ISLAMABAD: Pakistani economists on Saturday expressed skepticism over the government’s claim it would be able to accelerate economic growth to 3.6 percent in the next fiscal year from 2.4 percent in the outgoing financial year, warning that employment and poverty rates could increase further in the coming months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration is expected to present the annual budget on June 10, at a time when the country is facing an economic crisis with double-digit inflation and struggling to secure funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The government on Friday approved a 3.6 percent growth target for the 2024-25 budget, boosting the development allocation to Rs1.2 trillion ($4.3 billion) from Rs950 billion ($3.4 billion) in the outgoing fiscal year, which has now been slashed to Rs717 billion ($2.6 billion) due to fiscal constraints.
“Looking at the economic indicators including agricultural and large-scale manufacturing growth, it seems the government may hardly be able to achieve around three percent growth rate,” Sajid Amin, economist and deputy executive director at the Sustainable
Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad, told Arab News.
“The governments usually budget a high growth target and then revise it down,” he said, referring to the outgoing fiscal year’s growth rate as the government had targeted 3.5 percent but achieved only 2.4 percent.
Amin said that around nine million youth were entering the labor market annually and Pakistan would require at least a five percent growth rate to create job opportunities for them.
“Even if the government achieves the growth target, the unemployment and poverty rate would unfortunately increase,” he said.
According to a recent Planning Commission report, the government expects inflation to moderate to 12 percent in the next fiscal year while admitting that growth prospects “hinge upon political stability, exchange rate, macroeconomic stabilization under IMF’s program and expected fall in global oil and commodity prices.”
Ali Khizar, an economist, said the country was faced with gross financing gaps and development would remain in check with real interest rates to stay positive.
“Pakistan’s current account is expected to stay close to zero until the foreign exchange reserves build,” he told Arab News, adding that commercial financing revenues would remain low and with all this Pakistan would not be able to achieve the targeted growth rate.
“Even 3.6 percent growth rate is not a good number to create job opportunities and bring people out of poverty,” he continued, adding that Pakistan would have to ensure tight fiscal and monetary policies with high interest rates to secure the IMF loan program.
These, he pointed out, would slow down the economy.
Riyadh leads Saudi Arabia’s commercial real estate growth with 23% rise in office rents
Average rents for office spaces in Riyadh saw an annual rise of 23%
Jeddah’s total office stock is expected to rise 1.8 million sq. meters by 2027
Updated 9 sec ago
Nirmal Narayanan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s commercial real estate sector is witnessing exponential growth, with rents for Grade A office spaces in the Kingdom’s capital reaching SR2,700 ($719.95) per sq. meter by the end of March, an analysis showed.
In its latest report, global real estate consultancy Knight Frank said average rents for office spaces in Riyadh witnessed an annual rise of 23 percent by the end of the first quarter, driven by the success of government-led initiatives, including the ambitious regional headquarters program.
Strengthening the real estate sector is one of the key goals outlined in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda, as the nation aims to position itself as a leading business and tourism destination by the end of the decade.
The Kingdom’s Real Estate General Authority expects the property market to reach $101.62 billion by 2029, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate of 8 percent from 2024.
Saudi Arabia’s regional headquarters program offers benefits to international firms, including a 30-year exemption from corporate income tax. File/SPA
“Saudi Arabia’s economic momentum continued to strengthen across key sectors in 2024, underpinned by rising private sector activity,” said Faisal Durrani, partner — head of research for the Middle East and North Africa at Knight Frank.
According to the report, the Kingdom’s Grade A office rents witnessed an occupancy level of 98 percent by the end of March.
Grade B rents grew by 24 percent year on year by the end of the first quarter, while the occupancy level of these spaces stood at 97 percent.
Grade A office spaces command higher rents than the area average, thanks to their prime locations, modern infrastructure, and newer construction.
In contrast, Grade B office spaces are more affordable, offering a lower-cost alternative to Grade A units.
