RIYADH, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi Ministry of Finance on Wednesday announced the Pre-Budget Statement for FY 2027, estimating total expenditures at 370 billion U.S. dollars and total revenues at about 320 billion dollars.
In a statement on its official website, the ministry projected Saudi Arabia's real GDP to shrink by 3.6 percent in 2026, driven by a 21.8 percent drop in oil activities, while non-oil activities are set to expand by 3.2 percent.
Non-oil activities grew by 1.8 percent in the first half of 2026, with their contribution to GDP rising to a historic level of 57.3 percent, the ministry added.
Inflation is projected at around 2.1 percent for the year, while the unemployment rate declined to 6.5 percent in the second quarter of 2026, it said.
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Aljadaan said the preliminary estimates for the 2027 budget come amid an uncertain global economic environment, noting the Kingdom continues to manage its public finances from a long-term perspective.
The Pre-Budget Statement has been issued for the ninth consecutive year as part of the Saudi government's efforts to enhance transparency in public finance and strengthen fiscal disclosure.
