The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s flag
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil business confidence index increased by 0.3% month-on-month (MoM) in August 2026, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). 
The Business Confidence Index stood at 56.7 points in August, up 0.2 points from 56.5 points in July.
The increase in the index reflects prevailing optimism across the business sector, supported by establishments’ confidence in the stability of economic activity in the Kingdom and continued growth across various sectors, said the authority.
GASTAT defines the business confidence index as a measure of optimism and pessimism about future developments in the non-oil sector, based on surveys covering output, inputs, employment, as well as business development and expansion activities.
Among the key economic sectors, the Business Confidence Index for the industrial sector rose by 1.04 points MoM to 55.8 points, driven by increased confidence, particularly regarding expectations for overall performance and employment.
The index for the services sector also grew by 0.9 points to 56.1 points, backed by greater optimism among establishments, particularly with regard to overall performance and fixed investment spending.
Meanwhile, the construction sector recorded a limited decline of 0.4 points to 57.3 points, attributed to lower confidence levels regarding input costs during the current month and expectations for the following month.
Business Confidence Index Based on Economic Activities
Category
July 2026
August 2026
Change
Industry
54.74
55.79
1.04
Services
55.28
56.15
0.87
Construction
57.73
57.31
(0.42)
Year
56.55
56.72
+0.17
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s flag
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil business confidence index increased by 0.3% month-on-month (MoM) in August 2026, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
The Business Confidence Index stood at 56.7 points in August, up 0.2 points from 56.5 points in July.
The increase in the index reflects prevailing optimism across the business sector, supported by establishments’ confidence in the stability of economic activity in the Kingdom and continued growth across various sectors, said the authority.
GASTAT defines the business confidence index as a measure of optimism and pessimism about future developments in the non-oil sector, based on surveys covering output, inputs, employment, as well as business development and expansion activities.
Among the key economic sectors, the Business Confidence Index for the industrial sector rose by 1.04 points MoM to 55.8 points, driven by increased confidence, particularly regarding expectations for overall performance and employment.
The index for the services sector also grew by 0.9 points to 56.1 points, backed by greater optimism among establishments, particularly with regard to overall performance and fixed investment spending.
Meanwhile, the construction sector recorded a limited decline of 0.4 points to 57.3 points, attributed to lower confidence levels regarding input costs during the current month and expectations for the following month.
Business Confidence Index Based on Economic Activities
Category
July 2026
August 2026
Change
Industry
54.74
55.79
1.04
Services
55.28
56.15
0.87
Construction
57.73
57.31
(0.42)
Year
56.55
56.72
+0.17
