RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s international non-oil exports, including re-exports, saw a 10.7 percent year-on-year increase in January, according to new data.

Released by the General Authority for Statistics, the figures also show that national non-oil exports, excluding re-exports, rose by 13.1 percent during the same period.
Additionally, the value of re-exported goods grew by 5.7 percent year on year.

This aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goal of building a robust non-oil sector to transform the Kingdom’s economy and reduce its reliance on oil revenues. In November, Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Al-Ibrahim revealed that non-oil activities now account for 52 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

The GASTAT report said: “Meanwhile, merchandise exports increased by 2.4 percent in January 2025 compared to January 2024, while oil exports decreased by 0.4 percent. Consequently, the percentage of oil exports out of total exports decreased from 74.8 percent in January 2024 to 72.7 percent in January 2025.”

It added: “On the other hand, imports increased by 8.3 percent in January 2025, whereas the surplus of the merchandise trade balance decreased by 11.9 percent compared to January 2024.”

The data further indicated that the ratio of non-oil exports, including re-exports, to imports, increased to 36.5 percent in January 2025 from 35.7 percent in the corresponding month in 2024.

This is primarily linked to the rise in non-oil exports at a higher rate than the increase in imports, with non-oil exports increasing by 10.7 percent compared to an 8.3 percent surge in imports during the same period.

“Among the most important non-oil exports are ‘chemical products,’ which constituted 23.7 percent of the total non-oil exports, recording a 14.4 percent increase compared to January 2024. Followed by ‘plastics, rubber, and their products,’ which represented 23 percent of total non-oil exports, with a 10.5 percent increase compared to January 2024,” the report highlighted.

“However, the most important imported goods were “‘machinery, electrical equipment, and parts,’ which constituted 25.9 percent of total imports, rising by 27.4 percent compared to January 2024. Followed by ‘transportation equipment and parts,’ which represented 13.8 percent of total imports, with a 10.3 percent increase compared to January 2024,” it added.

The GASTAT data also disclosed that in January, China was the main destination for the Kingdom’s exports, amounting to 15.2 percent of the total.

India came next with 10.9 percent of total exports, and Japan followed with 10.2 percent of total exports.

South Korea, the UAE, and Egypt, as well as Bahrain, the US, Malaysia, and Singapore were among the top 10 export destinations. Together, exports to these countries account for 67.5 percent of the Kingdom’s total exports.

When it comes to the top customs for imports, the report explained that the King Abdulaziz Sea Port in Dammam is one of the most significant terminals through which goods crossed into Saudi Arabia, accounting for 28.8 percent of total imports in January.

Among the other major ports of entry for imports were Jeddah Islamic Sea Port with 23.1 percent, followed by King Khalid Int Airport in Riyadh with 12.4 percent, and King Abdulaziz Int. Airport with 8.6 percent, as well as King Fahad Int Airport in Dammam with 5.5 percent.

The report highlighted that these five ports together accounted for 78.4 percent of the Kingdom’s total merchandise imports.

JEDDAH: Qatar’s Lesha Bank has acquired a 210 million Qatari riyals ($57.65 million) stake in Edinburgh Airport, marking its debut in the global infrastructure investment market.

The bank, the first independent Shariah-compliant institution authorized by the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority, announced that the investment is being managed by a respected infrastructure fund manager.

This move aligns with the bank’s strategic focus on resilient asset classes and marks a significant step in its global infrastructure investment journey, according to a statement from Lesha Bank.

Lesha Bank CEO Mohammed Ismail Al-Emadi described the investment in Edinburgh Airport as a key milestone for the institution.

“As part of our infrastructure investment portfolio, we seek attractive investment opportunities that may drive long-term value. Our recent focus on aviation investments has been met with strong demand from our clients, given the sector’s robust growth potential,” he said.

The CEO, who has recently been featured in Forbes’ list of the top 40 asset managers in the Middle East for 2025, added that the collaboration with their business partners reinforces the bank’s commitment to delivering value for all stakeholders involved.

The institution also explained that the acquisition marks an important advancement in its aviation strategy following its recent purchase of multiple aircraft leased to a major airline.

The acquisition reinforces its commitment to expanding its aviation and infrastructure portfolio, with the investment structured through a Shariah-compliant financing arrangement, the bank, listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange, said in a filing on March 26.

Lesha Bank serves as an investment partner, offering premium financial opportunities and innovative solutions with a broad local, regional, and international reach. The institution continues to strengthen its position as a trusted advisor and gateway to opportunities in Qatar, the wider region, and global markets, with a particular focus on the US, Europe, and the MENA region.

The organization also offers high-net-worth individuals and corporates a range of innovative, tailor-made Islamic financial products and solutions covering alternative investments focused on real estate and private equity, along with private wealth, asset management, and investment banking advisory.

In January, the bank disclosed the interim financial statement for the 12-month period ending Dec. 31, 2024. The financial statements revealed a net profit of 128,165 million in comparison to 94,388 million for the same period of the previous year.