RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Thursday, losing 32.85 points, or 0.28 percent, to close at 11,859.47.

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index reached SR2.80 billion ($747 million), as 78 stocks advanced and 143 retreated.

The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu declined by 120.35 points, or 0.39 percent, to close at 30,886.71, with 37 stocks advancing and 38 retreating.

The MSCI Tadawul Index also dropped 3.44 points, or 0.23 percent, to end at 1,490.30.

The best-performing stock of the day was Rasan Information Technology Co., whose share price surged 7.58 percent to SR79.50. Other top performers included The Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Co., which rose by 7.17 percent to SR24.80, and The National Co. for Glass Industries, up 4.15 percent to SR55.20.

On the downside, Saudi Research and Media Group recorded the steepest drop, falling 3.86 percent to SR269.00. Al-Baha Investment and Development Co. saw its share price decline by 3.85 percent to SR0.50, while Red Sea International Co. dropped 3.63 percent to SR58.40.

On the announcement front, Mutakamela Insurance Co. launched its new identity and brand name, Mutakamela, following regulatory approvals and shareholder consent at its extraordinary general assembly meeting. 

Mutakamela ended the session unchanged at SR14.78.

Al-Yamamah Steel Industries Co. reported a net profit of SR70.8 million for the year ending Sept. 30, a significant turnaround from the SR130.14 million loss recorded in the previous year. The profit increase was attributed to reduced costs in the construction sector by 20.82 percent, electricity by 7.56 percent, and solar energy by 10.35 percent.

Additionally, the company’s board recommended distributing SR25.4 million in cash dividends to shareholders for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. Eligible shareholders will receive a dividend of SR0.50 per share, representing 5 percent of the share’s par value, with 50.8 million shares eligible for the payout. 

Al-Yamamah Steel closed the session at SR35.00, down 1.75 percent.

Arabian Contracting Services Co. secured a project worth SR563 million with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City to invest in and lease internal advertising spaces within the King Abdulaziz Public Transport Project in Riyadh. 

The 10-year agreement aligns with the company’s strategy to expand its advertising activities. 

Its stock rose 0.68 percent to close at SR149.00.

Bank Al-Jazira announced the start of issuing its Additional Tier 1 Sukuk under a SR5 billion program through private placement. The issuance amount and terms will be determined based on market conditions, with a minimum subscription of SR1 million. 

The sukuk offer price, par value, and return will also be market-dependent. The bank has appointed Al-Jazira Capital, Al-Rajhi Capital, and HSBC Saudi Arabia as joint lead managers and dealers.

Bank Al-Jazira’s stock rose 0.96 percent to close at SR18.68.

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz International Airport is set to enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions through a strategic partnership with the country’s National Energy Services Co., or Tarshid.

The pact between Jeddah Airports Co., or JEDCO, the airport’s operating company, and Tarshid, a Public Investment Fund company, aims to deliver sustainable energy efficiency solutions for the airport’s facilities. The partnership is facilitated through a Tarshid subsidiary and aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, minister of energy and chairman of Tarshid’s board of directors, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The deal, which aims to launch innovative energy-saving initiatives and promote environmental responsibility, supports Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Environmental Sustainability Program and contributes to achieving the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030, which seek to improve energy efficiency and implement sustainable solutions across public and private sector facilities in the Kingdom.

The Kingdom has been developing the Civil Aviation Environmental Sustainability Plan, which seeks to mitigate the environmental impact associated with the expected growth of the country’s civil aviation sector.

The plan is crafted to align with global commitments outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement and the emission reduction targets set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The country has made several national-level achievements over the past years in the pursuit of its net-zero emissions goal, set for 2060. It is also pursuing new technologies to improve fuel efficiency and decarbonize the aviation sector.

Ranked among the top 100 airports globally, KAIA holds the distinction of being the third-best airport in the Middle East, according to rankings by UK-based consulting firm Skytrax.

Under the agreement, Tarshid will conduct on-site surveys and technical studies of KAIA’s targeted buildings and facilities, recommending optimal solutions to enhance energy efficiency and reduce consumption within the project’s scope.

Waled Abdullah Al-Ghreri, CEO of Tarshid and board member, said that they are dedicated to realizing Vision 2030’s objectives of enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in Saudi Arabia.

“Tarshid continues to strengthen its partnerships with both public and private sectors, and our collaboration with Jeddah Airports Co. is a pivotal step toward establishing new energy efficiency benchmarks in the aviation sector, reflecting a future that merges operational excellence with environmental responsibility.”

Mazen bin Mohammed Johar, CEO of JEDCO, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying that the agreement is a significant step in advancing the company’s efforts to enhance the operational efficiency of airport facilities.

Johar added that the agreement aligns with the National Aviation Strategy’s goal of operating a world-class, sustainable airport with high energy efficiency standards, consistent with Vision 2030.

He highlighted KAIA’s achievements in environmental preservation, including sustainability projects such as a recycling initiative that reduces carbon emissions and achieves net-zero targets, electricity and water conservation projects utilizing solar panels and smart technologies, and air quality monitoring in collaboration with the National Center for Environmental Compliance.

He said that the airport has increased green spaces to mitigate carbon emissions.

Established in 2017, Tarshid specializes in retrofitting buildings and facilities to improve energy efficiency and sustainability across government and private sectors. The KAIA project is among its key initiatives with the private sector, aiming to encourage the aviation industry to adopt sustainable practices.

By the end of the third quarter of this year, the company had achieved annual energy savings of 7.3 terawatt-hours across various projects, equivalent to conserving over 11.7 million barrels of oil equivalent and avoiding approximately 4.2 million metric tonnes of harmful emissions. These efforts equate to the environmental impact of planting more than 69.4 million seedlings annually, SPA reported.

Tarshid has recently signed a similar agreement with SAL Logistics Services, underscoring its role in advancing energy efficiency and sustainability across both governmental and private sectors.