Net FDI inflows drop 2.4% to SR23 billion in Q1 2026

Saudi Arabia experienced a notable decline in net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows during the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by the General Authority for Statistics. Net inflows dropped by 2.4 percent year-on-year, settling at SR23.1 billion, a decrease from SR23.7 billion recorded in the same period of 2025.

The figures also show a significant quarter-on-quarter decrease, with net inflows falling by 51.9 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, when they stood at SR48 billion. This sharp decline suggests a slowdown in investment activity towards the end of the previous year.

Despite the dip in net inflows, total FDI inflows into the Saudi economy demonstrated positive growth year-on-year, rising by 2.4 percent to SR26.6 billion in Q1 2026. However, this figure also represented a substantial decrease of 49.9 percent from the SR53.1 billion recorded in the final quarter of 2025.

In contrast, outward foreign direct investment flows from Saudi Arabia saw a significant increase. Outward FDI rose by 50.6 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching SR3.5 billion, up from approximately SR2.3 billion in Q1 2025. However, these outward flows also decreased by 31.8 percent on a quarterly basis compared to the previous quarter.