Saudi Arabia to open financial market to all foreign investors next month

DUBAI:  Saudi Arabia plans to open its financial markets to all foreign investors from February 1, the Gulf country’s market regulator said on Tuesday, as it eases rules to attract more money from abroad.

The amendments approved by the Capital Markets Authority eliminate the concept of the Qualified Foreign Investor, scrapping a rule that allowed only international investors with direct and consistent access to the Saudi capital market.

The move will allow investors from around the world to invest directly in the capital market, the CMA said in a statement, adding it would support inflows and improve market liquidity.

Saudi Arabia, which is more than halfway through an economic plan to reduce its dependence on oil, has been trying to attract foreign investors, including by establishing exchange-traded funds with Asian partners in Japan and Hong Kong.

Regulators last year also opened the door for foreigners to buy listed firms that own real estate in Mecca and Medina, without changing restrictions on direct land ownership.

READ MORE: Gulf stocks fall as oil drops; Saudi index hits 3-month low

JP Morgan said it expected the impact of Tuesday’s move to be limited as “nearly all” institutional investors were already allowed to invest in the market.

“As a reminder, the key regulatory change that investors are expecting is the change to the foreign ownership limits, which should have some positive impact on the market,” JPM said in a note, adding that it did not expect that change to happen before the second half of the year or later.

Saudi stocks jumped in September following a report that the CMA might ease a 49% cap on foreign ownership of listed firms, in a move that could help revive interest in the Arab world’s biggest stock exchange.

The Saudi benchmark index, opens new tab fell 12.8% last year and is down 1.9% so far this year, according to LSEG data.