Latest news with #JunaidAnsari
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Saudi Stocks Set to Be World's Worst in May After Oil-Price Drop
(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia's sliding stocks are on course to be the worst performers globally this month as falling oil prices prompt concerns of slower spending on mega projects in the kingdom. NY Wins Order Against US Funding Freeze in Congestion Fight The Tadawul All Share Index has slumped 6.4% in May as of Tuesday's close, the most among 92 equity benchmarks tracked by Bloomberg. The Saudi gauge is also dropping for a fourth month, the longest losing streak since 2014. That's a sharp divergence with the broader emerging market index, which is heading for its best month since September and the longest sequence of gains for almost a year. Weakness in oil is at the heart of faltering sentiment toward Saudi stocks. Crude prices sank to a four-year low in early April, with the outlook clouded by trade tensions and increasing supply from OPEC+ members. That adds to pressure on Saudi finances after the kingdom reported the widest budget deficit since late 2021 in the first quarter. 'There are fears that the fall in oil revenues could affect the projects market,' said Junaid Ansari at Kamco Invest in Kuwait City, referring to plans for transformational development where the state is the key investor. Ansari sees this market view persisting, given expectations that oil prices will remain subdued. The weakness has been broad-based, with only 23 out of 253 Tadawul members trading in the green so far in May, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Al Rajhi Bank, the kingdom's largest lender by market capitalization, and utility ACWA Power Co. have been the biggest drag by index points. Brent oil is trading around $65 a barrel, well short of levels Saudi Arabia needs to cover its outlays. First-quarter data showed the government needed crude at $96 to balance its budget, rising to $113 when the sovereign wealth fund's domestic spending plans are included, according to Bloomberg Economics' Ziad Daoud. Those thresholds are both at the highest since at least 2016, when Saudi Arabia launched its Vision 2030. Dominic Bokor-Ingram, a fund manager at Fiera Capital, said the timing on some 'aspirational mega projects' could be pushed back by financial constraints, a near-term challenge to his bullish view overall on the Tadawul. The breakeven level for oil required by the Saudi economy is higher than regional peers, he said. 'Oil prices are a headwind for them, and force the country to make capital allocation decisions that they wouldn't need to if oil prices were higher at around $100,' according to Bokor-Ingram. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners will gather online on Wednesday to review production quotas for this year and next. Eight key members will decide at the weekend whether to bolster output again in July. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. warned last month that Saudi Arabia's budget deficit may swell to $67 billion this year. That may force the government to borrow more and cut back on economic transformation plans. Still Bokor-Ingram bases his more optimistic long-term view on the Saudi market on expectations that the Vision 2030 plan is still intact and will keep luring investors. Given the potential for transformation in the economy, 'it's too much of a risk to ignore the Saudi market for an emerging-market investor,' he said. Mark Zuckerberg Loves MAGA Now. Will MAGA Ever Love Him Back? Millions of Americans Are Obsessed With This Japanese Barbecue Sauce Why Apple Still Hasn't Cracked AI Inside the First Stargate AI Data Center How Coach Handbags Became a Gen Z Status Symbol ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Mint
28-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Saudi Stocks Set to Be World's Worst in May After Oil-Price Drop
(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia's sliding stocks are on course to be the worst performers globally this month as falling oil prices prompt concerns of slower spending on mega projects in the kingdom. The Tadawul All Share Index has slumped 6.4% in May as of Tuesday's close, the most among 92 equity benchmarks tracked by Bloomberg. The Saudi gauge is also dropping for a fourth month, the longest losing streak since 2014. That's a sharp divergence with the broader emerging market index, which is heading for its best month since September and the longest sequence of gains for almost a year. Weakness in oil is at the heart of faltering sentiment toward Saudi stocks. Crude prices sank to a four-year low in early April, with the outlook clouded by trade tensions and increasing supply from OPEC members. That adds to pressure on Saudi finances after the kingdom reported the widest budget deficit since late 2021 in the first quarter. 'There are fears that the fall in oil revenues could affect the projects market,' said Junaid Ansari at Kamco Invest in Kuwait City, referring to plans for transformational development where the state is the key investor. Ansari sees this market view persisting, given expectations that oil prices will remain subdued. The weakness has been broad-based, with only 23 out of 253 Tadawul members trading in the green so far in May, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Al Rajhi Bank, the kingdom's largest lender by market capitalization, and utility ACWA Power Co. have been the biggest drag by index points. Brent oil is trading around $65 a barrel, well short of levels Saudi Arabia needs to cover its outlays. First-quarter data showed the government needed crude at $96 to balance its budget, rising to $113 when the sovereign wealth fund's domestic spending plans are included, according to Bloomberg Economics' Ziad Daoud. Those thresholds are both at the highest since at least 2016, when Saudi Arabia launched its Vision 2030. Dominic Bokor-Ingram, a fund manager at Fiera Capital, said the timing on some 'aspirational mega projects' could be pushed back by financial constraints, a near-term challenge to his bullish view overall on the Tadawul. The breakeven level for oil required by the Saudi economy is higher than regional peers, he said. 