The facts
GASTAT’s preliminary flash estimate, reported on 1–2 November, put real GDP 3.8% below its level in Q3 2025. The published comparison is year on year. [1][2]
Oil activities declined 20.4% year on year and government activities 2.7%, while non-oil activities increased 1.9%. These are activity-specific estimates; the headline does not mean every part of the economy contracted. [1][2]
Seasonally adjusted real GDP increased 1.3% from Q2 to Q3. The quarterly measure differs from the 3.8% year-on-year comparison; oil activities grew 5.7% quarter on quarter and non-oil activities 0.6%. [1]
Dow Jones Newswires reported that the 3.8% annual contraction was smaller than Q2’s 4.7% decline. The estimate is preliminary and subject to revision. [2]
The Q3 reference period ended on 30 September, so the flash estimate does not measure developments after that date. [2]
Still unconfirmed
- The flash estimate is preliminary; detailed quarterly national-accounts data and any revisions were not available in the checked sources.
- The released figures do not quantify the effects of events after 30 September or establish any future fiscal or project decision.
Sources
References support the numbered facts above. Source checks: 2 Nov 2026, 09:06 UTC.
The opened Saudi Gazette and Dow Jones Newswires reports independently attribute the flash figures to GASTAT and agree on the headline and activity data. GASTAT’s English news endpoint returned HTTP 502 and its current release page was not directly retrieved during this check, so the underlying table is not represented as directly downloaded. The sources describe the figures as preliminary flash estimates; annual and seasonally adjusted quarterly comparisons remain distinct.
- Saudi non-oil activities grow 1.9% in Q3 2026 despite overall GDP decline
Saudi Gazette · Reporting · 2 Nov 2026
Opened report attributing preliminary year-on-year and seasonally adjusted quarterly figures to GASTAT; it describes the estimates as flash data.
- Saudi Arabia’s Economy Shrinks 3.8% as Oil Output Falls
Dow Jones Newswires, republished by MarketScreener · Reporting · 2 Nov 2026
Opened Dow Jones report by Joseph Wilkins. It attributes preliminary data to GASTAT, compares Q2 and Q3 on a year-on-year basis, and distinguishes the September reference period from later regional developments.