Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi investors’ trading activity in U.S. equities surged to an all-time high in the second quarter of 2025, with transactions through licensed financial institutions reaching SR193.4 billion ($51.6 billion), according to data released by the Capital Market Authority (CMA).

The figure represents a 230 percent increase from the same period in 2024, when trading totaled SR58.6 billion.

On a quarterly basis, it rose 18 percent, or SR29 billion, compared to SR164.3 billion in the first quarter of this year.

The CMA noted that while the report captures trading values by licensed Saudi brokers in global markets, it does not include data on the number of Saudi-owned portfolios abroad, nor trades executed directly through foreign intermediaries.

The data showed that trading in U.S. markets accounted for 98.6 percent of the SR196.2 billion in total Saudi trading across international markets during the quarter.

By comparison, Saudi trading in Gulf equities reached SR2.2 billion, an 88 percent year-on-year increase.

Other markets saw limited activity, with Arab markets accounting for SR289 million, European SR157 million, Asian SR78 million, and other markets SR95 million.

The CMA’s historical data indicates a consistent upward trajectory in Saudi interest in U.S. equities since 2022, with a sharp acceleration beginning in 2024.