'Oil prices are a headwind for them, and force the country to make capital allocation decisions that they wouldn't need to if oil prices were higher at around $100,' according to Bokor-Ingram. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners will gather online on Wednesday to review production quotas for this year and next. Eight key members will decide at the weekend whether to bolster output again in July. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. warned last month that Saudi Arabia's budget deficit may swell to $67 billion this year. That may force the government to borrow more and cut back on economic transformation plans. Still Bokor-Ingram bases his more optimistic long-term view on the Saudi market on expectations that the Vision 2030 plan is still intact and will keep luring investors. Given the potential for transformation in the economy, 'it's too much of a risk to ignore the Saudi market for an emerging-market investor,' he said. More stories like this are available on
Khaleej Times
23-04-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Abu Dhabi shares witness highest overseas buying among GCC peers in first quarter
The Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX) witnessed the highest buying by foreign investors among GCC stock markets in the first quarter, a report showed. According to data from Kamco Invest, overseas investors bought $2.3 billion worth of shares on ADX, followed by Boursa Kuwait at $705.6 million. The Dubai Financial Market witnessed the third-highest buying, with $343 million worth of shares being purchased by foreign investors. Overall, foreign investors, including institutional and retail investors, were net buyers on GCC stock markets during Q1-2025, with net buying at $2.8 billion as compared to $3.0 billion during Q4-2024. 'The trend was positive at the start of the year with consecutive buying seen in the first two months followed by net selling during March-2025,' the report, written by Junaid Ansari, Kamco's Head of Investment Strategy & Research, and Vineetha K. Yeluri, Analyst, said. The top three were followed by the Saudi and Bahrain exchanges, with net buy transactions of $252.3 million and $23.2 million, respectively. Data for Qatar and Oman showed net selling at $421.0 million and $459.2 for Q1-2025. The monthly trend showed Boursa Kuwait witnessed consecutive buying by foreigners during the three months of the quarter. Conversely, Saudi Arabia and the UAE recorded net buying by foreign investors during the initial two months, which were succeeded by net sales in March 2025. Recently, Saudi Capital Market Authority (CMA) announced that foreigners can invest in Saudi-listed companies that own real estate in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. 'This move is aimed at attracting foreign capital and providing the necessary liquidity for current and future projects,' the authors wrote. Similarly, Qatar witnessed net buy trades by foreign investors during Jan-2025 followed by net sell trades during the remaining two months. On the other hand, Oman exchange witnessed net sales by foreign investors during the quarter. 'The Muscat Stock Exchange has announced new investment initiatives that involve collaboration with other market exchange platforms, aimed at enhancing liquidity sources across various markets to encourage increased local and international investments,' the report said. Some of the key factors that affected the flow of foreign money in the region included regional market trends, IPOs, geopolitical issues, economic health of the individual countries and crude oil prices. The quarterly trend in the equity market was skewed towards decliners as six out of seven exchanges reported declines during Q1-2025. The uncertainty related to US trade policies and a forecasted slowdown in the US economy affected investor sentiments in the region. The US government's consecutive announcements related to imposition of tariffs on US imports and the counter measures from its trading partners affected investor confidence in global economic growth. 'The seasonal selling pressure during the Eid Holidays also resulted in a decline in the market. As a result, local investors were net sellers during the quarter and these shares were grabbed by foreign investors resulting in a broad-based net buy trades by the latter,' the report said. In terms of m-o-m performance, net buying value by foreign investors peaked during February-2025 with aggregate monthly net buying at $2.4 billion. January registered net buying at $833.8 million, while March witnessed a decline with net selling at $518.4 million. 'Historical trend for trading by foreigners in GCC listed stocks showed declines merely in one quarter over the last five years. Foreigners bought the most stocks during Q1-2022 with net buy transactions of $11.0 billion, reflecting steep increase in buying mainly in Saudi Arabia and Qatar,' the report said. In the Saudi market, Saudi investors were net sellers during Q1-2025 at SAR 945.6 million as compared to SAR 4.2 billion in net selling during Q4-2024. However, Saudi Institutions were net buyers of Saudi stocks to the tune of SAR 102.8 million that was more than offset by net sell trades by Saudi retail investors at SAR 1.0 billion. On the other hand, buying was mostly seen in trades by non-GCC foreigners that bought SAR 2.4 billion in net buy trades during the quarter that was partially offset by net sell trades by GCC investors at SAR 1.5 billion. Trading by GCC investors (Excluding Bahrain due to unavailability of data) in GCC exchanges showed net selling during Q1-2025. During Q1-2025, net sell trades by GCC investors reached $482.3 million, reflecting a decline from the $505.3 million in net sell trades recorded in Q4-2024. Boursa Kuwait witnessed the biggest net buying by GCC investors during Q1-2025 at $56.9 million followed by Dubai exchanges at $12.4 million. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dabi, Qatar and Oman exchanges recorded net sales by GCC investors in Q1-2025 partially offsetting the overall buying by GCC investors.
