RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s 10 largest listed banks recorded a 2.5 percent increase in net loans and advances in the third quarter from the previous three months, underscoring sustained lending momentum in the Kingdom, a new analysis showed.
The growth was driven by corporate lending, which rose 3 percent during the period and accounted for roughly 59 percent of total loans, according to Alvarez & Marsal’s latest KSA Banking Pulse report.
This steady lending momentum aligns with the wider trend observed in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, where corporate lending continues to gain traction as economies diversify away from hydrocarbons.
In November, S&P Global Ratings said banks across the GCC are expected to maintain stable credit fundamentals in 2026, even as the region faces potential geopolitical and economic shocks.
The rating agency added that the sector’s outlook is supported by broadly steady profitability, solid capitalization, and resilient asset quality.
