Saudi listed banks' Q2 2026 numbers, per Al Rajhi Capital: net loans rose 7% year on year to SR3.25 trillion ($865.2bn), deposits rose 9% to SR3.15 trillion, pushing the loan-to-deposit ratio to 103%, while net interest margin improved 5 basis points to 2.96%.
On the surface deposits are exceeding loans even though the loan-to-deposit ratio is still rising above 100٪, so this year wholesale funding costs should be the figure you look at rather than headline loan growth.
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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.
A stadium sponsorship's real price tag
Aramco's World Cup sponsorship is expected to add $26.1 billion to the company's corporate value, about 43% of the $61 billion in total corporate value generated across all tournament sponsors, with brand value up roughly $1.08 billion and 2.3% growth, fourth among official sponsors
A leading oil company has proven its ability to drive brand growth through a football tournament, outpacing gains from its traditional extraction activities. This decisive shift highlights the evolving conversation around value and product, demonstrating that companies must adapt to stay relevant.
Surplus up, non-oil down
Trade surplus SR26.03bn (+328.8%) in May, but oil exports +19.5% to 75.6% of the total, while non-oil exports fell 26.1%.
The test isn't whether the surplus grows, it's whether it can grow when oil doesn't.
