Saudi Arabia's Housing Supply Grows 29%

Newly constructed villas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)
Newly constructed villas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia's Housing Supply Grows 29%

Newly constructed villas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)
Newly constructed villas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)

Saudi real estate market showed a growth in the number of new housing units by 29 percent, according to official data.

Construction of over 106,000 new housing units has been completed, while 101,000 housing units have been under construction since the first quarter of this year.

The Housing Data and Observatory Center issued the bulletin on the developments of the local housing sector and real estate finance in the Kingdom. It revealed that Q1 of this year witnessed the completion of 106,500 housing units, compared to 82,500 units in Q1 of 2019.

The bulletin also noted the contribution of "Sakani" and "Wafi" programs in facilitating financing and enabling Saudi families to own their first home.

The number of new units exceeded 344,000 during the past year, enhancing the diversity and increasing the supply of high-quality units with appropriate prices.

The start-to-finish construction process is one of the indicators that reflects the development of the number of new housing units established with Sakani program in partnership with the private sector.

The average prices of residential apartments during Q1 of 2021 dropped to below $133,000 since 2020. The average selling prices of land and homes stabilized during the same period, according to the Center.

It explained that the drop in prices reflects the provision of housing solutions and options that meet the Saudi families’ desires in partnership with real estate developers in all cities and regions across the Kingdom.

The bulletin touched on residential real estate deals that exceeded 255,000 in 2020, according to the data of the Ministry of Justice.

During the Q1 of 2021, over 82,000 sales contracts for residential real estate were released.

According to data from the General Authority for Statistics, paid rent dropped 16 percent compared to its level in 2018.



Gold in Holding Pattern as Markets Await US Data

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
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Gold in Holding Pattern as Markets Await US Data

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

Gold prices slipped in thin trade on Monday, as markets awaited next week's US economic data and the potential impact of President-elect Donald Trump's return to office on the Federal Reserve's 2025 outlook.

Spot gold was down 0.1% to $2,618.99 per ounce as of 1315 GMT. US gold futures were steady at $2,632.30.

"Quiet day with lower liquidity across all asset classes likely due to the holiday season," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said, adding that market participants will track upcoming US economic data to see if the economy is slowing, which would allow the Fed to keep cutting interest rates.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said earlier this month that US central bank officials "are going to be cautious about further cuts" after a quarter-point rate reduction in December, in line with expectations, Reuters reported.

For insights into the health of the world's economy, traders await next week's US job openings data, the ADP employment report, the Fed's December FOMC meeting minutes, and the US employment report.

"We still see the same factors in place which supported gold in 2024 - ongoing central bank purchases with a desire to diversify their reserves and ongoing US rate cuts supporting investment demand," Staunovo said.

Gold has gained around 27% so far this year. It hit an all-time high of $2,790.15 on Oct. 31.

Markets expect significant US policy shifts in 2025, including potential tariffs, deregulation, and tax changes, after Trump returns to the White House in January.

Gold is considered a hedge against economic and geopolitical turmoil.

Spot silver was steady at $29.37 per ounce, platinum edged lower by 0.5% to $915.07, having hit an over three-month low on Friday.

Palladium fell 0.1% to $911.10.