Saudi trade surplus jumps 53% to SR154.7bn in H1 2026

Saudi Arabia recorded a merchandise trade surplus of SR154.72 billion in the first half of 2026, a rise of 53.17% compared with SR101.01 billion in the same period of 2025,

The improvement came as merchandise exports grew by about 7.3% year-on-year, while imports fell by around 2.7% over the same period. Total foreign merchandise trade — exports plus imports combined — surpassed SR1.0 trillion, reaching roughly SR1.052 trillion.

The momentum was already visible in the opening quarter of the year. In the first quarter of 2026, the Kingdom posted a trade surplus of SR90.5 billion, up 43.7% from a year earlier and more than SR27 billion higher than the first-quarter 2025 figure. Total merchandise trade in that quarter exceeded SR535 billion, with exports of about SR312.8 billion and imports of about SR222.3 billion.

Why it matters

A widening trade surplus reflects a stronger balance between what the Kingdom sells abroad and what it buys, which supports the national economy and public finances. For residents and businesses, healthier export performance and steady trade flows point to continued economic activity across sectors, in line with the broader diversification goals of رؤية السعودية 2030.

The reported figures are drawn from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) international trade data for 2026.

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