Deutsche Bank ready to offer access to Tadawul

Deutsche Bank yesterday said it was ready to commence offering its international clients access to Saudi Arabia's stock exchange, the largest equity market in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia's Capital Market Authority (CMA) took the ground-breaking decision to allow non-resident foreign investors to conclude swap agreements with authorised entities. According to the CMA's resolution authorised entities are to retain the legal ownership of the shares. Previously foreigners were denied access to the Kingdom's stock market, except through mutual funds.

The swap agreements will be conducted through the bank's subsidiary in the Kingdom, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, subject to final regulatory approval.

Henry Azzam, Deutsche Bank's CEO in the Middle East and North Africa and Chairman of the Board of Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, said: "We are delighted with the CMA's historic resolution, which we believe will greatly enhance the depth and breadth of the Saudi capital market. This development will undoubtedly increase foreign capital inflows to the Kingdom's stock market, promote greater transparency, reduce volatility associated with dominance of the retail investors in the Saudi market, and encourage more comprehensive equity research on listed companies."

Deutsche Bank opened its first branch in Riyadh in 2006. In 2007, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank was granted a licence by the Capital Market Authority of Saudi Arabia to offer brokerage and custody services, as well as arranging, advising and providing investment funds management.

"There is huge demand from international investors for entry into the Kingdom's markets. The Tadawul has the largest number of blue chip companies in the Middle East, a market capitalisation that stands at $500bn (Dh1,837), constituting about one per cent of the capitalisation of the global equity markets. Deutsche is prepared to offer its global clients its services in the Kingdom, as we have worked for a long time at establishing the platform and mechanism," said Jamal Alkishi, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia CEO.

Ricardo Honegger, Head of Global Markets for the Mena, said: "The opening up of the Kingdom's markets to global investors will herald a new era for the largest economy in the region."

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