Saudi trade surplus jumps 53% to SR155bn in H1 2026

Saudi Arabia recorded a merchandise trade surplus of about SR155 billion (SR154.72 billion) in the first half of 2026, a jump of roughly 53% compared with the same period a year earlier,

The surplus in the first half of 2025 stood at SR101.01 billion, meaning the gap between what the Kingdom exports and imports widened by 53.17% year-on-year. Total foreign trade — exports plus imports — reached SR1.052 trillion during the six-month period.

The improvement came from two directions: exports rose 7.3% year-on-year, while imports fell 2.7%. The surplus was heavily front-loaded, with SR93.2 billion booked in the first quarter and SR61.52 billion in the second quarter. Monthly figures showed a surplus of SR25.4 billion in April 2026, more than double the SR12.7 billion of April 2025, before easing to around SR17.3–18 billion in June.

Mixed non-oil picture

Non-oil trade told a mixed story across the half-year. In January 2026, non-oil exports including re-exports climbed 22.1% and the ratio of non-oil exports to imports rose to 40.0% from 34.9% a year earlier. By June, however, non-oil exports were down 9.7% year-on-year, and that ratio slipped to 34.9% from 37.5%.

For residents and businesses, a stronger trade surplus points to healthy external demand and steady foreign-currency inflows, factors that support wider economic stability. Detailed breakdowns, including oil and non-oil figures and historical comparisons, are published through the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) in its regular releases on international trade in goods.

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