Average daily rate in Madinah reached SR891 by the end of the first quarter. File/SPA
The report further said that around 600 companies have announced plans to establish their regional headquarters by the end of February, significantly boosting demand for prime office spaces.
Saudi Arabia’s regional headquarters program offers benefits to international firms, including a 30-year exemption from corporate income tax and withholding tax on headquarters activities, as well as discounts and support services.
“A total of 14,303 foreign business investment licenses were issued during 2024, a 67 percent increase from 2023, marking the highest annual figure on record and underscoring the sustained appeal of Saudi Arabia to global corporates and investors,” said Durrani.
The analysis added that Jeddah is also experiencing significant growth in the commercial real estate sector, with both Grade A and Grade B occupancies reaching 95 percent by the end of March.
Knight Frank said Grade A office rents in Jeddah reached SR1,280 per sq. meter, marking a 4 percent year-on-year growth, while Grade B office rents grew by 6 percent to reach SR845 per sq. meter.
Jeddah’s total office stock is expected to rise from 1.6 million sq. meters this year to 1.8 million sq. meters by 2027.
“As more companies expand their footprint across Saudi Arabia, Jeddah is attracting a growing number of regional and local firms. This rising interest is being supported by a healthy office development pipeline,” said James Hodgetts, partner — occupier strategy and solutions at Knight Frank.
The Saudi Real Estate General Authority expects the property market to reach $101.62 billion by 2029. Saudipedia
He added: “Upcoming projects include Jeddah Gate, which is expected to deliver 230,000 sq. meters between 2025 and 2028, and Jeddah Rose, a mixed-use development bringing 25,000 sq. meters of office space to the market by the end of 2025.”
In May, Jeddah Municipality announced 29 new investment opportunities spanning over 1.4 million sq. meters, targeting sectors including commercial, industrial, residential, and recreational.
The package includes 13 commercial opportunities featuring the development and operation of retail shops and commercial complexes across various districts.
In April, a separate report released by credit rating agency S&P Global said that the Kingdom’s retail real estate market is poised for growth in the near term, driven by population growth, expanding tourism, and economic diversification efforts under the Vision 2030 initiative.
S&P Global added that ongoing mega projects and the expansion of international brands are expected to propel further demand for retail space nationwide.
Hospitality overview
According to the study, the average daily rate in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector increased by 10.8 percent year on year by the end of March, while revenue per available room increased by 12.3 percent during the same period.
Growth of the Kingdom’s hospitality sector was largely driven by gains in the nation’s holy cities and Riyadh. File/SPA
The report said the growth of the Kingdom’s hospitality sector was largely driven by gains in the nation’s holy cities and Riyadh.
In the first quarter of 2025, ADR in Makkah rose by 28.9 percent year on year to SR859, while RevPAR was up by 35.7 percent to SR673.
Citing data from the Ministry of Hajj, Knight Frank said the surge in performance in Makkah reflected heightened demand linked to the rise in issued Umrah visas, which grew by 8.3 percent.
With more than 8,500 rooms under construction across 12 hotel developments, Makkah’s total inventory is set to increase from 63,428 to 71,643 rooms by 2027, the report added.
According to the analysis, ADR in Madinah reached SR891 by the end of the first quarter, representing an 11.8 percent year-on-year rise, while RevPAR rose by 15.1 percent to SR724.
Madinah currently has 20,673 hotel rooms, and an additional 2,100 keys are expected to be delivered by 2027. Major international operators continue to expand their presence, including Hilton and Marriott, with planned openings totaling over 6,000 rooms.
Rua Al-Madinah, a new giga-project situated east of the Prophet’s Mosque, is also poised to reshape the hospitality landscape, with over 47,000 planned hotel rooms.
“These latest figures point to resilient demand amid limited new supply and further highlight Madinah’s pricing strength,” said Amar Hussain, associate partner — research, Middle East at Knight Frank.
