RIYADH, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia recorded a budget deficit of 160 billion Saudi riyals (about 42.7 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, the Ministry of Finance said Thursday.
Total revenue rose 6 percent year-on-year to 599.76 billion riyals, while expenditure jumped 15 percent to 759.76 billion riyals, according to the ministry's second-quarter budget performance report.
Oil revenue increased 9 percent year-on-year to 329.85 billion riyals, while non-oil revenue grew 2 percent to 269.91 billion riyals.
In the second quarter alone, revenue grew 12 percent year-on-year to 338.78 billion riyals, while expenditure increased 11 percent to 373.07 billion riyals, yielding a quarterly deficit of 34.29 billion riyals.
Capital expenditure rose 32 percent year-on-year to 89.66 billion riyals in the first half, while spending on goods and services rose 25 percent and financing costs grew 20 percent.
The report showed that the first-half deficit was financed entirely through borrowing, without drawing on government reserves. ■
