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Saudi Arabia's Non-oil Private Sector Continues to Expand

The Saudi capital Riyadh. Reuters
The Saudi capital Riyadh. Reuters
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Saudi Arabia's Non-oil Private Sector Continues to Expand

The Saudi capital Riyadh. Reuters
The Saudi capital Riyadh. Reuters

Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector continued to expand at the start of 2026, a survey showed on Tuesday.

The seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 56.3 in January from 57.4 in December, although firmly ‌in expansion territory.

Business activity was buoyed by strong market demand, new projects, and stronger client activity, although new order growth remained almost flat in January.

The New Orders sub-index rose to 61.9, from December's 61.8, with volumes driven by positive ⁠domestic conditions and a rise in export sales, particularly to ‌GCC and Asian countries.

"Survey evidence points to ongoing ‍strength in output and sales, underpinned by newly approved projects, steady customer enquiries, and improved investor activity, even as growth momentum moderated," said Naif Al-Ghaith, Riyad Bank's chief economist.

The rate of employment growth softened to the slowest in a year, despite ⁠a solid upturn in staffing numbers, as companies sought employees with technical expertise.

Saudi firms remained ‌optimistic in January about future output, supported by rising orders and resilient economic conditions.

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Business

Kuwait: KPC to Invite Int’l Oil Companies to Help Develop Offshore Oil and Gas

People cast their fishing rods on a pier in Kuwait City on January 31, 2026. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
People cast their fishing rods on a pier in Kuwait City on January 31, 2026. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
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Kuwait: KPC to Invite Int’l Oil Companies to Help Develop Offshore Oil and Gas

People cast their fishing rods on a pier in Kuwait City on January 31, 2026. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
People cast their fishing rods on a pier in Kuwait City on January 31, 2026. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

Kuwait's Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah al-Ahmad al-Sabah said on Tuesday that Kuwait Petroleum Corporation plans to invite international oil companies to assist Kuwait Oil Company in developing recently announced offshore oil and ‌gas discoveries.

Al-Sabah ‌added ‌in ⁠his opening ‌remarks at the Kuwait Oil and Gas Show that KPC is in talks with global financial institutions to establish a lease ⁠and lease-back of Kuwait's domestic ‌crude oil pipeline network.

In ‍January, ‍sources told Reuters that ‍Kuwait was set to launch an oil pipeline network stake sale as soon as February in a deal that could raise up to $7 ⁠billion.

Kuwait's Oil Minister Tariq Al-Roumi told Reuters on Monday that he expects tenders for the Durra oil and gas field project, in cooperation with Saudi Arabia, to be launched this year.

Business

Retail Leaders Forum: Consumer Spending in the Gulf Expected to Grow by 5% in 2026

Senior Economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, Khatija Haque, speaks at the forum (Middle East)
Senior Economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, Khatija Haque, speaks at the forum (Middle East)
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Retail Leaders Forum: Consumer Spending in the Gulf Expected to Grow by 5% in 2026

Senior Economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, Khatija Haque, speaks at the forum (Middle East)
Senior Economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, Khatija Haque, speaks at the forum (Middle East)

Khatija Haque, Chief Economist for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at the Mastercard Economics Institute has predicted that consumer spending in the GCC countries will grow by 5 percent in 2026.

She emphasized that this upward trajectory is driven by investment momentum, population growth, improved income, and the receding pressures of living costs that have recently strained global markets.

During her participation in the Retail Leaders Circle forum held in Riyadh, Haque touched on the profound demographic shifts in the region as one of the main drivers of demand. Saudi Arabia has recorded a population growth of about 12 percent since 2020, while the number in the UAE has increased by 22 percent. The Sultanate of Oman recorded a remarkable increase of 80 percent.

This population boom has in turn led to a steady increase in the number of new families, which has raised the basic level of local consumer spending and created huge expansion opportunities for the retail sector.

The latest data issued by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) showed a qualitative leap in the volume of consumer spending within the Kingdom during 2025, with total spending rising to 1569.9 billion riyals (equivalent to $418.6 billion). This figure represents a strong annual growth of 11 percent compared to 2024, in which spending recorded about 1418.4 billion riyals (about $378.2 billion).

Labor market

Regarding the labor market, she pointed out that the increased participation of women, especially in Saudi Arabia, has brought about a fundamental change in consumption patterns.

