Saudi Arabia achieves 203.2 percent growth in non-oil trade surplus exceeding $533.2 million
According to preliminary data from the International Trade Bulletin for April, published by
the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT)
, the total volume of non-oil trade, including re-exports, between Saudi Arabia and GCC countries reached around SAR18,028 million (SAR18.028 billion). This represents a year-on-year growth of 41.3 percent, reflecting an increase of SAR5,271 million from SAR12,757 million in April 2024.
Non-oil commodity exports, including re-exports, rose by 55 percent, totaling SAR10,770 million, up from SAR6,958 million in April of the previous year, marking an increase of over SAR3,812 million, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) citing the GASTAT figures.
Meanwhile, the value of national non-oil commodity exports reached around SAR3,031 million, compared to SAR2,675 million in April 2024, achieving a year-on-year growth rate of 13.3 percent, with an estimated increase of SAR356 million.
Read more: Trade volume between Saudi Arabia, GCC countries surpasses $14.82 billion in Q4 2023
Surge in re-exports reaches SAR7.738 billion
Additionally, the value of re-exports surged by 81 percent, reaching SAR7,738 million (SAR7.738 billion) compared to SAR4,282 million, representing an increase of SAR3,456 million.
Saudi Arabia's imports from GCC countries stood at SAR7,258 million in April 2025, compared to SAR5,799 million last year, achieving a year-on-year growth of 25.2 percent, with an increase of SAR1,459 million.
The data indicated that the United Arab Emirates ranked first in terms of non-oil trade volume with Saudi Arabia, amounting to SAR13,533 million, which represents about 75.1 percent of the total.
Bahrain followed in second place with a trade value of SAR1,798 million (10 percent), while Oman ranked third with SAR1,454 million (8.1 percent). Kuwait was fourth with SAR819.9 million (4.5 percent), and Qatar came next with a value of SAR422.1 million (2.3 percent).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
South Africa: Presidency condemns Democratic Alliance (DA) harassment of Presidential Envoy, Mcebisi Jonas
The Presidency cautions South Africa against treating Democratic Alliance (DA) disinformation on matters of international relations and diplomacy as official Government policy. The DA's latest effort to embarrass President Cyril Ramaphosa's Special Envoy to North America, Mr Jonas Mcebisi, involves claims - in the DA's framing – that the United States has rejected Mr Jonas's 'credentials' and that Mr Jonas is therefore unable to perform his role as Special Envoy. The DA seeks to add sensationalism to its claim by suggesting President Ramaphosa and Mr Jonas face a crisis in view of the United States' pending implementation of trade tariffs announced several days ago by President Donald Trump. The facts around this matter include the reality that Special Envoys do not present diplomatic credentials to host countries in the way designated Heads of Mission or other diplomats are. While envoys are not required to account publicly for the work they undertake, the President's own accounts of his performance include elements facilitated by envoys. Mr Jonas's outreach does not in any way supersede the leading role played by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in our difficult but constructive trade negotiations with the United States, or in our diplomatic relations with this longstanding partner. Mr Jonas has, however, played an important role in working with the DTIC to develop the trade proposals in which South Africa is currently engaging the United States in good faith and with the expectation of mutually beneficial terms. Similarly, he has been assisting DIRCO in Government's efforts to reset diplomatic relations and all areas of cooperation between South Africa and the United States. While these processes are underway and in view of President Ramaphosa's telephonic contact with President Trump as well as his Working Visit to Washington in May 2025, President Ramaphosa has not had a need for Mr Jonas to visit the United States on urgent business. The Presidency is therefore concerned about the Democratic Alliance's persistent campaign against South Africa's national interest and its posture of trying to embarrass and belittle our country and in this specific circumstance, Mr Jonas. This campaign has its origins in a Democratic Alliance visit to the United States earlier this year, to advance an ideological agenda rather than our national interest. The DA has positioned itself as part of a right-wing nexus that seeks to use a foreign state to effect changes to democratically developed national policies in our own country. The DA is trying cheaply but dangerously to exploit a critical engagement between South Africa and the United States to protest President Ramaphosa's removal of Mr Andrew Whitfield as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition. The DA's pronouncements and insults against countries and international organisations – such as the Republic of Cuba or the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – offends South Africa's international relations and posture. If the DA were to succeed in undermining South Africa relations with various nations or institutions, the party will harm the viability of businesses and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of South Africans who work in sectors that depend on the expansion of our trade relations with the world. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Saudi Arabia's annual inflation accelerates to 2.3% in June
Inflation in Saudi Arabia accelerated to 2.3% in June compared to the same month last year and was also up slightly from 2.2% in May, government data showed on Tuesday. Inflation has hovered between 2% and 2.3% since the beginning of this year, mainly driven by rises in housing rents. It stood at 1.5% in June last year. Rents for housing increased by 7.6% due to villa prices rising by 7.1%, the General Authority for Statistics said. Housing was the primary reason for prices in the combined housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels category climbing to 6.5%. The Saudi government last month announced steps to balance Riyadh's real estate market, including setting aside some price-capped plots for Saudi citizens. Saudi Arabia also recently approved a new Real Estate Ownership and Investment Law, which will ease property purchases by foreigners when it takes effect next year. Saudi Arabia is in the process of building several massive new developments around Riyadh as part of its Vision 2030 program of diversifying the economy away from oil and boosting both tourism and the private sector. The new law is expected to balance out supply and demand in the long term, but is dependent on the success of the city's real estate projects getting completed on schedule. The International Monetary Fund expects Saudi inflation to remain steady at around 2%, supported by the riyal's peg to the U.S. dollar, domestic subsidies and "an elastic supply of expatriate labor".
