9 things you need to know on Tadawul today

Here are a few things you need to know as Saudi stocks start trading on Thursday.

1) Saudi Arabia's King Salman Bin Abdulaziz has ordered ministers and government officials to facilitate procedures required for providing high-quality services for citizens, and expanding programs that cater for their demands, particularly in the housing sector.

2) Saudi Arabia’s central bank said it is raising its reverse repo rate by 25 basis points to 1.50 percent after the US Federal Reserve’s decision to increase the federal funds rate.

3) Alinma Bank’s board of directors has recommended an 8 percent cash dividend for fiscal year 2017, to be issued at SAR 0.8 per share, amounting to SAR 1.19 billion.

4) The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) board of directors has recommended 15 percent cash dividend for 2017, to be issued at SAR 1.5 per share.

Separately, the firm said its board has appointed Abdullah bin Ali Al Dubeikhi as the chief executive officer.

5) Dallah Healthcare Company (Dallah Health) board of directors has recommended 25 percent cash dividend for 2017, to be issued at SAR 2.5 per share

6) National Commercial Bank (NCB) has invited its shareholders to attend the general assembly meeting on Dec. 24 to vote on related-party contracts with Company for Cooperative Insurance (Tawuniya).

7) Saudi Arabian Mining Co. (Maaden) said it signed on Wednesday a five-year extension and amendment to its existing five-year Murabaha revolver loan facility, originally signed on December 18, 2012.

8) Dur Hospitality Co. has inked a SAR 100 million reverse murabaha (Tawarruq) contract with Riyad Bank, the company said in a statement to Tadawul.

9) Oil prices edged higher on Thursday, with Brent crude last trading up 0.5 percent at $62.77/bbl, while WTI crude rose 0.2 percent to $56.69/bbl.

Write to Nadeshda Zareen at nadeshda.zareen@argaamplus.com