New residential mortgages from banks to individuals fell 5% year on year in September to about SAR 5.53 billion, from SAR 5.82 billion. Banks signed about 9,680 contracts, and the average new mortgage fell 21% to about SAR 571,000. Villas took the largest share at SAR 3.8 billion, or 69%, according to SAMA data.
The average loan dropped much more than the total, which means buyers are taking out smaller loans instead of leaving the market. If you’re a developer selling off-plan, set your next phase’s price based on the current average loan, not last year’s.
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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.
More jobs, slightly more jobless
Unemployment among Saudis rose to 6.5% in Q2 2026 from 6.4% in Q1, according to GASTAT's Labour Force Survey released on 30 September, down from 6.8% in Q2 2025. In the same quarter, Saudi employment in the private sector rose 2.2% to a record 2.65 million, adding 56.5 thousand jobs in three months.
Both unemployment and private-sector hiring increased during the same quarter, indicating that the headline rate reflects not only job demand but also the influx of new Saudi job-seekers.
Saudis stayed home instead
Domestic travel made up 46% of Almosafer's total bookings in the first seven months of 2026, with local bookings up 13% year on year and room nights up 44%. Room nights in Makkah and Madinah rose 53%, Red Sea room nights rose more than 4,000% against the same period last year, and the Red Sea recorded the highest average booking value of any destination Saudi travellers booked, ahead of Paris and London.
Even with regional tension, travellers kept moving. They changed their routes, and the destination that saw the most demand now has the highest average booking value in the market.
