RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale transactions held above the $3 billion mark in the week ending March 28, reaching SR12.97 billion ($3.45 billion), with education spending rising sharply, official data showed.
According to data from the Saudi Central Bank, total POS transaction value declined 12.3 percent week on week, while the number of transactions slipped 1.8 percent to 219.8 million.
Education recorded the strongest increase during the week, surging 177 percent to SR33 million, alongside transaction volumes rising 42.9 percent to 63,000.
Restaurants and cafes also posted solid gains, with outlays increasing 23.9 percent, while food and beverage purchases — the largest category — rose 1.8 percent to SR2.15 billion, helping cushion the overall decline.
Several consumer segments saw sharp contractions. Outlays on apparel and clothing dropped 57.5 percent to SR991.5 million, marking the steepest fall among major categories.
