Good morning, wonderful people. In keeping with the theme of the week, we have a busy issue to round things out as we slide into the weekend, leading with the latest 2024 and 2025 growth forecasts from Moody’s and new proposed regulations that would widen foreign investors’ access to Saudi’s capital markets.

THIS JUST IN– Saudi Aramco has more debt issuances in its pipeline, CFO Ziad Al Murshed tells Bloomberg. The oil major — which slipped into a net debt position in 3Q 2024 — doesn’t plan to issue more debt in 2024, with Al Murshed telling the business information service that the company wants to strike a balance between being “regular but not too frequent” in its issuances. Aramco is looking to “widen its investor base” through its future issuances, Al Murshed said, but denied that the debt pipeline is tied to the company maintaining its dividends.

HAPPENING TODAY-

#1- The subscription window for Saudi National Bank’s SAR-denominated Additional Tier 1 sukuk closes today. The offering, with a minimum buy-in of SAR 1 mn, is perpetual but allows redemption under specific conditions. Meanwhile, Tadawul reduced the minimum issuance size for sukuk and bonds to SAR 5 mn from SAR 100 mn for new issuers and SAR 50 mn for return issuers, aiming to ease SME access to the debt market.

#2- The USD-denominated additional tier 1 sukuk capital sustainable offering of Saudi Investment Bank is expected to wrap up today, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. Open to domestic and international eligible investors, the minimum subscription is USD 200k, with increments of USD 1k. The perpetual sukuk is callable after five years, allowing redemptions under specific conditions. Pricing, value, and returns will be determined based on market dynamics. The notes will be listed on the London Stock Exchange’s International Securities Market.

ADVISORS- Our friends at HSBC are acting as joint lead managers and bookrunners on the transaction, along with Alistithmar for Financial Securities and Brokerage, Citigroup Global Markets, J.P. Morgan Securities, Goldman Sachs, MUFG Securities EMEA plc, Arqaam Capital, and Standard Chartered.

#3- Final allocation of shares of local contractor Multi Business Group (MBG)’s IPO on Tadawul’s parallel market Nomu is set to take place today. The company’s majority shareholder Adel Abdullah Suleiman Al Basri will see his direct and indirect ownership diluted from a 97.5% stake to 78% at listing, while minor shareholders will see their positions reduced on a pro rata basis.

ADVISORS- Amwal Financial is quarterbacking the transaction as financial advisor, with AlMaghthawi & Partners providing counsel. Derayah is the lead manager. Receiving agents include Alinma Investment, AlRajhi Capital, SNB Capital, BSF Capital, Riyad Capital, ANB Capital, and Alistithmar Capital, among others.

WEATHER- Riyadh is looking at a high of 28°C and a low of 17°C today. Over in Madinah, the temperature will peak at 30°C, before dropping to 16°C. Meanwhile, Jeddah will see a high of 31°C, and a low of 24°C.

PSAs-

#1- VAT-registered businesses with annual revenues exceeding SAR 40 mn must file their October tax returns by Saturday, 30 November, according to a statement from the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority. Missing the deadline could result in penalties between 5-25% of the payable tax.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to visit Saudi Arabia and the UAE next month as his country seeks to deepen ties with Gulf countries and draw investments, the Financial Times and Reuters reports, citing sources with knowledge of the matter. Starmer’s visit will be his first to the region since taking office in July, and will be the first visit by the UK prime minister to Saudi since former premier Rishi Sunak’s visit in October last year.

#2- We’re one step closer to a GCC Funds Marketing Passport: GCC financial services authorities approved a fund passporting framework at the latest GCC Committee of Heads of Financial Market Authorities meeting, the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) said in a statement. Set to be implemented in early 2025, the framework aims to boost integration between Gulf financial markets and will allow funds from one GCC jurisdiction to be marketed in others.

What we know: The passporting regulations will simplify cross-border investment processes by streamlining the registration and promotion of investment fund units. The unified regulatory framework will also include provisions for deregistering non-compliant funds to protect unit holders’ rights. The framework will mirror the EU’s UCITS/AIFMD framework.

We knew this was coming: We first found out that the SCA and other GCC financial services regulators’ have been working on drafting the GCC Funds Marketing Passport last April.

#2- Manara’s plans to snap up stakes in Zambian mines have fallen through: Japanese trading house Mitsui has outbid PIF-backed Manara Minerals for a minority stake in First Quantum Minerals’ Zambian copper mines, putting down USD 2 bn for 20% of First Quantum’s Sentinel and Kansanshi mines, Bloomberg reports, citing sources in the know.

BACKGROUND- Manara Minerals — a JV between the Public Investment Fund and mining giant Ma’aden — was reportedly in advanced talks for the acquisition in mid-October, with Ma’aden CEO and Manara Vice Chairman Robert Wilt later telling Reuters that he expected an agreement to wrap up before the year was out. Manara was widely viewed as the leading contender for the acquisition before being outbid by Mitsui, Bloomberg said.

