Saudi PMI falls to 55.6 points in April

10:56 AM (Mecca time) Argaam Special
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's flag

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's flag


The seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), formerly S&P Global Saudi Arabia PMI, dropped to 55.6 points in April.

 

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector saw a strong improvement in business conditions in April, although the index fell to its lowest level since August 2024. The index decline is primarily attributed to a four-point drop in new orders, according to the latest PMI data.

 

Business activity among Saudi Arabia's non-oil companies rose sharply at the beginning of Q2 2025, with firms largely reporting increased production due to higher sales, new project approvals, and increased tourist arrivals.

 

 Although production growth was notable, it was the slowest in seven months, partly due to a slowdown in sales growth. In some cases, companies indicated that global economic uncertainty impacted customer spending, while others cited increased competitive pressures.

 

Non-oil private sector employment saw a strong increase in April, with employment growth accelerating to its fastest pace in 10.5 years, matching the level recorded in October 2023, as companies expanded their hiring capacity in response to higher sales and increased activity.

 

Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia PMI since 2023*

Month

Index (Points)

Change (Points)

Change (%)

Jan. 2023

58.2

+ 1.3

+2.3%

February

59.8

+ 1.6

+2.7%

March

58.7

(1.1)

(1.8%)

April

59.6

+ 0.9

+1.5%

May

58.5

(1.1)

(1.8%)

June

59.6

+ 1.1

+1.9%

July

57.7

(1.9)

(3.2%)

August

56.6

(1.1)

(1.9%)

September

57.2

+ 0.6

+1.1%

October

58.4

+ 1.2

+2.1%

November

57.5

(0.9)

(1.5%)

December

57.5

--

--

Jan. 2024

55.4

(2.1)

(3.7%)

February

57.2

+ 1.8

+3.2%

March

57.0

(0.2)

(0.3%)

April

57.0

--

--

May

56.4

(0.6)

(1.1%)

June

55.0

(1.4)

(2.5%)

July

54.4

(0.6)

(1.1%)

August

54.8

+0.4

+0.7%

September

56.3

+ 1.5

+2.7%

October

56.9

+ 0.6

+1.1%

November

59.0

+ 2.1

+3.7%

December

58.4

(0.6)

(1.0%)

Jan. 2025

60.5

+ 2.1

+3.6%

February

58.4

(2.1)

(3.5%)

March

58.1

(0.3)

(0.5%)

April

55.6

(2.5)

(4.3%)

*Change on a monthly basis.
 

The PMI is a weighted average of the following five sub-indices:

 

PMI Sub-Indices

Sub-index

Ratio (%)

New orders

30%

Production

25%

Employment

20%

Supplier Delivery Time

15%

Purchase Inventory

10%

Total

100%

Comments {{getCommentCount()}}

Be the first to comment

loader Train
Sorry: the validity period has ended to comment on this news
Opinions expressed in the comments section do not reflect the views of Argaam. Abusive comments of any kind will be removed. Political or religious commentary will not be tolerated.