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE bourses outperform GCC peers in H1 net foreign inflows
Foreign investors ramped up their participation in Gulf stock markets in the second quarter of 2025, with the UAE emerging as one of the most attractive destinations. According to Kamco Invest, net foreign inflows into UAE bourses reached $1.33 billion in Abu Dhabi and $462 million in Dubai, reinforcing investor confidence in the country's resilient macroeconomic fundamentals and regulatory environment. Across the GCC, foreign investors were net buyers for the sixth consecutive quarter, recording net purchases worth $4.2 billion in Q2-2025, up from $2.8 billion in Q1-2025. Cumulatively, in the first half of 2025, net foreign buying in GCC markets stood at $7.0 billion — an impressive 39.8 per cent increase year-on-year from $5.0 billion in H1-2024. The UAE outperformed the region in terms of foreign inflows during the first six months, attracting a total of $4.5 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia ($1.6 billion) and Kuwait ($1.4 billion). The consistent inflow of foreign capital into UAE markets reflects the country's deepening capital market sophistication, IPO momentum, and economic diversification strategies — particularly in the non-oil sectors. Abu Dhabi, in particular, remained a magnet for cross-border capital, driven by strategic listings, economic stability, and expanding regional influence through sovereign funds. The emirate also recorded the highest net buying by GCC investors at $48.4 million in Q2, followed by Dubai at $23 million, underlining intra-regional investor interest. In contrast, Oman and Bahrain saw persistent outflows. Oman recorded net foreign sales of $29.6 million in Q2-2025 after a sharper outflow of $459.2 million in the previous quarter. Bahrain also posted net foreign selling of $27.9 million. Collectively, foreign investors remained net sellers in Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain in the first half of 2025, to the tune of $580.7 million — partially offsetting broader regional buying. The buoyancy in UAE equity markets comes despite mixed global signals, including uncertainty around US trade policy. Investors are closely watching the impact of new tariffs announced by the U.S. government, including a 30 per cent duty on imports from Mexico and the European Union and a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian goods, all taking effect on August 1, 2025. Yet, despite such external pressures, five of the seven GCC exchanges posted gains in Q2-2025, underscoring selective investor optimism. The UAE's performance was further bolstered by robust trading volumes. Dubai's volume surged by 21 per cent to 16.3 billion shares in Q2 from 13.4 billion in Q1. Abu Dhabi also saw value traded rise to $22.5 billion in Q2, up from $20.3 billion in Q1, increasing its share of total GCC market activity to 14.9 per cent. Overall trading volume across GCC exchanges climbed 9.1 per cent year-on-year to 94.73 billion shares in Q2-2025, with Qatar leading the way with a 39.4 per cent quarterly increase. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, however, saw declines of 5 per cent and 61.5 per cent, respectively. Despite this, Saudi Arabia remained dominant in terms of individual stock activity. Six Saudi-listed companies were among the top 10 most traded stocks in the GCC, led by Al-Rajhi Bank ($5.8 billion), Saudi Aramco ($5.1 billion), and International Holdings Co. ($4.0 billion). Other notable names included Adnoc Gas, Emaar Properties, and Kuwait Finance House. Foreign investor interest in the Saudi market remains high, though Q2 saw a moderation in inflows. Foreign purchases totalled 7.3 billion Saudi riyals in H1-2025, down 37 per cent from 11.5 billion riyals in the same period last year. Local institutional investors in Saudi Arabia were net sellers in Q2, offloading 13.3 billion riyals worth of shares, offset somewhat by retail investors who were net buyers of 8.2 billion riyals. GCC investors (excluding Bahrain) recorded net sell trades worth $50.5 million in Q2-2025, a significant drop from $482.3 million in Q1. Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman reported net sales, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia saw marginal net buys by GCC investors. Total value traded across GCC markets declined slightly to $151.8 billion in Q2-2025 from $157.5 billion in Q1. Despite the overall dip, market depth and foreign participation — particularly in the UAE — remained strong, bolstered by continued IPO activity, investor-friendly reforms, and sectoral diversification.
