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Service news and financial news, analysis, opinion and stats covering the 6 Gulf Corporation Council members Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Economic development across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is set to accelerate in 2026, with the area forecasted to outshine its 2025 performance despite muted oil incomes and continuous worldwide unpredictabilities. According to a new Oxford Economics research instruction, GCC GDP growth is expected to increase to 4.4 percent in 2026, up from 4 per cent in 2025, reflecting a resilient nonenergy sector, strong customer dynamics, and slowly improving oil output.

The most current projections suggest that Gulf economies are now wellpositioned to restore momentum, buoyed by strengthening domestic need and a broadly steady global backdrop. The report highlights GCC consumers as a significant driver of the area's economic performance heading into next year. Low inflation, robust labour markets, and growing genuine disposable earnings are expected to sustain a rise in consumer spending throughout the Gulf.

Credit development is also anticipated to stay elevated as access to financial services expands. With GCC main banks expected to follow awaited United States Federal Reserve rate cuts due to the region's dollar pegs, borrowing costs are likely to decrease, giving families and organizations further incentive to spend and invest. While the nonoil sector continues to anchor the region's durability, the GCC's hydrocarbon outlook provides a mixed photo.

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This could weigh on firsthalf development, especially for economies more based on oil extraction. Oxford Economics forecasts a rebound later in 2026, with Opec+ members expected to resume raising production as inventories tighten up and global need improves. Qatar, on the other hand, stands apart as a local outperformer, with considerable growths in gas production and exports anticipated to raise its total economic performance.

Saudi Arabia's 2026 spending plan prepares for a 6 per cent cut in capital investment as the kingdom aims to narrow its fiscal deficit by 2 portion points. The report keeps in mind that these cuts may not materialise totally if countercyclical costs steps are activated to support development. By contrast, more diversified economies such as the UAE and Qatar are anticipated to continue advancing their advancement agendas.

Regardless of shortterm threats tied to oil rates and worldwide need, the GCC's 2026 economic outlook is defined by strength in fundamentals: durable consumers, robust nonenergy sectors, enhancing oil dynamics, and tactical fiscal planning. With these aspects lining up, the region is getting ready for one of its most balanced periods of expansion in the last few years anchored by a clear upward trajectory in GDP growth.

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RIYADH: Gulf Cooperation Council local economies are expected to remain resilient in 2026, driven by strong domestic need and a broadly stable international economy, according to an analysis. In its most current report, Oxford Economics highlighted that the genuine gdp of the GCC region is anticipated to broaden by 4.4 percent in 2026, up from the projected 4 percent this year.

US trade policy under President Donald Trump has actually had no notable effect on regional development, and non-energy sectors have sustained their robust momentum," stated Oxford Economics. It included: "Meanwhile, oil production has gradually increased, supplying an increase to the area's economies. We anticipate GCC growth will rise to 4.4 percent in 2026, from 4 percent this year."In November, the GCC Statistical Center stated that financial growth in the region is set to accelerate to 4.3 percent by 2027, driven by broadening non-oil sectors.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Non-oil activities represented 73.2 percent of total GDP, up from 70.6 percent at the end of 2024, highlighting the region's ongoing development toward diversification. According to Oxford Economics, GCC customers will be standout performers in 2026 and are anticipated to exceed their global peers. Oxford Economics stated that low inflation has actually helped secure growth in genuine disposable earnings, which has also been supported by strong demand and extremely low unemployment rates."We do not envision any let-up, as governments continue to press for higher foreign direct financial investment in their push to diversify their economies away from oil and gas," the report added.

In December, the IMF further stated that headline inflation is anticipated to stay below 2 percent in Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar, near 2 percent in the Kingdom and the UAE, and a little above 2 percent in Kuwait in 20252026. According to Oxford Economics, credit development is expected to stay elevated in the GCC area throughout 2026, as access to monetary services is expected to grow and lending is projected to be supported by further cuts in rates of interest."Owing to their currency pegs to the United States dollar, GCC main banks are anticipated to follow the United States Federal Reserve by alleviating financial policy even more, which in turn will lower financial obligation servicing costs and enhance disposable income and need," said the report.