* Talal Al-Sayah from Riyadh
The value of investments of listed Saudi banks by the end of the first half of this year rise to reach 445.63 billion riyals, compared to the end of the same period of the previous year of about SR 393.11 billion, or 13.4 percent, equivalent to 52.51 billion riyals.
According to an analysis of the economic reports unit based on data from Saudi banks, Saudi banks' total investment rose for the fifth straight quarter to its highest level since the fourth quarter of 2016.
The investment of all Saudi banks "12 banks" rise from the end of the first half of 2017 until the end of the first half of 2018. The rise ranged from 0.3 per cent to 129 per cent.
The reason for the growth of the banks' investments is due to the local bonds that were recently listed by the Ministry of Finance during the past three years.
In particular, Alinma Bank's investments increased by 129 per cent from SR 7.1 billion to SR 16.2 billion, followed by Al-Rajhi Bank with a growth rate of 52.6% from 31.6 billion to SR 48.2 billion, and followed by SABB with a growth rate of 51.4 percent from SR21.3 billion to SR32.3 billion.
Al-Jazeera has increased its investments by 34.5 per cent, Al-Bilad Bank by 20.4 per cent, Samba by 12.8 per cent, Riyadh Bank by 10.8 per cent, Al-awwal by 10.5 per cent, Arab Bank by 8.3%, Alfransi by 7%, and Investment Bank by 1.7 per cent, and at last, the National Commercial Bank by 0.3 percent.
With regard to the largest banks in terms of value of investments, the National Commercial Bank was in the first position by about 114.98 billion riyals to constitute about 25.8% of the total value of bank investments by the end of the first half 2018, followed by Samba with 63.77 billion riyals, accounting for 14.3 per cent of the total value of bank investments.
Al Rajhi Bank's investments was of a total of SR 48.18 billion, representing about 10.8 percent, and Riyadh Bank by 47.75 billion riyals that constitutes about 10.7 per cent, and SABB with SAR32.28 billion, representing 7.2 per cent.
In addition, Alfransi Bank's investments was of a total of SR 27.23 billion, representing about 6.1%, while Arab Bank by 26.94 billion riyals that constitute about 6 per cent of the total value of bank investments by the end of the first half 2018.
Moreover, Al Jazeera was by 23.32 billion riyals that constitutes about 5.2 per cent, Investment Bank by 23.01 billion riyals that is representing about 5.2 per cent of the total value of investments of Saudi banks, and Alawwal by 16.57 billion riyals, representing about 3.7%.
Alinma was by 16.19 billion riyals that constitutes about 3.6 per cent, and the most recent of which is Albilad by 5.41 billion riyals, which constitutes about 1.2 percent of the total value of Saudi banks by the end of the second quarter 2018.
* Economic Reports Unit
