RIYADH — Building permits in Saudi Arabia increased by 15.5 percent month-on-month in July 2026, rising from 5,045 permits in June to 5,828, according to preliminary results from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The figures are part of GASTAT's Short-Term Business Indicators Statistics for July 2026, which measure short-term economic performance through monthly indicators tracking developments and growth rates across economic activities. The product covers all economic activities of establishments operating in the business sector. On an annual basis, the number of building permits increased by 4.4 percent, from 5,582 permits in July 2025 to 5,828 in July 2026. Meanwhile, the Operating Revenues Index increased by 4.9 percent year-on-year in July and by 1.2 percent month-on-month compared with June 2026. **media[2768328]** The annual increase in operating revenues was supported by increases of 13.5 percent in manufacturing activities, 9 percent in financial and insurance activities, 6.5 percent in information and communication activities, 1.6 percent in construction activities, and 0.8 percent in wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles. On a monthly basis, the Operating Revenues Index was supported by increases of 6.4 percent in mining and quarrying activities, 3.7 percent in information and communication activities, 0.8 percent in manufacturing activities, 0.6 percent in accommodation and food service activities, and 0.1 percent in construction activities. The Employees Compensation Index increased by 7.4 percent year-on-year, supported by increases of 10.3 percent in manufacturing activities, 6.4 percent in financial and insurance activities, 6.2 percent in wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 4.6 percent in construction activities, and 2.7 percent in mining and quarrying activities. On a monthly basis, the Employees Compensation Index increased by 0.3 percent, supported by increases of 2.6 percent in human health and social work activities, 1.8 percent in information and communication activities, 0.8 percent in transportation and storage activities, 0.3 percent in mining and quarrying activities, and 0.1 percent in financial and insurance activities.
