Central bank’s investments in foreign securities rose year-on-year to around SR1.141tn RIYADH: Total assets of the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, increased by SR20.44 billion ($5.4 billion) month-on-month to reach SR1.9 trillion in November, according to the official data release on Wednesday. The central bank’s assets grew by SR104.59 billion as compared to November 2021. SAMA’s investments in foreign securities, which make up 58 percent of its total assets, rose year-on-year to around SR1.141 trillion last month. The total foreign investment balance in Saudi Arabia increased by 0.6%, equivalent to 15.3 billion riyals during the third quarter of 2022 compared to the previous quarter, to reach 2.41 trillion riyals, according to data from the Saudi Central Bank. Profits of banks operating in Saudi Arabia before tax and zakat deduction rose 46 percent in November 2022 on an annual basis, to SR5.8 billion, but declined by 5 percent as compared to October 2022. The data also showed that direct and indirect foreign investments in the Kingdom rose SR43 billion during the nine months of 2022.