The emergence of the “dual-income family” model has strengthened overall purchasing power and directed the financial surplus towards luxury and recreational goods and services instead of being limited to necessities.

Foreign direct investment flows in the technology and renewable energy sectors have also contributed to attracting high-income competencies that tend to settle and spend in the region for the long term.

As for prices, data indicated that the Gulf countries succeeded in maintaining low inflation rates with an average of 2 percent, which gave consumers more financial space. The flow of Chinese goods at competitive prices, along with falling interest rates, helped reduce financing costs and support the purchasing power of individuals.

This shift was evident in the increased spending on travel, electronics, and fast-food sectors, in addition to the large leap in e-commerce, which is increasingly dependent on artificial intelligence technologies, according to Haque.

She added that local e-commerce in Saudi Arabia witnessed a significant leap, with its share rising from less than 10 percent in 2019 to about 30 percent during 2025 within the retail sector alone.

Haque concluded by referring to travel and luxury behaviors, as she revealed that Gulf shoppers still give priority to acquiring luxury products and global brands inside physical stores. As for foreign travel trips, clothing topped the list of purchases, especially in European markets, with a new trend towards exploring tourist destinations in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia, in an indicator of the diversity of consumer interests and the expansion of their spending map globally.

Business

Saudi Arabia Sets New Benchmarks in Privatization, Healthcare Innovation, and Venture Capital

A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2025. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Sets New Benchmarks in Privatization, Healthcare Innovation, and Venture Capital

A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 1, 2025. (Reuters)

The second half of January was defined by the cementing of Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation and its emergence as a global hub for innovation and humanitarian leadership, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

Economic structural transformation

The Kingdom moved from planning to execution in its fiscal reforms with the official launch of the National Privatization Strategy. This concludes the foundational phase, with the National Center for Privatization & PPP having already developed over 200 projects worth $213 billion.

This structural shift is supported by robust market confidence, evidenced by Fitch affirming Saudi Arabia’s A+ rating and the Saudi Electricity Company successfully issuing $2.4 billion in international sukuk with orders exceeding $10 billion.

Simultaneously, the innovation economy reached a new peak, with Saudi Arabia leading the region in venture capital for the third consecutive year, attracting a record $1.72 billion in 2025 - a 145% annual increase driven by fintech and gaming.

Pioneering science and medicine

Saudi Arabia’s investment in advanced capabilities yielded global headlines. The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre achieved a world-first medical milestone by performing a fully robotic living-donor liver transplant, executing both the donor and recipient surgeries robotically.

In the environmental sciences, the National Center for Wildlife published a groundbreaking study in Nature regarding the discovery of naturally mummified cheetahs in Saudi caves dating back 4,800 years, providing a genetic roadmap for reintroduction programs.

Global connectivity

The Kingdom continued to expand its global footprint. The aviation sector recorded a historic 140.9 million passengers in 2025, a 9.6% growth that outpaced regional rates, while Saudia strengthened ties with India through a new codeshare agreement with Air India.

In numbers:

60%: The new Saudization rate mandated for marketing and sales professions in the private sector.

SAR4.7 trillion: The size of the Saudi economy in 2024, nearly doubling from SAR2.6 trillion in 2016.

14.8 million: The number of Umrah performances recorded during the month of Rajab.

$39 million: The grant pledged by Saudi Arabia to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

18%: The annual growth rate in the number of SFDA-licensed factories and warehouses in 2025.

2.1 million: The number of trees planted by the National Water Company in Madinah to date.

97%: The case completion rate achieved by the Board of Grievances in 2025.

41 million: The number of electronic transactions processed by the Absher platform in December 2025 alone.

25 million: The number of worshippers received at the Prophet’s Mosque during the month of Rajab.

60,000: The number of sacrificial animals (Adahi) delivered to Egypt and Palestine as part of the Kingdom's support.

2.7 billion liters: The volume of raw milk produced by specialized dairy farms in the Kingdom in 2024, with 95% certified under Saudi GAP.

317,200 square meters: The total area of two new parks announced for development in Riyadh.

24%: The increase in the number of seafarers in the Kingdom during 2025, reaching 2,948.

These figures reflect a nation that is successfully leveraging its financial strength to fuel future growth while delivering tangible results in healthcare, logistics, and digital governance today.