#3- Trading on Banan Real Estate’s shares on Nomu will be halted on Wednesday, 4 December, as it transitions to Tadawul’s main market, according to the Riyadh-based developer’s recently-issued transfer document (pdf). This comes days after the company lined up approval from the Saudi Exchange for the upgrade. The final transfer date will be announced within five trading days from the halt.

ADVISORS- Aldukheil Financial Group is quarterbacking the transaction as financial advisor with Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Alobaid Law Firm Lawyers and Legal Consultants providing counsel. PwC will act as financial due diligence advisor, and Alluhaid & Alyahya Chartered Accountants as auditor.

#4- Homegrown delivery app Jahez International’s shares will start trading on Tadawul’s main market before Thursday, 12 December as the company transitions from the parallel market, according to its recently published transfer document (pdf). Trading will halt on the company’s shares on Nomu on Thursday, 5 December.

REMEMBER- The company is transferring all 209.8 mn ordinary shares — good for a 52.3% stake — to the big league. Jahez, which started trading on Nomu in 2022, secured all regulatory approvals for the move, including adherence to stricter listing and disclosure requirements.

#5- Nomu-listed Knowledge Tower wants to make the leap to Tadawul’s main market, it said in a filing to the exchange. The school operator’s 1.75 mn shares started trading on Nomu in 2022.

#6- National Housing is set to deliver over 10k residential units across 11 key projects in Riyadh’s Khuzam area, it said in a statement.

DATA POINTS-

#1- The value of tenders where the local content preference mechanisms were applied reached USD 800 bn in the period between their launch in 2020 and the end of 3Q 2024, Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Alkhorayef was quoted as saying at the Local Content Forum by the local media (here and here).

About the initiative: The local content preference initiative gives contractors applying for government tenders a price preference of 10% on their use of homemade materials.

#2- The Saudi tourism sector is expected to draw USD 500 bn in investments over the next 15 years, Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb was quoted as saying at the forum by the local media (here and here).

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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Two stories are capturing the imagination of the international business press this morning: The indictment of Adani Group’s Gautam Adani on charges of bribery and fraud, and Nvidia’s most recent financials.

US prosecutors formally charged Adani — one of the richest people in the world — and seven others with being involved in a “massive” bribery and fraud scheme. The defendants allegedly planned to pay USD 265 mn in bribes to officials in the Indian government to facilitate being awarded solar energy supply contracts, including for India’s largest solar power plant. The contracts were forecasted to reel in USD 2 bn in net income over two decades.

The defendants are also being charged with raising capital “on the basis of false and misleading statements,” including USD 2 bn in syndicated loans “comprised of international financial institutions and US-based investors” and another USD 1 bn from bond offerings that were also “marketed and sold to investors in the US.” (Reuters | Financial Times | CNBC | Bloomberg)

MEANWHILE- Nvidia reported lower than expected revenue growth in its 3Q 2024-25 earnings results, with the chipmaker saying its revenues grew 94% y-o-y and 17% q-o-q. The revenue figure came in at a record high of USD 35.1 bn. However, the company’s sales forecast for the following quarter came in below projections, with the firm saying that its Blackwell AI chips are seeing “very strong” demand but costs are expected to eat away at margins. (Bloomberg | CNBC | Reuters | Financial Times)

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Red Bull’s Les Mills is bringing the Middle East’s largest fitness festival to Riyadh on Thursday, 30 November, at The Arena. The 12-hour event features global trainers, full-day workouts, exclusive Adidas products, and a women-only “Her Zone.” You can book your tickets online.

The Black Hat MEA 2024 cybersecurity conference and exhibition will take place between 26-28 November at the Riyadh Exhibition & Conference Center in Malham. The event will gather cybersecurity professionals and technology developers. Speakers include information security leaders from Bayer, SoftBank Investment Advisors, the US Intelligence Community, the CIA, and Knostic.

The two-day Saudi Green Initiative Forum will kick off on Tuesday, 3 December, according to a statement. The forum will coincide with COP16 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, which will be held in Riyadh between 2 and 13 December.

The two-day Zakat, Tax and Customs Conference 2024 begins on 4 December at the King Abdullah Financial District.

The Red Sea International Film Festival will run from 5-14 December in Jeddah.

The two-day Impact Makers Forum (ImpaQ) is set to open its doors on 18 December, bringing together media influencers, industry experts, and digital content creators in Riyadh’s Mayadeen Hall.

The Fortune Global Forum is coming to Riyadh in December 2025, according to a press release. The forum serves as a platform for the leaders of the world’s largest companies, policymakers, and other influential figures to discuss global economic and business trends, challenges, and opportunities.

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