The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved a new economic milestone that reflects the strength of its financial position, as data from the General Authority for Statistics revealed that the merchandise trade balance recorded a large surplus of 22.3 billion riyals during November 2025. This figure represents a qualitative leap with an annual growth rate of 70.2% , an increase of 9.2 billion riyals compared to the same period in 2024, which recorded a surplus of 13.1 billion riyals.
Accelerating growth and strong economic performance
Growth was not limited to the year-on-year level; data also showed a significant monthly improvement, with the surplus increasing by 5.2% compared to October 2025, an increase of SAR 1.1 billion. The Kingdom's total international trade volume in November reached approximately SAR 177.1 billion, reflecting the dynamism of trade and market activity. This figure was distributed between merchandise exports worth SAR 99.7 billion and imports worth SAR 77.4 billion.
Non-oil exports: The fruits of Vision 2030
In line with the Kingdom's strategy to diversify its sources of income as part of Vision 2030, non-oil exports continued their positive performance. National non-oil exports reached approximately SAR 18.9 billion, representing 19% of total merchandise exports. These exports achieved an annual growth rate of 4.7%, reflecting the success of industrial and logistical initiatives in promoting local products and opening new global markets for them.
A notable finding in the report is the significant increase in re-export activity, which jumped by 53.1% to reach SAR 13.7 billion. This indicator strongly suggests the Kingdom's growing role as a global logistics hub connecting three continents, leveraging its strategic geographic location and the development of its port and airport infrastructure.
Stability of petroleum exports and international partnerships
On the other hand, petroleum exports maintained their pivotal role in supporting the economy, exceeding SAR 67 billion in value, representing an annual growth rate of 5.4%. These exports constituted 67.2% of total merchandise exports, underscoring the Kingdom's ability to maintain the stability of global energy supplies while maximizing financial returns.
In terms of international trade relations, Asian countries maintained their dominance as the Kingdom's largest trading partner, accounting for 75.2% of Saudi imports. China remained the top destination for Saudi exports, representing 13.5% of total exports, followed by European and American countries with varying percentages.
The economic importance of a trade surplus
This significant growth in the trade surplus carries important economic implications; it bolsters the Kingdom's foreign currency reserves, supports the stability of the Saudi riyal, and provides comfortable fiscal margins that enable the government to proceed with financing mega-projects and economic transformation initiatives. These figures confirm the success of economic policies in balancing the strengthening of the oil sector with the development of other promising sectors.
