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GCC Nationalisation Schemes Creating “Ghost Workers”

Most of these schemes have failed in the past and can only be successful when accompanied by wage reforms and skill match up by locals, says new study.

Saudi Arabia Announces Strict Penalties Against Fake Nationalisation

Employers practicing fake saudisation will face five years imprisonment and a SAR10 million fine.

Saudi Mobile Subscriptions Shrink On Labour Crackdown, Haj Limits

Subscriptions dropped to 51 million as of September 30, 2013, from 56.1 million two years ago.

Saudi Healthcare Booms As State Scrambles To Close Welfare Gap

Future expansion of healthcare facilities will also be driven by Saudi’s growing young population and the high incidence of lifestyle-related diseases.

Impact Of Saudi Labour Crackdown Spreads Through Economy

Nearly one million foreign workers are estimated to have left Saudi Arabia between last March and November.

Saudi Arabia Tenders To Buy 660,000 Tonnes Of Wheat

Saudi has become a major importer of wheat since abandoning plans for self-sufficiency in wheat in 2008.

Saudi Binladin’s Construction Products Arm Plans IPO This Year

The IPO listing is expected to take place before June this year, according to the company’s CEO.

Saudi’s SABIC Expects To Enter US Shale Market This Year

SABIC CEO Mohamed al-Mady said the investment would be in downstream operations.

Saudi Minister Says No Role For Syria’s Assad In Transition

In a speech to an international conference on Syria, Prince Saud called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Syria.

BAE Systems Says Making Progress On Saudi Price Talks

BAE lost a potential $10 billion deal to sell 60 Eurofighter jets to the UAE late last year.

Fitch: Saudi Banks’ Performance To Remain Strong In 2014

Performance of Saudi lenders is being driven by business growth and declining loan impairment charges.

Saudi’s Al Rajhi Capital Plans Sukuk Push, Sees Better Year For IPOs

Corporates and state-owned entities in Saudi Arabia raised the equivalent of $15 billion from the sale of sukuk in 2013.

Saudi’s Healthcare Costs To Rise 30% In 2014

Saudi Arabia’s private sector hospitals are expected to hike their fees to compensate the loss of funds due to labour ministry decisions.

Kingdom Holding Posts 10.3% Rise In Q4 Profit

Full-year net profit for Prince Alwaleed’s investment firm rose five per cent to 742.5 million riyals.

Saudi Telecom Profit Lifted By Accounting Change

Saudi Telecom reported a net profit of 3.62 billion riyals in the three months to December 31.

Deutsche Sees Saudi Local Debt Sales Surpassing International Issues In 2014

High liquidity in the country has kept funding costs low.

FRV, Abdul Latif Jameel Energy Form JV To Develop Solar Projects In Saudi

The firms will work on photovoltaic solar projects through the joint venture.

Saudi Says Doubles Number Of Citizens In Private Sector Jobs

Economists estimate only 30-40 per cent of working-age Saudis hold jobs or actively seek work.

Saudi Oil Min Says U.S. Shale Oil Helps Keep Oil Markets Stable

Shale oil remains much more costly to produce than most Middle East crude.

Saudi’s Almarai Posts Marginal Q4 Net Profit Gain

Net earnings in the three months to December 31 were 373.3 million riyals, up 1.2 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

Saudi’s Al Rajhi Bank Halves H2 Dividend After Q4 Profit Drop

Al Rajhi reported a 19.1 per cent drop in fourth-quarter net profit.

SABIC’s Q4 Profit Up 5.7%, Below Forecasts

SABIC earned 6.16 billion riyals in the quarter, not the 6.58 billion analysts predicted.

Qatar Airways To Launch Saudi Operations By Q3

Saudi Arabia started opening up its aviation market in 2012 by awarding additional carrier licenses.

New Saudi Airline In $2bn Deal For Bombardier Planes

Bombardier has so far seen slow orders for the CSeries after several months of development delays.

Saudi-Qatar Rivalry Divides Syrian Opposition

Syrian National Coalition is expected to decide this week whether to take part in the Geneva-2 conference in Switzerland.

Saudi’s Samba Q4 Profit Up 15.8%

Samba attributed the profit rise to an increase in operating income.

Saudi’s Mobily Q4 Profit Rises 8.6%, Beats Forecasts

The company said more income from data and business clients were the reason for the quarterly and annual profit increases.

First Jubail Diesel Cargo Adds To Pain For Europe’s Refiners

Saudi Aramco is set to ship the first cargo of diesel to the Mediterranean for January 23 loading.

Saudia Restarts Jeddah-Manchester Route

The airline will resume services to Manchester after a seven-year gap and will fly thrice a week.

Asian workers take a break at Friday Market in Kuwait City

Saudi Arabia Signs Labour Deal With Sri Lanka

The deal provides Sri Lankan domestic workers in the Kingdom the right to retain their travel documents.