RIYADH: Saudi Arabia retained a merchandise trade surplus of about SR18 billion ($4.8 billion) in June, as a decline in imports partly cushioned a slowdown in exports, official data showed.
The General Authority for Statistics reported that merchandise exports fell 4.5 percent in June from a year earlier, while imports declined 3 percent. The merchandise trade surplus narrowed 10 percent from June 2025.
Oil exports, which accounted for 72 percent of total exports, fell 2.3 percent, while their share of the export mix rose from 70.4 percent a year earlier.
The figures came as Saudi Arabia adapted its trade and energy flows to a major regional disruption. With the conflict between the US and Iran affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the Kingdom increased use of alternative routes, including its Red Sea infrastructure.
In its latest report, GASTAT stated: “Non-oil exports, including re-exports, recorded a decrease of 9.7 percent compared to June 2025, while national non-oil exports, excluding re-exports, decreased by 11.4 percent.”