Associated Press
05-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Abun Announces AI-Powered Content Tool to Support SEO Strategies in 2025
Abun unveils AI-powered content tool to SEO optimization, automate publishing, and improve search rankings for businesses in 2025. 'Automating key aspects of content creation and optimization helps organizations maintain search relevance while focusing on broader marketing initiatives.' — Junaid Ansari CANADA, February 5, 2025 / / -- Abun has introduced new advancements to its AI-powered content platform, aiming to support businesses in optimizing their content strategies for evolving search engine algorithms. Enhancements in AI-Driven Content Creation AI-driven tools are increasingly influencing content development, ensuring alignment with search engine requirements for rankings, readability, and user engagement. has announced updates that integrate automation to assist businesses in efficiently producing high-quality, search-optimized content. Key Features of Abun's AI-Powered Content Tools SEO-Optimized Content for Search Visibility: The platform structures content with relevant keywords, headings, and readability enhancements. Automated Internal & External Linking: Improves site navigation and enhances domain credibility by streamlining link management. Integrated Keyword Research with Google Search Console: Provides insights into high-performing keywords based on search trends. Automated Publishing to Multiple Platforms: Streamlines content distribution to platforms such as WordPress, Webflow, and Shopify. Diverse Content Formats for Engagement: Includes features such as tables, FAQs, TL;DR summaries, and bullet points to enhance user interaction. Multiple Export Options for Flexibility: Enables content downloads in Markdown, HTML, or PDF formats for versatile distribution. Adapting to SEO Trends in 2025 Search engine optimization continues to evolve, with backlinks remaining a crucial ranking factor. In response, Abun has released a free guide outlining strategies for acquiring high-quality backlinks to improve domain authority and search visibility. Industry Perspectives on AI in Content Marketing Junaid Ansari, co-founder of Abun, shared insights on AI's growing role in content marketing: 'Businesses are increasingly adopting AI-driven tools to enhance content production efficiency. Automating key aspects of content creation and optimization helps organizations maintain search relevance while focusing on broader marketing initiatives.' With ongoing advancements in AI technology, content marketing is expected to become more data-driven and scalable, leveraging AI's ability to assess search trends and user behaviors. The Future of AI-Powered SEO Organizations integrating AI-powered content solutions are positioned to navigate the evolving SEO landscape more effectively. By automating research, writing, and optimization, these tools contribute to a streamlined content workflow. As AI continues to shape digital strategies, its role in content marketing is anticipated to expand, influencing brand engagement and search rankings. For further insights on Abun's AI-driven content strategies and optimization tools, industry professionals can explore expert recommendations and emerging SEO trends. Abun also offers a range of free AI tools designed to support businesses in maximizing their SEO efforts. These tools include blog idea generators, title optimizers, meta description creators, and keyword research assistants. By utilizing these resources, businesses can enhance engagement, increase website traffic, and refine their content strategies. For more details on Abun's latest features and offerings, visit Junaid Ansari Abun X LinkedIn Other Legal Disclaimer:
Zawya
31-01-2025
- Business
- Zawya
ADNHC outlook 'promising' due to Abu Dhabi population and tourism growth
ADNH Catering (ADNHC) should see share price gains in the long term as it capitalises on Abu Dhabi's tourism growth, although its financial performance so far may still indicate risk. ADNHC, a unit of Abu Dhabi National Hotels, listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) in October. It has a trailing P/E (share price to earnings) of 14.7x, lower than GCC peers in the food services sector such as Tadawul-listed Catrion Catering, ADX's NCTH, Muscat-listed Al Jazeira Services and Kuwait-listed Kuwait Hotels, which have an average P/E of 25x. Junaid Ansari, Director and Head of Investment Strategy and Research, Kamco Invest, said a company trading at a lower P/E is either undervalued or reflects a fundamental issue. 'If there are no issues, the company does not deserve to trade at a lower P/E and is expected to see a gain in its share prices that aligns its PE with the rest of the peers,' he said. Century Financial put the catering and staffing services company's forward P/E at 13 compared to a sector-wide figure of 22.54, which was attributed to its recent financial performance. The company's first full-year results since its IPO are to be published in February, but for the first nine months of 2024, revenue fell to AED 1.22 billion ($332 million), down from AED 1.3 billion in 2023, with profits also declining. ADNHC announced on Wednesday that it had acquired school catering company Food Nation Catering. Century CIO Vijay Valecha described the outlook as 'promising' as earnings per share are expected to rise from AED 0.069 in 2024 to AED 0.077 in 2026. Valecha noted that Abu Dhabi's population reached 3.8 million in 2023, an increase of 83% on 2011, with the government expecting the population to double by 2040, boosting the top and bottom line. That, in addition to a booming tourism industry, increases the total addressable market, he said. (Reporting by Imogen Lillywhite; editing by Seban Scaria)
