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Company news and financial news, analysis, viewpoint and statistics covering the 6 Gulf Corporation Council members Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Financial development across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is set to accelerate in 2026, with the area forecasted to exceed its 2025 efficiency regardless of soft oil revenues and ongoing international uncertainties. According to a brand-new Oxford Economics research briefing, GCC GDP growth is expected to rise to 4.4 percent in 2026, up from 4 percent in 2025, reflecting a resistant nonenergy sector, strong customer characteristics, and slowly improving oil output.

But the latest projections recommend that Gulf economies are now wellpositioned to restore momentum, buoyed by reinforcing domestic need and a broadly constant international backdrop. The report highlights GCC consumers as a significant motorist of the region's economic performance heading into next year. Low inflation, robust labour markets, and growing real non reusable incomes are expected to fuel a rise in consumer spending throughout the Gulf.

Credit development is likewise anticipated to remain raised as access to monetary services broadens. With GCC reserve banks anticipated to follow anticipated United States Federal Reserve rate cuts due to the area's dollar pegs, borrowing costs are most likely to decrease, providing families and organizations further incentive to spend and invest. While the nonoil sector continues to anchor the area's durability, the GCC's hydrocarbon outlook provides a blended picture.

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This might weigh on firsthalf growth, particularly for economies more reliant on oil extraction. However, Oxford Economics predicts a rebound later on in 2026, with Opec+ members expected to resume raising production as stocks tighten and worldwide need improves. Qatar, meanwhile, stands apart as a local outperformer, with significant growths in gas production and exports expected to raise its total economic performance.

Saudi Arabia's 2026 spending plan prepares for a 6 percent cut in capital expenditure as the kingdom aims to narrow its fiscal deficit by 2 portion points. The report keeps in mind that these cuts may not materialise completely if countercyclical spending steps are activated to support development. By contrast, more varied economies such as the UAE and Qatar are expected to continue advancing their development programs.

Regardless of shortterm threats connected to oil costs and global demand, the GCC's 2026 economic outlook is defined by strength in basics: durable consumers, robust nonenergy sectors, enhancing oil dynamics, and strategic fiscal preparation. With these elements lining up, the region is getting ready for one of its most well balanced periods of growth in the last few years anchored by a clear upward trajectory in GDP development.

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RIYADH: Gulf Cooperation Council regional economies are expected to stay resistant in 2026, driven by strong domestic demand and a broadly stable worldwide economy, according to an analysis. In its newest report, Oxford Economics highlighted that the genuine gross domestic product of the GCC area is expected to expand by 4.4 percent in 2026, up from the projected 4 percent this year.

We expect GCC development will increase to 4.4 percent in 2026, from 4 percent this year."In November, the GCC Statistical Center stated that financial development in the region is set to speed up to 4.3 percent by 2027, driven by expanding 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 area's ongoing development towards diversification. According to Oxford Economics, GCC consumers will be standout performers in 2026 and are expected to exceed their global peers. Oxford Economics said that low inflation has actually helped secure development in genuine non reusable earnings, which has likewise been supported by strong need and really low joblessness rates."We do not picture any let-up, as governments continue to promote greater foreign direct financial investment in their push to diversify their economies far from oil and gas," the report included.

In December, the IMF even more said that headline inflation is anticipated to remain listed below 2 percent in Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar, close to 2 percent in the Kingdom and the UAE, and somewhat above 2 percent in Kuwait in 20252026. According to Oxford Economics, credit growth is expected to stay raised in the GCC area during 2026, as access to monetary services is anticipated to grow and lending is projected to be supported by further cuts in rate of interest."Owing to their currency pegs to the United States dollar, GCC reserve banks are anticipated to follow the United States Federal Reserve by easing monetary policy further, which in turn will decrease debt maintenance expenses and enhance non reusable income and need," stated the report.