Saudi Companies Witness Remarkable Growth in Q3 2018

Saudi Companies Witness Remarkable Growth in Q3 2018
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Saudi Companies Witness Remarkable Growth in Q3 2018

Saudi Companies Witness Remarkable Growth in Q3 2018

The Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Investment revealed a steady increase in the number of companies and establishments during the third quarter of 2018, compared to the same period in 2017 and 2016.

This coincided with MCI endeavor and efforts, in cooperation with the concerned government authorities, to ease the starting up of businesses and facilitate the relevant procedures.

The number of current establishments during the third quarter of 2018 grew by more than 35%. The number of firms reached 945,600 compared to 824,700 during the same period in 2017, while in 2016 the number was 701,300 for the same period.

The number of listed companies increased by 23% during the third quarter of 2018, to reach 148,000 compared to 133,600 for the same period in 2017, while the number was 121,000 during 2016.

The number of limited liability companies increased by 25% during the third quarter of 2018 to reach 108,400 companies, compared to 96,700 companies during the same period of 2017, while in 2016 the number was around 87,000.

The rate of Closed Shareholding Companies increased by 15% during the third quarter of 2018 to reach 1,400 companies, compared to 1,330 companies during the same period of 2017, while in 2016 the number was 1,222.

The ratio of issuing the Commercial Registrations for ten economic sectors increased between 8.2 to 16.9% during the third quarter of 2018, compared to the same quarter of 2017.

These sectors included wholesale and retail trading, commercial services, construction and building, contracting, industry, transportation, storage and refrigeration, social and personal services, agriculture, fishing and forestry, electricity generation and water, mining, petrol, business and financial services, and other miscellaneous services.

The General Authority for Statistics recently issued results of the Index of Industrial Production during the second quarter of 2018.

The results indicated an increase of 4.17% in the industrial production index during the second quarter of 2018, compared to the first quarter of the same year. The index registered 137.87 points during the second quarter of 2018.

As for the industrial production index activities, the mining and quarrying indicator rose by 1.89%, while the manufacturing production increased by 5.07%. The production of the electricity and gas supply registered an increase with 83.46% when compared to the first quarter of 2018.

The results also showed an increase of 5.84% in all industrial activities compared to the second quarter of 2017. The growth in mining and quarrying production reached 1.95%, while the manufacturing production growth registered 16.44%. However, the production of electricity and gas supply decreased by 0.30%.



Saudi Non-Oil Exports Hit Two-Year High

The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
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Saudi Non-Oil Exports Hit Two-Year High

The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports soared to a two-year high in May, reaching SAR 28.89 billion (USD 7.70 billion), marking an 8.2% year-on-year increase compared to May 2023.

On a monthly basis, non-oil exports surged by 26.93% from April.

This growth contributed to Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus, which recorded a year-on-year increase of 12.8%, reaching SAR 34.5 billion (USD 9.1 billion) in May, following 18 months of decline.

The enhancement of the non-oil private sector remains a key focus for Saudi Arabia as it continues its efforts to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on oil revenues.

In 2023, non-oil activities in Saudi Arabia contributed 50% to the country’s real GDP, the highest level ever recorded, according to the Ministry of Economy and Planning’s analysis of data from the General Authority for Statistics.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan emphasized at the “Future Investment Initiative” in October that the Kingdom is now prioritizing the development of the non-oil sector over GDP figures, in line with its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

A report by Moody’s highlighted Saudi Arabia’s extensive efforts to transform its economic structure, reduce dependency on oil, and boost non-oil sectors such as industry, tourism, and real estate.

The Saudi General Authority for Statistics’ monthly report on international trade noted a 5.8% growth in merchandise exports in May compared to the same period last year, driven by a 4.9% increase in oil exports, which totaled SAR 75.9 billion in May 2024.

The change reflects movements in global oil prices, while production levels remained steady at under 9 million barrels per day since the OPEC+ alliance began a voluntary reduction in crude supply to maintain prices. Production is set to gradually increase starting in early October.

On a monthly basis, merchandise exports rose by 3.3% from April to May, supported by a 26.9% increase in non-oil exports. This rise was bolstered by a surge in re-exports, which reached SAR 10.2 billion, the highest level for this category since 2017.

The share of oil exports in total exports declined to 72.4% in May from 73% in the same month last year.

Moreover, the value of re-exported goods increased by 33.9% during the same period.