Page 198 - SALIK PR REPORT ENGLISH AUGUST 2024

Mr Masood says that besides banks, which have traditionally been well-received by retail investors, real
estate has done well, especially over the last four years.

Emaar Group, including Emaar Properties and Emaar Development, and Aldar in Abu Dhabi have
displayed consistent performance. All these names have done well on the business side and tend to
distribute dividends. These factors appeal to retail investors, he adds.

Shift in investment trends

Within Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul index, some mid-cap and small-cap stocks have performed much better
than larger companies like Aramco and Saudi National Bank, according to Mr Masood.

“That is a clear indication that discerning investors don't just buy something because it's big or ranks high
on market cap scale. They pay attention to fundamentals,” he says.

“It also indicates that investors favour certain themes. In the case of Saudi Arabia, the theme is domestic
demand-oriented businesses because they tie into Vision 2030.”

In the UAE, stocks of banks and real estate companies have performed well, as well as newer companies
like Parkin.

“None of these are speculative counters. When you think of retail investors, one assumes incorrectly that
they can be speculative. But, looking at the recent past, that would not appear to be the case,” Mr
Masood says.

Mr Halawi believes the region is moving towards infrastructure, energy transition and technology.

Ms Dabeet from amana says while gold remains one of the most popular assets for trading, regional retail
investors are diversifying into multiple assets like cryptocurrencies, alongside trading products such as FX,
futures and cash contracts for differences.

https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/other/the-stock-lure-ipos-and-dividend-payouts-are-magnets-
for-yield-hungry-investors-in-gcc/ar-AA1oWt2m?ocid=BingNewsSerp