Saudi Arabia's Industrial Output Falls in July Amid Mining, Manufacturing Slowdown

04:11 AM EDT, 09/10/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Saudi Arabia's industrial production index fell on an annual basis in July amid declines in mining and manufacturing activities, data from the General Authority for Statistics showed Thursday. The 8.1% year-over-year decrease eased from June's 16.3% drop. Annual oil-related activities fell 11.4%, while non-oil activities ticked down 0.3%. On a monthly basis, overall industrial production climbed 10.4%, supported by growth across all sectors, notably mining and quarrying. Oil activities surged 16.3% compared with the previous month, while non-oil activities edged down 0.2%. In the mining and quarrying sector, output fell 10.9% year on year in July, while month-over-month activity shot up 19%. On an annual basis, manufacturing contracted by 5.8% as chemical and petroleum output slumped. Meanwhile, month-on-month performance improved, with the sector rising 1.3% thanks to a boost in coke and refined petroleum production. Positive results were reported in the sub-index for the utilities-related sectors, with electricity, gas and air conditioning up 4.5% annually and water and waste management 7.8% higher. Month on month, electricity and gas grew 5.4%, while water management gained 2.6%.