Sunday 26 February 2023

Banks, real estate shares weigh on #Saudi; insurer lifts #Qatar | Reuters

Banks, real estate shares weigh on Saudi; insurer lifts Qatar | Reuters


Major stock markets in the Gulf ended mixed on Sunday, with Saudi Arabia's index pressured by real estate and banking shares, but a 10% surge in Qatar Insurance (QINS.QA) lifted the Qatari index.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) fell 1%, recording its sixth consecutive decline.

The luxury real estate developer Retal Urban Development (4322.SE) lost 3% while Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE) was down 1.8%.

Among other stocks, Saudi Tadawul Group fell 4.7% after its annual profit declined more than 27% to 424.6 million riyals ($113.17 million).

The latter also slashed its annual dividend to 2.31 per share from 3 riyals a year ago.

Middle East Healthcare (4009.SE) jumped 10% after its annual profit soared more than 300% compared to a year earlier.

The Qatari Stock index (.QSI) rose 0.7%, ending three consecutive sessions of losses, buoyed by its financial stocks.

Gulf's largest insurer Qatar Insurance (QINS.QA) jumped nearly 10% for second consecutive session with about 9 million shares trading hands, marking a turnover of over 15 million riyals - its largest since September, after saying its listed unit in Oman, Oman Qatar Insurance (OQIC.OM) acquired another listed rival Vision Insurance (VISN.OM).

The insurer on Wednesday hit a more than 13-year low after reporting a consolidated net loss of 637 million riyals ($174.14 million) for fiscal year 2022, compared to a profit of 630 million riyals ($172.23 million) a year earlier.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) added 1.2%, led by gains in almost all sectors, with Commercial International Bank (COMI.CA) rising 1.3% and Telecom Egypt(ETEL.CA) gaining 4.2%.

#Iran's currency slides to record low as savers buy dollars | Reuters

Iran's currency slides to record low as savers buy dollars | Reuters


Iran's rial currency sank to a record low against the U.S. dollar on Saturday despite central bank measures aimed at cooling demand for foreign currency from savers worried about inflation and the country's economic prospects.

The rial was trading at 575,000 on the unofficial free market against the dollar, compared to 540,000 on Friday, according to foreign exchange site Bonbast.com. The website bazar360.com also gave the rate as 575,000.

With annual inflation running at more than 50%, Iranians have been trying to protect the value of their savings by buying foreign currency or gold.

Seeking to cool the market and ease demand for dollars, the central bank on Saturday lifted a ban on private exchange shops selling hard currencies.

#UAE cbank studying options after UAE licensed Russian bank sanctioned | Reuters

UAE cbank studying options after UAE licensed Russian bank sanctioned | Reuters

The central bank of the United Arab Emirates is studying available options regarding the new status of Russia's MTS bank which it licensed to operate in the Gulf country last year, a state news agency WAM said on Friday.

The Russian lender was part of a new sanctions package announced on Friday.

"The Central Bank is studying now the available options regarding the new status of the bank and the appropriate decision will be taken in due course, considering the obligations incurred by the branch during the previous period," the statement said.