S&P Global Ratings affirmed Saudi Arabia's long-term sovereign credit rating at 'A+' with a stable outlook, and expects real GDP to contract 0.9% in 2026 before growing 8.2% in 2027, followed by average growth of 3.3% in 2028 and 2029. The agency put non-oil activities including government at around 70% of GDP, up from 65% in 2018.
When a rating agency keeps an A+ rating but also predicts a 0.9% economic contraction, it shows that the analysts are focusing on the 70% of the economy that is not tied to oil and are prepared to be patient.
Explore more signals
A stadium sponsorship's real price tag
Aramco's World Cup sponsorship is expected to add $26.1 billion to the company's corporate value, about 43% of the $61 billion in total corporate value generated across all tournament sponsors, with brand value up roughly $1.08 billion and 2.3% growth, fourth among official sponsors
A leading oil company has proven its ability to drive brand growth through a football tournament, outpacing gains from its traditional extraction activities. This decisive shift highlights the evolving conversation around value and product, demonstrating that companies must adapt to stay relevant.
Households borrow a record
Loans to individuals hit a record SAR 1.472 trillion at the end of August, per SAMA data. That is up SAR 38.01 billion (2.65%) since end-2025 and 3.85% year on year, and the 14th straight monthly rise. Individuals now account for 42.49% of total bank credit of SAR 3.464 trillion.
For fourteen months in a row, households have kept borrowing even as the economy slows down, and banks continue to approve their loans.
SAR 700 against SAR 15,000
A Princess Nourah University team has built a locally made breathing-assist device for people with quadriplegia that costs about SAR 700, against SAR 3,000 to SAR 15,000 for similar imported devices. Prince Sultan University's prosthetics centre says 3D printing has cut prosthetic limb production from 20 days to two, and field research showed 83% of users walking independently with daily use reaching 10 hours. 159 teams took part in an AI hackathon for people with disabilities at the 7th International Conference on Disability and Rehabilitation in Riyadh.
A device that costs around SAR 700, compared to imported versions priced between SAR 3,000 and SAR 15,000, highlights where local production makes the most sense. This is especially true for assistive products with low sales volumes and high import markups.
