Saudi Business Confidence Rises to 56.7 in August

Business confidence in Saudi Arabia strengthened slightly in August 2026, with the Business Confidence Index climbing to 56.7 points, up from 56.5 points in July. The reading remains comfortably above the neutral 50-point threshold, signaling continued optimism across the non-oil private sector.

The index rose by roughly 0.3% month-on-month, reflecting a modest improvement in overall business sentiment. Values above 50 points indicate that companies expect expansion in the near term, based on their outlook for production, sales, employment, and investment.

Sector breakdown

By sector, the industry index rose to 55.8 points from 54.7 points in July, while the services index increased to 56.1 points from 55.3 points. The construction sector edged down to 57.3 points from 57.7 points, but remained the highest-scoring segment overall.

The latest figure continues a rebound seen throughout 2026. The index had dipped to 52.1 points in March before recovering to 54.5 points in April, then rising to 56.5 points in July and 56.7 points in August, showing a steady strengthening in confidence over the year.

The Business Confidence Index is published monthly as official data by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). It is a statistical indicator that measures business expectations over a near-term horizon and does not require registration or payment from companies.

For the community, the August reading is read domestically as a sign of continued customer spending expectations and stable economic activity, supporting ongoing non-oil growth and helping firms plan budgets. There were no reported changes in 2026 to the methodology or the monthly release schedule of the index.

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