Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale transactions held above $3.5 billion in the week ending June 13, although total spending slipped 3.9 per cent from the previous week, official data showed, reports the Arab News.
According to the latest figures from the Saudi Central Bank, POS transaction values totalled 13.2bn riyals ($3.52bn) during the seven-day period, while the number of transactions edged down 0.2pc to 238.2 million.
Despite the overall softness, several sectors posted notable gains. Education expenditure jumped 43.2pc to 210.9m riyals, making it the standout performer during the week, while spending on books and stationery climbed 8.7pc to 115.8m riyals.
Jewellery spending surged 16pc week on week to 638.8m riyals, while airline spending rose 8.8pc to 57.2m riyals.
On the downside, recreation spending dropped 15.4pc to 212.5m riyals, while laundry services declined 13.6pc to 51.2m riyals. Freight transport and courier services also fell 13pc to 43.5m riyals.
Food and beverages retained the largest share of POS spending, though it fell 8.4pc to 2.1bn riyals.
Restaurants and cafes accounted for the second-largest share, slipping 4.5pc to 1.6bn riyals. Apparel, clothing and accessories spending declined 9.5pc to 966.7m riyals, ranking third among spending categories.
Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, recorded a 1pc drop in transaction value to 4.6bn riyals, while the number of transactions inched up 1pc to 76.3m.
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