Bloomberg’s Karen Young says away from the headlines, Saudi women are also being empowered by gender-neutral policy changes
Saudi banking sector
Al Rajhi Bank
Banks drag Saudi stocks down by most this year ahead of Ramadan
Al Rajhi Bank and National Commercial Bank, which account for about a quarter of the index, were the biggest contributors to the Tadawul All Share Index’s 1.7 percent loss.
First Abu Dhabi Bank
UAE’s largest bank launches Saudi ops with Riyadh branch
First Abu Dhabi Bank has officially inaugurated its Saudi Arabia operations by opening its first branch in Riyadh
Alawwal Bank
Saudi banks SABB and Alawwal get nod for merger plan
Saudi British Bank says it will invite shareholders to consider and approve the merger at an extra-ordinary general meeting on May 15
BlackRock
Blackrock CEO says changes in Saudi Arabia are ‘pretty amazing’
BlackRock plans to open an office in Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest asset manager seeks investment opportunities in the kingdom
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Trendy makeover for Saudi Arabia’s delayed banking hub
The King Abdullah Financial District is being revamped to blend business with residential and lifestyle destinations
Al Rajhi Bank
Saudi banking giant picks Temenos for digital transformation
Al Rajhi Bank, the world’s largest Islamic bank, appoints software firm to drive digital solutions
Ahmed Abdulkarim Alkholifey
Standard Chartered gets approval to open branch in Saudi
The 150-year-old lender has been operating in the kingdom through Standard Chartered Capital Saudi Arabia since 2009
saudi banking
UAE performance weighs on Standard Chartered’s MidEast momentum
Banking giant says it saw good performance in Saudi Arabia but also highlights ‘underperformance’ in the UAE
Ahmed Abdulkarim Alkholifey
No more bank mergers expected in Saudi Arabia, says Central Bank Governor
Central Bank Governor Ahmed Al-Kholifey said that deflation is unlikely in Saudi Arabia due to consumer demand and real estate loans
Al Rajhi Bank
Zakat payments ease pressure on Saudi bank ratings, says Fitch
Ratings agency says confirmation of Saudi banks’ extra zakat payments for years up to and including 2017 removes a key near-term uncertainty
Banks in Saudi Arabia
4m women among 7m Saudis without bank accounts
A new study from the King Khalid Foundation found that 66 percent of Saudis without bank accounts cite a lack of adequate funds as the reason