Foreign investors sold a net $2.3 billion of GCC stocks in Q3 2026, the largest quarterly outflow since records began in 2019, Kamco Invest said; in Saudi Arabia, local investors switched to net purchases of SAR 5.6 billion from net sales of SAR 5.8 billion in the previous quarter, led by institutions with SAR 5.9 billion of net buying.
Local investors shifted from selling SAR 5.8 billion to buying SAR 5.6 billion. If you manage investor relations at a Saudi-listed company, consider focusing more on domestic fund managers this quarter.
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A thousand ideas, four winners
The Start Smart competition concluded its 9th edition at LEAP 26 and launched its 10th, having drawn more than 1,000 submissions from which 40 ideas participated and 4 startups won: Nazra in healthcare data analytics, Findligent in smart retail, and ApolloByte in cloud design and Jamaa in collaborative commerce tied for third. Participants went through a 2-month training programme, and the tenth edition runs 4 tracks. The competition launched in 2016 and is organised by the Jameel Community Arabia Foundation with the National Program for Information Technology Development, the Digital Leadership Center and the Savola Foundation.
Receiving over 1,000 submissions and narrowing them to 40, then to 4, demonstrates an effective selection process. The primary value of a program like this lies in the top 40, rather than just the final winners.
Eighty percent on the register
The Real Estate Registry is targeting coverage of 80% of Saudi properties by 2028, its official spokesman told Al Eqtisadiah, and from 22 September 2026 property transactions in the Hail region and nine cities and governorates in the Eastern Province — among them Dammam, Khobar, Dhahran and Qatif — must be executed through the registry, covering transfers of ownership, subdivision, consolidation, mortgages and the management of rights and restrictions.
Registry coverage is increasingly required for a valid transfer. Developers with land in these cities should confirm registration status as soon as possible, not just at closing.
Twenty-five thousand delegates
Riyadh hosts the 25th WPC Energy Congress from 11 to 15 October at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center, the first time Saudi Arabia has held it, with more than 25,000 delegates expected alongside 100 energy ministers, 500 chief executives, 800 speakers and 1,000 companies across more than 50,000 square metres of exhibition space. The congress falls against projected global energy investment of $3.4 trillion in 2026, of which about $2.2 trillion is directed to clean energy, grids, storage and efficiency.
The primary value is access, not exhibition. Suppliers planning to attend should focus their week on engaging with the 500 chief executives rather than on their exhibition stand.
