JEDDAH – The Saudi stock market remained resilient despite vagaries and uncertainties besetting the global stock markets. At the end of the first nine months of 2012, the total value of shares traded reached SR1,616.64 billion ($431.10 billion), an increase of 108.23 percent over the same period last year. The stock benchmark Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) closed at 6,839.83 points, gaining 727.46 points (11.90 percent) over the close of the same period of the previous year, it said on its website. On an YTD basis, TASI gained 6.58 percent (422.10 points). Highest close level for the index during the period was at 7,930.58 points on 03/04/2012. Total equity market capitalization at the end of the 1st nine months reached SR1,373.13 billion ($366.17 billion), an increase of 13.09 percent over the same period last year. The total number of shares traded reached 71.34 billion shares, compared to 34.66 billion shares in the period under review, an increase of 105.84 percent. The total number of transactions executed jumped 95.40 percent to reach 34.37 million against 17.59 million trades in the period covered. The total amount of traded shares in September was SR128.05 billion, an increase of 24.6 percent from the previous month where the value of the traded shares was SR102.80 billion. The percentage share of Saudi nationals from the market trades was 93.3 percent for selling at SR119.49 billion, and 89.8 percent for buying at SR115.05 billion. The percentage share of Saudi companies from the market trades was 1.5 percent for selling at SR1.89 billion and 4.8 percent for buying at SR 6.13 billion. The percentage share of investment funds from the market trades was 1.8 percent for selling at SR2.32 billion and 2 percent for buying at SR2.56 billion. The percentage share of GCC nationals from the market trades was 0.8 percent for selling at SR1.06 billion and 1 percent for buying at SR1.24 billion. The percentage share of Arab residents in Saudi Arabia from the market trades was 1.6 percent for selling at SR2 billion and 1.6 percent for buying at SR2.01 billion. The percentage share of foreign residents in Saudi Arabia from the market trades was 0.2 percent for selling at SR247.02 million and 0.1 percent for buying at SR190.51 million. The percentage share of foreigners via swap agreement from the market trades was 0.8 percent for selling at SR1.04 billion and 0.7 percent for buying at SR867.07 million. – SG/QJM
