RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s short-term business indicators for April 2026 recorded a 10.6 percent increase in the Operating Revenue Index compared with the same month in 2025. However, the index declined by 3.8 percent on a monthly basis compared with March 2026, according to data released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
Preliminary results indicate that the year-on-year growth in operating revenues was driven by stronger performance across several key economic sectors, most notably mining and quarrying, which rose by 22.5 percent, manufacturing by 10.3 percent, wholesale and retail trade and motor vehicle repair by 6.9 percent, construction by 5.4 percent, and financial and insurance activities by 14.2 percent.
The annual growth was further supported by continued expansion in construction activities representing 5.4 percent and financial and insurance activities with 14.2 percent. Despite this positive annual performance, the Operating Revenue Index recorded a monthly decline of 3.8 percent in April 2026 compared with March 2026.
This decrease was primarily attributed to a 19.1 percent contraction in industrial, mining, and quarrying activities, a 1.5 percent decline in wholesale and retail trade and motor vehicle repair activities, a 2.5 percent reduction in financial and insurance activities, and decreases of 1.5 percent and 4.9 percent in information and communication activities and transportation and storage activities, respectively.
With regard to the Compensation of Employees Index, the index registered a year-on-year increase of 10.1 percent, supported by higher employee compensation in the manufacturing sector (12.1 percent), construction (8 percent), wholesale and retail trade and motor vehicle repair (9.3 percent), mining and quarrying activities (1.8 percent), and financial and insurance activities (12.5 percent).
On a monthly basis, the Compensation of Employees Index edged up by 0.1percent in April 2026. The increase was driven by growth in manufacturing (0.8 percent), construction (0.1 percent), and financial and insurance activities (0.5 percent), as well as gains in transportation and storage activities and human health and social work activities, each of which increased by 0.1 percent.
In the construction sector, data showed a 28.2 percent year-on-year increase in the number of building permits issued in April 2026, reaching 7,356 permits compared with 5,740 permits issued in April 2025.
Building permits also recorded a significant monthly increase of 42.5 percent compared with March 2026, when 5,162 permits were issued, underscoring the continued momentum and positive activity within the Kingdom’s construction sector.
Source: Saudi Gazette