Saudi Non-Oil Business Confidence Hits 56.7 in August

Saudi Arabia's non-oil Business Confidence Index climbed to 56.7 points in August 2026, up from 56.5 in July, a 0.3% month-on-month rise that marks the highest reading since February 2026. The index, which surveys establishments across the non-oil economy, sits well above the neutral 50-point mark, indicating prevailing optimism about continued growth in economic activity.

On the index scale, 50 points reflects a neutral level of confidence, readings above 50 signal net optimism, and readings below 50 point to net pessimism. August's figure caps a steady recovery after the index dipped to around 52.1 in March before improving through April and July.

Sector breakdown

The services sector led the gains, with its confidence index rising to 56.1 points from 55.3 in July. Industry also advanced, reaching 55.8 points versus 54.7 the previous month. Construction eased slightly to 57.3 points from 57.7, reflecting some cost concerns and a modest moderation in sentiment, though it remained the most optimistic sector overall.

The improvement was attributed to stable and growing domestic demand, along with positive expectations for overall performance, employment, and investment in industry and services. The signal was reinforced by the non-oil private sector PMI, which rose to 53.8 in August from 53.1 in July — the fastest pace of non-oil private-sector growth in six months.

For residents and business owners, the readings point to a resilient non-oil economy with steady demand and expanding activity. The Business Confidence Index is a short-term expectations indicator, updated monthly and published as an open statistical series with no user fees for accessing the data through official government statistical portals, including the DataSaudi portal at datasaudi.sa. No changes were reported in 2026 to the index methodology, data access channels, or fee structure.

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