IMF now expects the Saudi economy to grow 7.9% in 2027
The IMF raised its 2027 forecast for Saudi Arabia from 5.5% to 7.9% in its October World Economic Outlook, but now sees the economy shrinking 3.3% this year.
The International Monetary Fund has raised its forecast for Saudi Arabia's economic growth in 2027 to 7.9%, up from the 5.5% it projected in July, in its October 2026 World Economic Outlook, Saudi Gazette and Argaam reported.
For 2026 the picture is weaker: the fund now expects the Saudi economy to shrink by 3.3%, where in July it forecast growth of 1.7%. It says the kingdom is more resilient than some economies in the region because it has several routes for its energy exports, and it expects activity across the region to pick up in 2027 as production, exports and shipping return to normal.
The IMF expects Saudi inflation to ease to 1.9% this year, from 2% in 2025, before rising to 2.2% in 2027. It sees global growth slowing to 3.1% in 2026 from 3.5% in 2025, then picking up to 3.4% in 2027.
For households, the forecast points to prices staying broadly stable, with inflation around 2% this year and next. A forecast is not a promise: the IMF updates these figures every few months, next in its January update, and the official figures for Saudi growth come from the General Authority for Statistics.