Most Important News

1. Trump: The Strait of Hormuz Could Reopen as Soon as Tomorrow;
2. Saudi Aramco H1 Net Profit Up 33% YoY to SAR 241.64 Billion;
3. Google Becomes World’s No. 2 Company;

At the close of 3/8/2026, the Tadawul All Shares Index(TASI.SA) increased by 1.10%, closing at 10823.62 points; the Parallel Market Capped Index (NomuC)(NOMUC.SA) increased by 0.10%, closing at 21916.78 points.

As of Monday’s close, the S&P 500 index(SPX.US) increased by 1.48%, the NASDAQ(IXIC.US) rose by 2.13%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average(DJI.US) increased by 1.32%.

Trump: The Strait of Hormuz Could Reopen as Soon as Tomorrow

On August 3rd, Eastern Time, Trump stated that regarding negotiations with Iran, the first stage is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the second stage is denuclearization. Trump emphasized that the United States has a firm stance on this issue: Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons. In addition, Trump revealed progress in the negotiations concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He said that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen as soon as tomorrow at the latest.

White House to Hold AI Company Meeting Tuesday to Review AI Framework

According to The Information, the Trump administration has invited employees from companies like OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Meta to the White House on Tuesday to review the new AI regulatory framework. The framework proposes a voluntary process where AI labs submit models for government review before public release. The meeting, hosted by the Office of the National Cyber Director, will focus on next steps rather than a public announcement, and is expected to involve staff-level, not executive, representatives. Meta confirmed its staff will attend to discuss voluntary government safety testing for advanced AI models.

KSA Stocks

Saudi Aramco H1 Net Profit Up 33% YoY to SAR 241.64 Billion

Saudi Arabian Oil Co.(2222.SA) announced a net profit of SAR 241.64 billion for the first half of 2026, up 33.3% year-on-year from SAR 181.31 billion. Revenue rose 12.7% year-on-year to SAR 883.87 billion, mainly due to higher prices of refined, chemical products, and crude oil, though partially offset by lower volumes sold. Operational profit increased 22.4% to SAR 438.69 billion.

For Q2 2026, revenue reached SAR 450.77 billion (up 4.1% quarter-on-quarter), and net profit attributable to shareholders rose 1.1% from Q1 to SAR 121.51 billion. The increase was driven by higher product prices and lower income taxes, offset by increased operating costs. Earnings per share for H1 2026 were SAR 1.00, up from SAR 0.75 a year ago. Total shareholders’ equity reached SAR 1,569.46 billion.

Saudi Aramco Declares $21.88B Base Dividend for Q2 2026, Payable August 27

Saudi Arabian Oil Co.(2222.SA) announced a base dividend of SAR 82.06 billion ($21.88 billion) for Q2 2026, or SAR 0.3393 per share. The eligibility date is August 19, with payment set for August 27, 2026. This reflects the company’s commitment to a sustainable and progressive dividend policy.

SAICO Reports SAR 15.95 Million Net Profit for H1 2026, Down 42% Year-on-Year

Saudi Arabian Cooperative Insurance Co.(8100.SA) announced its financial results for the first half of 2026. Insurance revenues grew by 33.84% to SAR 743.74 million, driven primarily by motor insurance. However, net profit after zakat attributable to shareholders declined by 42.33% year-on-year to SAR 15.95 million, mainly due to weaker underwriting performance. While investment returns improved and financing expenses decreased, they were not enough to offset the significant drop in insurance service results, impacting overall profitability.

USA Stocks

Palantir US shares surge over 14% after-hours as Q2 results and full-year guidance beat expectations

Palantir(PLTR.US) reported Q2 revenue of $1.94 billion, exceeding analysts’ forecast of $1.81 billion. Adjusted Q2 EPS was $0.41, above the expected $0.35. The company now forecasts full-year revenue of $8.15–8.16 billion (previously $7.65–7.66 billion) and adjusted operating profit of $4.89–4.9 billion, higher than analysts’ estimate of $4.51 billion.

Google Becomes World’s No. 2 Company; Financial Guarantees Surge to $43.8B

Alphabet Inc. Class C(GOOG.US) has overtaken Apple to become the world’s second most valuable company. Last week, Google disclosed that its potential financial guarantees for data center tenant defaults have surged to $43.8 billion—a nearly sixfold increase from $6.5 billion last September. By offering these guarantees, Google acts as a financial backer for data center developers, helping them access cheaper debt and accelerate capacity expansion, in return for securing TPU chip orders.

Snap shares rise over 7% after-hours as Q2 revenue beats expectations

Snap(SNAP.US) reported Q2 revenue of $1.6 billion, above the expected $1.54 billion. Adjusted Q2 EBITDA was $250 million vs. $192.3 million expected. Daily active users reached 490 million, in line with forecasts. For Q3, Snap expects revenue of $1.7–1.74 billion (analyst estimate: $1.7 billion) and adjusted EBITDA of $300–350 million (analyst estimate: $327.6 million).