Jeddah is also experiencing significant growth in the commercial real estate sector. File/SPA
He added: “Pilgrim arrivals in the city are expected to reach 30 million by 2030, up from 17.3 million in 2025, reflecting the city’s growing role as a global hub for religious tourism.”
Data Centers
Knight Frank said Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as the Middle East’s leading data hub, with plans to grow its data center market from $1.78 billion in 2023 to $3.2 billion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate of 10.1 percent.
The report noted that Saudi Arabia’s total IT capacity is expected to increase from around 250-300 megawatts in 2024 to more than 1,000-MW by 2030, driven by strategic government initiatives and substantial investment in digital infrastructure.
During the LEAP 2025 conference in February, Cathy Mauzaize, US-based software firm ServiceNow’s president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said that the company is set to launch data centers in the Kingdom in 2026.
In the same month, Alfanar Global Development also announced a $1.4 billion investment plan to develop four world-class data centers in Saudi Arabia.
Knight Frank added that all tier-one US cloud providers, including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Oracle, have either launched operations or announced further expansions in the Kingdom.
Amazon Web Services alone has committed $5.3 billion to scale up its cloud services across key cities.
Chinese firms such as Alibaba Cloud and Huawei Cloud have also established a local presence.
“Saudi Arabia is now the fastest growing market for data centers as the country continues its drive toward national digitalization,” said Stephen Beard, global head of data centers at Knight Frank.
He added: “The Kingdom’s development of data center infrastructure has been driven largely by adoption of public cloud and sustained public and private investment, transforming it into one of the top five global AI superpowers — evident in the recent launch of the $100 billion Transcendence AI Initiative.”
Saudi Arabia launched Project Transcendence in November, a $100 billion AI initiative aimed at building data centers, supporting startups, and developing infrastructure.
The initiative promises to bring together expertise, infrastructure, and innovation to position the Kingdom at the forefront of AI advancements.
Saudi banks post 5.4% loan growth in Q1 as lending accelerates
Updated 20 min 11 sec ago
Nour El-Shaeri
RIYADH: Net loans and advances across the Saudi Arabia’s 10 largest listed banks rose by 5.4 percent in the first quarter of 2025, underscoring robust lending momentum at the start of the year.
According to Alvarez & Marsal’s latest KSA Banking Pulse report, this growth was primarily driven by a 7.5 percent increase in corporate lending, which continues to represent more than half of total gross loans.
The banking sector’s strong start reflects the wider strength of Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation efforts. Resilient credit growth signals sustained confidence among borrowers, particularly within the corporate sector, where demand for financing remains high amid ongoing large-scale infrastructure and development projects.
Meanwhile, the loan-to-deposit ratio climbed to 106.1 percent, up from 104.7 percent in the previous quarter, marking its highest level in recent times as credit expansion outpaced deposit growth.
Deposits rebounded by 4 percent after a decline in the prior quarter, supported by an 8.1 percent increase in time deposits.
The report also noted a 3.2 percent rise in operating income quarter on quarter, buoyed by a 9.6 percent surge in non-interest revenue from trade finance, foreign exchange, and investment gains.
Sam Gidoomal, managing director and head of Middle East Financial Services at A&M, commented: “Saudi banks are entering a new strategic phase marked by stronger capital stewardship and a focus on unlocking liquidity through innovation — from potential mortgage securitization to targeted portfolio rebalancing.”
“This financial agility, combined with solid credit growth and cost control, positions the sector to actively support Vision 2030 priorities and channel capital toward infrastructure and giga-projects,” he added.
Cost discipline was evident across the sector, as operating expenses fell by 1.7 percent, contributing to a 149 basis point improvement in the cost-to-income ratio to 29.8 percent.
Aggregate net income increased 6.3 percent to SR22.2 billion ($5.9 billion), while return on equity strengthened by 44 basis points to 15.3 percent and return on assets edged up to 2.1 percent.
