Saudi Arabia continues to display strong economic momentum as POS spending trends remain above $3 billion for the fourth week. This consistent level suggests stable purchase behavior and growing consumer confidence.
In total, point-of-sale transactions reached SR12.19 billion, equal to roughly $3.25 billion. Although the weekly total dipped 7.1 percent, POS spending trends still held steady. Therefore, the broader economy shows signs of resilience despite minor fluctuations.
Moreover, hotel spending rose by 2.1 percent to SR287.44 million. Even though hotel transactions declined slightly, the increase in total value contributed positively to weekly point-of-sale activity.
Meanwhile, other sectors experienced noticeable declines. Clothing and footwear dropped by 13 percent to SR719.45 million. Communications followed with a 12.5 percent drop to SR102.94 million. As a result, shifts in retail transaction trends impacted multiple sectors at once.
Restaurants and cafes, despite being the top spending category, fell 6.9 percent to SR1.79 billion. In addition, food and beverages saw a 6.6 percent decrease to SR1.73 billion. Still, both remained dominant contributors to POS spending trends.
Miscellaneous goods and services declined by 9.9 percent to SR1.36 billion. Combined, the top three sectors accounted for SR4.88 billion. Consequently, these groups continue to anchor overall consumer payment patterns across Saudi Arabia.
Although most sectors declined, a few showed minimal change. Building materials fell only 0.2 percent to SR330.02 million. Transportation decreased by just 0.6 percent to SR718.02 million. These categories helped soften broader drops in sales patterns.
Health and furniture sectors declined by 8.1 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively. Jewelry spending dropped 11.7 percent, while recreation and culture also fell by 9.9 percent. Even so, overall POS spending trends remained robust compared to long-term benchmarks.
Regionally, Riyadh led in total transaction value. Spending there reached SR4.20 billion, despite a 6 percent decrease. Jeddah followed with SR1.76 billion, down 7.2 percent. Dammam ranked third at SR582.99 million after a 6.9 percent drop.
Additionally, Abha showed strong stability, declining only 1.1 percent to SR207.48 million. Makkah saw a 4.5 percent decrease to SR507.03 million. Hail and Tabuk recorded transaction drops of 7.6 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively.
In conclusion, POS spending trends in Saudi Arabia demonstrate consistent strength. Despite weekly declines in many sectors, consumer activity stays high. Therefore, Saudi markets continue moving with confidence and stability.
