RIYADH, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia's real gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 4.8 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, reversing a 3.0-percent expansion in the first quarter, according to flash estimates released Thursday by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics.
The downturn was mainly driven by a 24.7-percent year-on-year decline in oil activities, which subtracted 5.4 percentage points from overall growth.
In contrast, non-oil activities rose 0.6 percent, contributing positively to real GDP by 0.4 percentage points. Government activities and net taxes on products contributed 0.1 percentage points respectively.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, real GDP fell 4.9 percent from the previous quarter. Oil activities plunged 21.5 percent and non-oil activities dipped 0.5 percent, while government activities rose 0.2 percent.
The authority noted that the figures are preliminary, based on incomplete quarterly data. ■