The strong quarterly performance detailed in A&M’s KSA Banking Pulse coincides with a broader surge in credit expansion across the sector.
According to data from the Saudi Central Bank, the Kingdom’s bank outstanding loan portfolio rose to SR3.13 trillion at the end of April, reflecting a 16.51 percent increase over the past year and marking the fastest annual growth rate since mid-2021.
The data shows that approximately SR443 billion in new credit was issued over the past 12 months, highlighting how the Kingdom’s project-driven growth model is reshaping bank balance sheets. Real estate developers remain the largest borrowers, accounting for 21.77 percent of total corporate credit.
The analysis further underscored that impairment charges declined by 15.8 percent, alleviating margin pressures associated with interest rate normalization.
Non-interest income rose to 23 percent of total operating income in the first quarter, signaling progress in revenue diversification.
The cost of risk improved to 0.27 percent, down from 0.34 percent in the prior quarter, while the capital adequacy ratio remained robust at 19.3 percent.
Yield on credit moderated to 8 percent in the first quarter, down from 8.4 percent in the prior period, while the cost of funds declined to 3.3 percent.
The net interest margin edged slightly lower to 2.87 percent from 2.94 percent, reflecting ongoing margin pressures amid interest rate normalization.
The coverage ratio decreased to 154.8 percent, and operating income relative to total assets remained stable at 3.6 percent. Return on risk-weighted assets was unchanged at 2.7 percent quarter on quarter.
Asad Ahmed, A&M managing director, Financial Services, added: “The uptick in lending and deposit mobilization reflects improving business confidence and a rebalancing of liquidity across the sector.”
“While margin pressures persist amid interest rate normalization, the decline in impairments and growth in fee-based income indicate that banks are diversifying their revenue streams and adapting effectively to the evolving environment,” he added.
Saudi Ministry of Energy, UN ink deal to propel regional emissions cooperation
Updated 33 min 37 sec ago
Reem Walid
RIYADH: Middle East and North Africa countries are set to benefit from enhanced clean energy cooperation following an agreement between Saudi Arabia and the UN Environment Programme to accelerate emissions reduction.
The memorandum of understanding, signed in Riyadh by Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, seeks to support MENA nations through the promotion of clean energy technologies, development of climate policy frameworks, and knowledge exchange to advance sustainable development, according to an official release.
The initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Middle East Green Initiative, a regional platform launched to combat climate change and reduce emissions by over 60 percent from hydrocarbon production across participating countries. The initiative aims to cut 670 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent to 10 percent of global nationally determined contributions when first announced in 2021.
The ministry release stated: “The MoU reflects shared goals to enhance resource efficiency and lower carbon emissions through a comprehensive, balanced and sustainable approach.”
It added: “Areas of cooperation include policy research and recommendations, partnerships with international organizations, participation in climate and CCE-related events, exchange of knowledge and best practices, and the development of climate policy frameworks, supported by regional and global climate networking activities.”
During the meeting, the two sides also held talks over advancing the objectives of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.
“The two sides also discussed Saudi Arabia’s climate initiatives, including the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, as well as other efforts undertaken by the Kingdom to expand renewable energy and reduce emissions through the Circular Carbon Economy framework,” the release added.
The MoU supports wider regional efforts to unlock renewable potential. MENA currently contributes less than 8 percent of global emissions from power and heat generation and is aiming to grow its clean energy capacity from under 50 gigawatts in 2022 to 200 GW by 2030, according to a June 2024 report by the International Energy Agency.
The IEA report also highlighted that the region — led by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Algeria — is experiencing the fastest relative growth in renewable energy, scaling at 4.5 times its current base due to ambitious national targets.
The MENA region holds substantial hydrocarbon reserves alongside significant renewable energy potential, positioning it as a strategically important player in the global shift toward sustainable energy, according to the Natural Resource Governance Institute.
