Closing Bell: Saudi main index continues rally to close at 11,682 

Closing Bell: Saudi main index continues rally to close at 11,682 
The benchmark index recorded a total trading turnover of SR6.68 billion ($1.78 billion), with 134 stocks advancing and 118 declining. Shutterstock
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Updated 15 October 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index continues rally to close at 11,682 

Closing Bell: Saudi main index continues rally to close at 11,682 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index extended its rally for a third straight session on Wednesday, gaining 86.23 points, or 0.74 percent, to close at 11,682.23. 

The benchmark index recorded a total trading turnover of SR6.68 billion ($1.78 billion), with 134 stocks advancing and 118 declining. 

The Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, slipped 51.99 points to 25,637.29, while the MSCI Tadawul Index edged up 0.61 percent to 1,519.64. 

Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co. led the gainers, climbing 8.38 percent to SR9.31. ACWA Power rose 6.03 percent to SR237.50, while Tabuk Cement Co. advanced 5.93 percent to SR10.90. 

On the downside, Thob Al Aseel Co. fell 6.15 percent to SR3.51. 

On the announcements front, Atlas Elevators General Trading and Contracting Co. announced plans to issue a riyal-denominated sukuk with an initial value of SR40 million. The offering will open on Oct. 19 and run until July 1, 2027, the company said in a Tadawul filing. 

Atlas Elevators added that the final issuance size will be determined at the end of the subscription period based on market conditions. Proceeds will fund the expansion of Atlas National Elevator Co., a subsidiary, and the relocation of its factory to Riyadh’s Second Industrial City.  

Its shares rose 1.59 percent to SR16. 

Meanwhile, Retal Urban Development Co. said its subsidiary Building Construction Co. Ltd. signed a SR461.9 million contract with ROSHN Group, owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, to design and build six residential buildings within the SEDRA community in Riyadh City. 

The 28-month project is expected to positively impact Retal’s financial performance during 2026–2028, the company said.  Retal’s shares gained 0.17 percent to SR11.63. 


Philippines in talks to add flights, develop joint tourism promotion with Saudi Arabia

Philippines in talks to add flights, develop joint tourism promotion with Saudi Arabia
Updated 14 November 2025
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Philippines in talks to add flights, develop joint tourism promotion with Saudi Arabia

Philippines in talks to add flights, develop joint tourism promotion with Saudi Arabia
  • Philippines developing halal travel as part of its tourism strategy
  • Saudi market is one of Philippines’ most dynamic and high-value markets

MANILA: Philippine officials are in talks with Saudi tourism players to add more flights between their countries and develop a joint travel promotion campaign, the department of tourism said as Manila seeks to strengthen tourism ties with the Kingdom. 

Tourism Undersecretary Verna C. Buensuceso led the Philippine delegation at the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly earlier this month in Riyadh. On the sidelines of the event, she met with Saudia Airlines’ sales general manager, Abdulrahman Alabdulwahab, and Riyadh Air Vice President for Network Planning and Partnerships Wolfgang Reuss.  

They held “separate discussions … on the expansion of air connectivity and the development of joint tourism promotion initiatives,” the tourism department said in a statement. 

With tourism being a key sector for the Philippines, its government has been trying to attract more Middle Eastern visitors by creating Muslim-friendly destinations and ensuring that they have access to halal products and services. 

Saudi travelers are among those contributing to a recent surge in international tourism arrivals from countries in the Middle East and the GCC.

“Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound tourism markets, driven by a young and affluent population with high disposable income for travel. It represents one of our most dynamic and high-value markets in the Middle East,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said in a statement. 

“As a destination, the Philippines continues to gain ground among Saudi travelers, recognized for its warm hospitality, competitive value, English-speaking service culture, and growing halal-friendly tourism infrastructure.”

Tourism receipts from the Kingdom were more than $37 million last year, a 46 percent rise from 2023, ministry data showed. While Manila continues to be a top destination for Saudi travelers, Cebu, Boracay, and Pampanga are also among their top choices. 

The predominantly Catholic country — where Muslims constitute about 10 percent of the almost 120 million population — last year also launched a beach dedicated to Muslim women travelers in Boracay, the country’s top resort island and one of the world’s most popular.

Last month, the Philippines launched a “Muslim-Friendly Travelogue,” an official guide for tourists planning trips to the country, covering its Islamic history and heritage, recommendations for destinations, and halal culinary products available in all parts of the archipelago.

In 2024, the Philippines was recognized as a rising Muslim-friendly non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation Destination by the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index, an annual report benchmarking destinations in the Muslim travel market. 

Known for its white-sand beaches, diving spots and rich culture, the Philippines received a similar recognition in 2023.