Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector recorded another solid improvement in operating conditions during November, as businesses reported stronger output, rising sales, and continued hiring momentum, according to the latest Riyad Bank PMI survey.
Although the headline PMI declined to 58.5 from October’s 60.2 — the second-highest reading in more than a decade — it remained firmly in expansion territory, signaling robust sectoral health.
Naif Al-Ghaith PhD, Chief Economist at Riyad Bank, commented: “While growth has eased from October’s highs, November’s readings show that growth remains steady, driven by stable demand patterns and continued progress on active projects.”
Activity rose at its fastest pace in ten months, with 30% of surveyed firms boosting output and only 1% reporting a decline. Businesses linked the surge to strong domestic demand and higher sales, while international orders saw only marginal improvement.
Operating expenses increased at their weakest rate since March, as firms reported easing pressure on purchasing costs. Despite growth in new orders softening across all monitored sub-sectors compared to October, the expansion remained one of the strongest recorded in 2025, reinforcing confidence in the Kingdom’s non-oil economic momentum.
The Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia PMI is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to purchasing managers in a panel of around 400 private sector companies. The PMI is a weighted average of the following five indices: New Orders (30%), Output (25%), Employment (20%), Suppliers’ Delivery Times (15%), and Stocks of Purchases (10%).
