Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus narrowed to SAR 17.3 billion in January 2026 from SAR 21.0 billion in the corresponding month of the previous year, as import growth outpaced exports. Imports grew 6.5% year-on-year to SAR 81.4 billion, led by higher imports of machinery, electrical equipment and parts (23.7%), which accounted for 30.3% of total imports, as well as transportation equipment and parts (7.3%). China remained the Kingdom’s top source of imports, contributing 31.0% of the total, followed by the UAE (7.7%) and the US (6.9%). Exports rose at a softer 1.4% to SAR 98.7 billion, dragged by a 6.4% decline in oil exports, which made up 67.0% of total exports. This decline was partly offset by a 22.1% surge in non-oil exports, driven by a sharp rise in machinery, electrical equipment, and parts (77.5%), representing 24.2% of total non-oil exports. China remained the main destination for Saudi exports, accounting for 15.1% of total exports, followed by the UAE (12.9%) and India (9.8%).
