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Sahem Trading & Investments Company Launches Active Portfolio Management Service

2016-03-30

Palestinian brokerage first in country to feature licensed advisors for equity investors

Ramallah, March 30, 2016 – Sahem Trading & Investments Company (Sahem) today announced the launch of Palestine’s first active portfolio management service by certified financial advisors for equity investors in the Palestinian capital market. The announcement came after the company received requisite approvals from the Palestine Capital Market Authority (PCMA) for the establishment of active portfolio management services for brokerage investors.

Sahem CEO Samir Zraiq commented, "Active investment portfolio management is one of the most important tools offered by brokerages worldwide, allowing a broader class of investor to take advantage of institutional expertise and the monitoring of corporate news and market developments as they happen. We are a financial services industry leader in Palestine with a long track record of pioneering the introduction of modern financial services to the Palestinian capital market.  Our list of “firsts” includes e-trade, SMS stock alerts and now, with the licensing of Palestine’s first fully PCMA-accredited financial advisor, we can offer active portfolio management for our clientele. Robust, innovative customer service and growth of investor capital have always our primary objectives at Sahem.”

Zraiq added, “Sahem’s team is a group of seasoned investment professionals with years of cumulative experience in Palestinian capital market analysis. As the first licensed brokerage house in Palestine, we have consistently led the way in market research - rich in technical analysis, abreast of industry trends and with a forward-looking perspective of the macroeconomic environment. With the support of our professional financial analysts, our licensed financial advisor can create customized investment approaches based on detailed market research tailored specifically to each client’s capital growth objectives and risk tolerance.”

Commenting on the launch of actively managed portfolio services in Palestine, Barraq Nabulsi, Director General of the PCMA, observed, "The PCMA looks at current market needs and beyond as we seek to diversify available investment tools on the Palestine Exchange (PEX). Twenty years on, the Palestinian capital market is maturing, and the time is ripe for the introduction of active portfolio management services at our licensed brokerages. The PCMA lay the groundwork for this important development by first adopting the appropriate legislative and regulatory frameworks to monitor and encourage compliance, professionalism and adherence to international best practices.”

Nabulsi added, “The PCMA is tasked with the supervision of all financial and investment instruments in the Palestinian market, assuring strict conformance with all legal and regulatory frameworks. In Palestine, we pride ourselves in offering tools and services that serve every investor demographic, including our recent research that may allow us to eventually offer Sharia-compliant offerings for the Islamic investor base. We congratulate Sahem on two notable achievements: first, the licensing of Palestine’s first PCMA-accredited financial advisor and second, on the subsequent launch of active portfolio management services. These forward steps are important to the Palestinian capital market as we strive to attract investment cash flows and to broaden our investor base through the expansion of brokerage service rosters.”

Ahmed Aweidah, CEO of the PEX, noted that the introduction of active portfolio management services at Sahem represents a significant positive shift in attitudes towards investment in Palestine. He emphasized the high level of cooperation between the PEX and the PCMA in maintaining a rigorous legislative and regulatory environment for investors. In particular, Aweidah noted that the introduction of active portfolio management services opens the door for smaller investors, “who may lack the time or the expertise needed to invest in the equities market. Additionally, active portfolio management will highlight the many attractive investment opportunities that exist in our market but which tend to be overlooked.  We hope that the introduction of actively managed portfolios will increase trading volumes overall and raise levels of investment liquidity.”

Majd Khalifeh of Sahem is the first financial professional in Palestine to receive full accreditation from the PCMA as a financial advisor.  Ms. Khalifeh stated, “My certification as a licensed financial advisor will allow me to meet the specific financial objectives of every client while achieving the highest possible rates of return on his or her capital. Working closely with Sahem’s skilled analysts, we will target widely diversified investment opportunities within the customer’s risk profile based on our intimate knowledge of the market.”

Sahem Trading & Investments Company is a financial services sector affiliate of Massar International and a premier Palestinian brokerage house pioneering the development and introduction of cutting edge tools and services to the Palestinian investment market. Sahem traded more than $175 million in equities in 2015, representing a market share of 29% of the total value of stocks traded on the PEX for the financial period. Sahem enjoys a strategic professional relationship with the U.S investment house Auerbach Grayson and was the first Palestinian brokerage to publish detailed research reports and technical analysis of the publicly held companies traded on the PEX for local and international investors. Sahem has a fully accredited team of PCMA-licensed brokers certified in cooperation with the Chartered Securities and Investment Institute (CISI) in London.