Governments across the region are adopting a dual-energy strategy — leveraging both fossil fuels and renewables — to reduce emissions while bolstering energy security.
Enhanced regional collaboration is critical to developing interconnected energy systems, boosting economic competitiveness, and securing reliable access to international energy markets.
Syria to expand stock trading week, launch market reforms to boost investment
Updated 59 min 1 sec ago
MOHAMMED AL-KINANI
JEDDAH: Syria is set to expand stock market trading to five days a week starting in July, part of a broader push to modernize its exchange and attract more investors, officials said.
Finance Minister Mohammad Yasser Barnieh said the Damascus Securities Exchange will implement a development plan aimed at boosting market activity and listings, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency.
Barnieh announced in a LinkedIn post that the exchange will hold a general assembly meeting in September to elect a new board of directors.
The SANA report stated the minister explained that, in collaboration with the new board, the Capital Market Authority, and specialized experts, a comprehensive development plan will be launched.
The report added: “This plan aims to expand the supply side of securities and create favorable conditions for the listing of more family-owned businesses, private universities, and other companies and institutions.”
The minister also noted that the plan involves introducing new financial instruments and investment services aimed at stimulating market demand.
The exchange resumed trading on June 2 after a six-month suspension, with the reopening attended by government officials and key players in the financial sector.
In an earlier statement, Barnieh said the exchange would operate as a private company and become a key platform for Syria’s economic development with a focus on digital transformation.
The planned reforms come as the country looks to revive its battered economy and rebuild investor confidence after years of conflict, sanctions, and financial isolation.
The government is seeking to modernize capital markets as part of wider efforts to attract private investment and stimulate post-war reconstruction.
Saudi Arabia imposes anti-dumping duties on stainless steel imports from China, Taiwan
Duties target pipes with longitudinally welded circular sections
Measure follows final results of investigation launched in May 2024
Updated 58 min 24 sec ago
REEM WALID
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is set to impose final anti-dumping duties on imports of steel and stainless steel pipes originating from China and Taiwan, effective June 30, for a period of five years.
The duties, issued by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kingdom’s General Authority of Foreign Trade Majid Al-Qassabi, specifically target pipes with longitudinally welded circular sections, according to a statement.
This reflects Saudi Arabia’s goal to enhance the competitiveness of national products, attract investment, and foster new industries, ultimately contributing to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.
It also aligns with the fact that Saudi Arabia’s real gross domestic product grew by 3.4 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to estimates by the General Authority for Statistics.
In terms of duty rates, the newly released statement said: “People’s Republic of China: ranged from 6.5 percent to 24.6 percent of CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) value not less than 1.750 to 4.111 per kilogram.”
It added: “Taiwan: ranged from 23.7 percent to 27.3 percent of CIF value, not less than 2.822 to 3.141 per kilogram.”
The Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority has been directed to implement and collect duties ranging from 6.5 percent to 27.3 percent, depending on the manufacturer, as detailed in the official announcement, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
“The measure follows the final results of an investigation launched on May 2, 2024, after the local industry submitted a formal complaint. The investigation was conducted in accordance with the Law of Trade Remedies in International Trade and its executive regulations, designed to protect the domestic market from unfair trade practices such as dumping,” SPA said.
It added: “GAFT emphasized that this step is part of broader efforts to safeguard national industries, enhance the Kingdom’s position in global trade, and contribute to the country’s economic growth.”
The Kingdom’s anti-dumping duties aim to protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices by foreign exporters. Specifically, they seek to protect local businesses from the adverse effects of dumping and subsidized imports.
These measures also help prevent surges in imports that could harm domestic industries and protect Saudi exports from similar trade-remedy measures imposed by other countries.
In June 2024, ZATCA relaxed the temporary admission regulations for heavy machinery and equipment. This policy change benefits international contractors working on major infrastructure projects by reducing customs duties on temporary imports and eliminating the need for frequent renewals, thereby facilitating smoother and more cost-effective project execution.
