For investors in emerging markets experiencing stagnation, Saudi Arabia stands out as a beacon of promise. Its dynamic capital markets epitomize an ambitious drive towards social and economic liberalization, offering abundant new prospects for international investors.
At a mere 16 years of age, the Saudi Exchange has already asserted its position among the world’s elite, boasting a market capitalization of $3 trillion, a remarkable surge from just $421 billion in 2015.
The exchange gained international acclaim in 2019 with the monumental initial public offering (IPO) of oil behemoth Saudi Aramco. Subsequently, the nation’s ambitious privatization initiatives have fueled a robust IPO market, contrasting with the sluggish pace of listings elsewhere.
The past year witnessed the debut of eight IPOs spanning diverse sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food, transportation, and energy.
Impressively, seven of these offerings witnessed a substantial average increase of 71% in share value from listing to year-end, a stark comparison to the challenging landscape for inaugural share sales globally. Saudi Arabia has now firmly secured its position in the top echelons for global IPO proceeds.
Disclosing New Horizons
The Saudi Tadawul Group is swiftly erecting a modern infrastructure for capital markets, drawing interest from global investors and issuers alike.
For companies seeking to go public, the listing process has been streamlined, complemented by the establishment of the Nomu–Parallel Market, catering to smaller enterprises, which has witnessed rapid expansion.
Simultaneously, for investors, the trade settlement mechanism has been revamped, and product offerings broadened, with the introduction of four new indices in the main market within the past year alone. Further enhancements targeting algorithmic and high-frequency traders are slated for this year.
In recent times, the exchange has enticed over 3,700 qualified foreign investors, including a majority of the world’s leading financial institutions. The proportion of active emerging markets funds investing in the Kingdom has more than doubled over the past two years.
Investing in Saudi Arabia has never been more accessible for foreigners, yet the true allure lies in the country’s growth narrative propelled by its ambitious Vision 2030 master plan.
Crafting the Vision: 2030
Vision 2030 represents the Saudi leadership’s resolute commitment to diminishing its reliance on oil and revitalizing its societal fabric.
Loosened social constraints have ushered women into the workforce and sparked vitality in the entertainment and tourism sectors.
Concurrently, a plethora of business-friendly policy overhauls has nurtured an environment conducive to entrepreneurship, giving rise to a handful of Saudi-based “unicorns” – companies valued at over $1 billion – contemplating future listings on the Saudi Exchange.
Simultaneously, the kingdom is channeling its resources into ambitious “giga-projects” aimed at catalyzing economic progress and enticing 70 million international visitors annually by 2030. Among the myriad tourism, residential, and green space initiatives, NEOM stands out, featuring a futuristic mile-long city known as THE LINE.
These ventures are fostering opportunities across sectors spanning from construction to utilities and logistics, with potential IPOs on the horizon in the coming months and years.
The efficacy of the plan is already evident in the diversification of Saudi Arabia’s economy. Illustratively, in 2023, despite a downturn in oil prices, the country sidestepped economic contraction, buoyed by a robust 4.6 percent expansion in non-oil activities.
Concurrently, the Tadawul All Stock Index surged by 14.2% in 2023, outpacing the 9.8% growth of the benchmark MSCI Emerging Market Index.
Fortifying the Foundations
The trajectory for the Saudi capital market in the current year appears promising. Notably, the value of traded debt surged by 67 percent in the last quarter alone, underscoring the momentum.
Saudi Tadawul Group is poised to bolster its debt market further, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of establishing itself as a global financial nexus, facilitating capital flows between the East and the West. Additional endeavors encompass derivatives trading and innovative data packaging.
Fueled by quintessential Saudi ambition, the Saudi Tadawul Group has laid out a comprehensive strategy to propel the Saudi Exchange to become the third-largest globally in the forthcoming years.
Undoubtedly, there is ample room for expansion, as Saudi Arabia remains relatively underrepresented in investor portfolios compared to other emerging markets.
