Global Scans · Saudi Arabia · Weekly Summary

DRIVER: Saudi Arabia could see some tumultuous economic policy changes provoked by the lower oil price era and the emerging challenge from renewable energies. It also faces threats from Middle East turmoil.

• [New] UAE / Saudi Arabia: Demand is projected to grow steadily, supported by smart city investments, mega events, and infrastructure expansion. FactMr
• [New] Gross lending stood at USD 252.49 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 301.74 billion by 2032, supported by consistent borrowing demand and financial sector expansion. / Saudi Arabia Yahoo Finance
• [New] Global oil production faces significant headwinds from escalating Middle East disruptions, with Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain collectively shutting in 10.5 million barrels per day of crude output in April. Market Insights
• [New] UK businesses importing goods from the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, or Saudi Arabia should expect delays and significantly higher landed costs. AOG Worldwide
• [New] Asia Pacific is forecast to be the fastest-growing region through 2030, with hospitals in India, Vietnam, and the Middle East skipping legacy infrastructure entirely and government-funded programs in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Singapore investing in national AI in healthcare strategies. Glorium Technologies
• [New] The Middle East region is experiencing an unprecedented crisis, with the conflict spreading to Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, seriously threatening regional stability and undermining global energy supply and shipping security. The Washington Institute
• KSA: Demand in Saudi Arabia is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 12.2% through 2036, supported by Vision 2030 initiatives, rapid expansion of smart cities, large-scale renewable energy investments, and increasing adoption of digital sustainability and carbon management solutions. FactMr
• Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 has deliberately incorporated Chinese participation as a hedge against exclusive dependence on Western economic partnerships. KBA13 INSIGHT
• Supported by robust institutions and reform momentum, the International Monetary Fund expects Saudi Arabia to maintain growth of around 3.1% in 2026, reinforcing a positive medium-term outlook despite short-term fluctuations. MUFG Research
• The UAE and Saudi Arabia are among the very few producers globally, not just within OPEC, that maintained meaningful volumes of unused productive capacity prior to the current regional disruption environment. Discovery Alert
• Top OPEC + producer Saudi Arabia's quota will rise to 10.291 million barrels per day in June under the - agreement, far above actual production. Al Jazeera
• The development strategies of GCC countries such as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, the UAE's National Development Strategy for the Next 50 Years, and Oman's Vision 2040 are closely aligned with China's high-quality Belt and Road Initiative, achieving a series of tangible results. CCG Update - Center for China and Globalization
• Through Vision 2030 and its Hydrogen Strategy, Saudi Arabia aims to capture over 10% of the global hydrogen trade by the mid-2030s. Precedence Research
• PIF is committed to developing 70% of Saudi Arabia's renewable energy capacity target by 2030. Uniqus
• Germany is investing billions toward AI independence, France has embedded it into its national strategy, and Saudi Arabia has made it a pillar of Vision 2030. WRAL
• Under Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategy, heritage has become a pillar of economic diversification, with AlUla emerging as a flagship cultural destination. ISPR

Last updated: 25 May 2026