Tadawul Shares End Monday Lower as Non-oil Private Sector Growth Eases

08:10 AM EST, 01/05/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The Tadawul All Share Index closed Monday 0.37% lower as geopolitical tensions and the slowing growth of Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector in December dampened investor sentiment. The December 2025 edition of the Riyad Bank Purchasing Managers' Index stayed in the expansion territory but declined to 57.4 from 58.5 in the previous month. "New orders stayed above the expansion threshold, signalling continued demand inflows. Export demand recorded a marginal increase for the fifth consecutive month, but the latest rise was the weakest in this sequence, suggesting that external demand remains supportive but uneven. Overall, demand conditions point to resilience rather than acceleration as firms navigate a more competitive environment," Riyad Bank Chief Economist Naif Al-Ghaith commented. In other news, market watchers are focusing on the ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's hearing at the Manhattan federal court in the US regarding narco-terrorism charges. Back at home and on the corporate front, multiple companies such as Almarai Co. (SASE:2280), Saudi Ceramic Co. (SASE:2040), and Southern Province Cement Co. (SASE:3050) sent out notices regarding the financial impact of Saudi Aramco's (SASE:2222) adjusted fuel prices on their costs. All four stocks closed in the red at 3.50%, 1.04%, 1.29%, and 0.38%, respectively. Meanwhile, Alhasoob Co. (SASE:9522) secured a 12-month project to deliver, renew and install technology spare parts across the kingdom's education departments and schools. Shares of the office electronics retailer were flat at closing.