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Saudi Arabia’s non-oil industrial activity remained resilient in March, with output rising 1.4 per cent from February and several manufacturing segments posting steady growth despite softer oil-related production, reports the Arab News.
Preliminary data released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) showed the kingdom’s non-oil activities remained broadly stable year on year, supported by continued gains in manufacturing, utilities and downstream industries.
Saudi Arabia’s overall Industrial Production Index fell 14.1pc year on year in March, reflecting lower oil-related activity and weaker mining and quarrying output.
The figures highlight continued momentum in Saudi Arabia’s non-oil industrial economy as the kingdom advances efforts to diversify growth drivers under Vision 2030 through investments in manufacturing, infrastructure and industrial development.
In its latest report, GASTAT stated: The index of oil activities decreased by 20pc in March 2026 compared to the same month of the previous year, while the index of non-oil activities remained stable at a level close to its performance in the same period of the previous year.”
It added: “The results also indicated that the index of oil activities decreased by 30.8pc while the index of non-oil activities increased by 1.4pc compared to February 2026.”
The decline in the country’s oil-related industrial activity comes amid broader turbulence in global energy markets. Opec+ production fell sharply in March, while the International Energy Agency warned that Middle East supply disruptions had removed millions of barrels per day from global markets, tightening exports and weighing on industrial output across oil-producing economies.
According to GASTAT, the mining and quarrying activity dropped 22.2pc year on year and 36pc month on month.
Manufacturing activity also decreased 4.7pc annually, affected by lower output in the production of coke and refined petroleum products and chemicals. Within manufacturing, the production of basic metals rose 9pc year on year, while paper and paper products increased 2pc.
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