Saudi Equities Now Open to All Foreign Investors

Saudi Arabia has opened its equities market to all foreign investors, removing restrictions that previously required foreigners to meet certain qualifications to trade shares.

Saudi officials expect the changes to help draw additional international investment, particularly as dozens of companies seek approval to list shares locally.

The move allows non-residents to invest directly in the kingdom’s main stock market starting Feb. 1, Bloomberg News reported.

The decision marks the latest step in Saudi Arabia’s efforts to attract more foreign capital into the Middle East’s largest equity market. Officials expect the changes to help draw additional international investment, particularly as dozens of companies seek approval to list shares locally.

Separately, Russia’s crude oil exports fell sharply in the final weeks of 2025 and into the new year.

A 14th consecutive drop in prices, combined with lower shipment volumes, pushed the value of exports to the lowest level since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Russia shipped about 3.43 million barrels per day in the four weeks through Jan. 4, down roughly 440,000 barrels per day from the period ending Dec. 21.

The decline comes as Ukraine continues attacks on Russian oil infrastructure — including refineries, pipelines, ports, and tankers — while Russian crude prices have fallen more steeply than global benchmarks.