Saudi Arabia accounted for approximately 93% of e-commerce investments across the GCC countries by 2025, up from 46% in 2021. E-commerce penetration in the Gulf retail sector stands at 11%.
Saudi Arabia has about 93% of the region's e-commerce investment, but with only 11% market penetration, it is receiving funding for online shopping that has not happened yet.
Explore more signals
Confidence at fifty-six seven
Saudi Arabia's Business Confidence Index rose to 56.7 in August from 56.5 in July, holding above the 50-point neutral threshold, according to the General Authority for Statistics. The industrial sector's index climbed to 55.8 and the services index rose to 56.1, after the overall reading dropped to 52.1 in March amid regional tensions and rebounded to 54.5 in April.
Finance directors preparing Saudi budgets for next year should interpret the figure 56.7 as an indicator of continued customer spending expectations, while the March value of 52.1 reflects the pace of change in these expectations.
Kicking the maturities to 2041
NDMC redeemed SR17.1bn ($4.5bn) of 2026–2030 sukuk and issued SR17.2bn maturing to 2041, a liability-management exercise.
The takeaway: A state that manages its maturity curve shows confidence, indicating long-term projects your business might supply.
29.3 million, and counting
29.3M international tourists in 2025, up 67% since 2019, highest growth of any OECD member; SR176.6bn foreign spend, SR127.1bn domestic; 5.2% of GDP.
Domestic spend is close behind foreign and growing faster (10%), the Saudi family is the customer you can actually reach this year.
