Kuwait, Saudi Arabia Stocks Climb After MSCI Review: Inside EM

(Bloomberg) -- Stocks in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia rose the most in the Gulf as investors reacted positively to a review by index compiler MSCI Inc. late last week.

Kuwait’s index advanced as much as 1.8% after MSCI said it will increase the weight of National Bank of Kuwait SAK, the country’s biggest lender, within its benchmarks. That’s “a big positive surprise,” analysts at EFG-Hermes said. NBK’s shares gained as much as 4.3%, the most in two years.

In Riyadh, Arab National Bank climbed as much as 5.4% after MSCI said it will add the stock to its emerging-markets index. It finished at the highest level in over a month.

Investors were also perusing the prospectus of Saudi Aramco’s initial public offering, which will take place in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia will allow investors to start bidding for shares in the world’s most-profitable company from Nov. 17. While the document didn’t disclose the number of shares to be sold, it will allocate up to 0.5% of the stock to individual investors.

• NBK ends 2.8% higher at KW0.962, boosting the Premier Market index 1.1%
  • Finishes at the highest level since Sept. 25
• Arab National Bank climbs 2.1% to finish at SAR23.30
  • National Agriculture Development Co. gains 2.7%, the most in two weeks, after proposing a 20% capital increase through the distribution of one bonus share for every five held
  • The Tadawul All Share Index advanced 1%
• Emirates NBD falls 2.2% in Dubai, dragging down the DFM General Index, which drops 1.4%
  • NOTE: The subscription for the lender’s $1.76b rights issue starts Sunday and will close on Nov. 20
  • Also in Dubai, Emaar Development slumps 7.2% after being excluded from MSCI’s main indexes
• Exchanges in Bahrain, Oman and Egypt are closed for holidays

To contact the reporter on this story: Filipe Pacheco in Dubai at fpacheco4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Celeste Perri at cperri@bloomberg.net, James Amott

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.