining 4.6 percent. Abu Dhabi’s index advanced 0.51 percent on gains in healthcare real estate and financial names including a 1.5 percent rise for Aldar Properties and 2.2 percent for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. Qatar’s index added 0.7 percent led by a 1.6 percent gain in Qatar Islamic Bank and 2.3 percent in Qatar Aluminum Manufacturing.
Oman’s MSX30 index climbed 1.2 percent with Bank Muscat up 1.5 percent and Global Financial Investments Holding surging 6.7 percent after reports of government plans for an international financial center according to local exchange reports. The regional advances coincided with the Saudi reform announcement that Reuters said aimed to broaden participation beyond the roughly seven percent foreign ownership level recorded in the third quarter of 2025. Saudi Tadawul Group bulletins later confirmed the February 1 implementation as a milestone in the kingdom’s capital market development strategy.
