RIYADH: Non-oil business activity in the Middle East showed mixed trends in July, with Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar maintaining growth, while Egypt demonstrated signs of recovery and Lebanon remained under pressure.
According to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index report released by S&P Global, Kuwait’s PMI ticked up to 53.5 in July from 53.1 in June, signalling a solid monthly improvement in the health of the non-oil private sector.
This robust performance of non-energy business conditions in Kuwait aligns with the wider trend observed in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, where countries are pursuing economic diversification efforts to reduce dependence on crude revenues.
“Kuwait’s non-oil private sector began the second half of 2025 in much the same way as it ended the first, with output and new orders up markedly again in July,” said Andrew Harker, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Survey panelists linked higher new orders in July to advertising efforts and price discounting, which helped to further raise the output.
