Saudi consumer prices rose 1.8% year on year in August 2026, driven by housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels up 3.9%, transport up 2.0% and food and beverages up 1.4%, with the index up 0.1% on the month and the Wholesale Price Index up 4.6%; it is the fourth consecutive month at 1.8%. GASTAT published July's Producer Price Index the same day: producer prices rose 5.3% year on year, with the index at 108.1 points against 102.7 a year earlier.
For four months, consumer prices have stayed at 1.8% while producer prices have risen to 5.3%. This means the economy is protecting households from higher costs, but the extra expenses are showing up elsewhere.
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Two and a half billion for megawatts
HUMAIN is seeking a fund with an initial target of $2.5 billion to finance 250-megawatt data centres being built with Al Moammar Information Systems, with capacity that could eventually rise to 1 gigawatt. BSF Capital manages the fund, Saudi Investment Bank is soliciting investors, and Capital Market Authority approval is expected to take 2 to 3 months, with financing structured as a mix of debt and equity.
Raising a dedicated fund, instead of using the balance sheet, positions data centre capacity as an investable asset class, with debt and equity allocated to external investors.
Fifty-seven studies, twelfth session
The Riyadh Economic Forum will hold its 12th session on 12–14 October 2026 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, with ministers, public and private sector specialists, academics and business owners participating. The forum has presented more than 57 economic studies over its history, many of which became government initiatives and decisions.
if you want policy input rather than policy news, October is the window. Submissions and positioning happen before the session, not during it, so start now.
Saudi took 62% of MENA
MENA startups raised $172.6 million across 45 deals in July, up 16% month on month. Saudi Arabia took $106.6 million across 16 deals, 62% of the regional total. The UAE raised $46.6 million, also across 16 deals, followed by Syria at $10.6 million, Egypt $7.25 million and Morocco $2 million. Saudi Arabia and the UAE together accounted for roughly 89% of all capital raised. Notable rounds: RIME's $2 million seed led by Seedra Ventures, a strategic investment into MOZN from Humain, and an "A-" rating assigned to Tamara by Simah.
Saudi's 62% resulted from larger investments on the same number of deals in a regional pool of only $172.6 million, the move is to compete for strategic capital, not to chase a VC market this small.
