RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s general operating revenue index for wholesale and retail trade statistics recorded an increase of 7.3 percent during the first quarter of 2026, compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The index also rose by 0.5 percent quarter-on-quarter basis compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the preliminary results, published on Sunday by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The operating revenue index for retail trade, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, increased by 9.5 percent while wholesale trade, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, rose by 5.5 percent. Operating revenue for the sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles increased by 5.4 percent compared to the same quarter of 2025. On a quarterly basis, the operating revenue index for retail trade, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, rose by 1.3 percent while operating revenue for the sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles decreased by 3.1 percent.In a related development, statistics revealed an 11.4 percent increase in the compensation index for employees in the wholesale and retail trade sector, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, and an 8.2 percent increase in compensation for employees in the sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles. Compensation for employees in the wholesale trade sector, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, also rose by 8.1 percent compared to the same quarter of 2025. On a quarterly basis, the compensation index for employees in the wholesale and retail trade sector, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, increased by 1.8 percent while the index for the sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles rose by 0.5 percent and compensation for employees in the wholesale trade sector, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, rose by 2.2 percent. The GASTAT report showed that the online sales index for the retail sector, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, jumped by 18.4 percent while online sales for the wholesale sector, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, increased by 10.0 percent. Online sales for the sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles also saw a 3.2 percent year-on-year increase. On a quarterly basis, the online sales index for the retail sector, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, rose by 1.1 percent while online sales for the wholesale sector, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, increased by 0.7 percent and online sales for the sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles rose by 0.2 percent. On the other hand, the car sales index recorded an increase of 3.4 percent compared to the same quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, the car sales index recorded a decrease of 2.9 percent on a quarterly basis.
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