Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus increased to SAR 13.0 billion in December 2025 from SAR 12.2 billion in the same month a year earlier, as exports rose more than imports. Outbound shipments rose 3% year-on-year to SAR 97.2 billion, supported mainly by higher shipments, which posted a modest gain of 1% and accounted for 67.4% of total exports. Non-oil exports increased 7.4%, supported by an 81.5% surge in machinery and electrical equipment, which represented 22.6% of non-oil exports. Japan was the Kingdom’s top export destination, absorbing 11.7% of shipments, followed by China at 11.6%, and the UAE at 10.8%. Meanwhile, inbound shipments grew by 2.4% to SAR 84.2 billion, driven mainly by increased imports in animal products (+12.1%), footwear, headgear, umbrellas, and sticks (+16.5%), and machinery and mechanical appliances (+27.5%). China remained the largest source of imports with a 28.7% share, followed by the US at 7.1%, and the UAE at 5%. source: General Authority for Statistics, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia recorded a trade surplus of 13025.30 SAR Million in December of 2025. Balance of Trade in Saudi Arabia averaged 73607.45 SAR Million from 1968 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 454159.00 SAR Million in December of 2005 and a record low of -3651.30 SAR Million in April of 2020. This page provides - Saudi Arabia Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Saudi Arabia Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on March of 2026.

Saudi Arabia recorded a trade surplus of 13025.30 SAR Million in December of 2025. Balance of Trade in Saudi Arabia is expected to be 16700.00 SAR Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Saudi Arabia Balance of Trade is projected to trend around 19000.00 SAR Million in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-01-25 06:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Nov SAR23.0B SAR21.0B SAR25.0B
2026-02-25 12:00 PM
Balance of Trade
Dec SAR13B SAR19B SAR 35.0B
2026-03-26 06:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Jan SAR13B


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Balance of Trade 13025.30 19019.50 SAR Million Dec 2025
Capital Flows -9092.21 -12896.53 USD Million Sep 2025
Current Account -8229.49 -13440.86 USD Million Sep 2025
Exports 97184.00 99329.90 SAR Million Dec 2025
Foreign Direct Investment 6650.27 6323.67 USD Million Sep 2025
Imports 84158.70 80310.40 SAR Million Dec 2025
Non Oil Exports 18716.70 18655.00 SAR Million Dec 2025
Oil Exports 65493.70 67036.00 SAR Million Dec 2025
Remittances 15125.00 13859.00 USD Million Sep 2025


Saudi Arabia Balance of Trade
Saudi Arabia has been recording trade surpluses since 1968 due to shipments of oil (87 percent of total exports). Main imports are: machinery, mechanical appliances and electrical equipment; transport equipment and parts thereof and base metals. Main trading partners are: United States (14 percent of total exports and 12.6 percent of imports), China (12 percent of exports and 13 percent of imports) and Japan (13 percent of exports and 6 percent of imports). Others include: South Korea, United Arab Emirates, India and Germany.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
13025.30 19019.50 454159.00 -3651.30 1968 - 2025 SAR Million Monthly

News Stream
Saudi Arabia Trade Surplus Widens in December
Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus increased to SAR 13.0 billion in December 2025 from SAR 12.2 billion in the same month a year earlier, as exports rose more than imports. Outbound shipments rose 3% year-on-year to SAR 97.2 billion, supported mainly by higher shipments, which posted a modest gain of 1% and accounted for 67.4% of total exports. Non-oil exports increased 7.4%, supported by an 81.5% surge in machinery and electrical equipment, which represented 22.6% of non-oil exports. Japan was the Kingdom’s top export destination, absorbing 11.7% of shipments, followed by China at 11.6%, and the UAE at 10.8%. Meanwhile, inbound shipments grew by 2.4% to SAR 84.2 billion, driven mainly by increased imports in animal products (+12.1%), footwear, headgear, umbrellas, and sticks (+16.5%), and machinery and mechanical appliances (+27.5%). China remained the largest source of imports with a 28.7% share, followed by the US at 7.1%, and the UAE at 5%.
2026-02-26
Saudi Arabia Trade Surplus Widens in November
Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus increased sharply to SAR 23.0 billion in November 2025 from SAR 13.1 billion in the same month a year earlier, as exports surged while imports edged down. Outbound shipments grew 10.0% year-on-year to SAR 100.0 billion, supported mainly by higher oil shipments, which rose 5.4% and accounted for 67.2% of total exports. Non-oil exports jumped 20.7%, boosted by an 81.5% surge in machinery and electrical equipment, which represented 24.2% of non-oil exports. China remained the Kingdom’s top export destination, absorbing 13.5% of shipments, followed by the UAE at 11.7% and Japan at 9.9%. Meanwhile, inbound shipments inched down 0.2% to SAR 77.0 billion, mainly weighed down by base metals and their articles (-9.7%), despite an 8.6% rise in imports of machinery, electrical equipment, and parts, which made up 30.7% of total imports. China remained the largest source of imports with a 26.7% share, followed by the US (10.2%) and the UAE (6.2%).
2026-01-25
Saudi Arabia Trade Surplus Widens in October
Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus increased sharply to SAR 24.0 billion in October 2025 from SAR 16.2 billion in the same month a year earlier, as export growth outpaced imports. Outbound shipments rose 11.8% year on year to SAR 104.0 billion, supported mainly by higher oil exports, which increased 4.0% and accounted for 67.4% of total exports. Non-oil exports posted solid gains, jumping 32.3%, driven by a sharp 387.5% surge in transportation equipment and parts, which represented 37.4% of non-oil exports. China remained the Kingdom’s top export destination, absorbing 14.1% of shipments, followed by the UAE at 10.9% and India at 9.9%. Meanwhile, inbound shipments added 4.3% to SAR 80.0 billion, led by a 26.3% rise in purchases of machinery, electrical equipment, and parts, which made up 30.2% of total imports. China was the largest source of imports with a 24.8% share, ahead of the U.S. at 8.7% and the UAE at 6.4%.
2025-12-25