Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia’s PMI jumped to 55.3 in September 2026 from 53.8 in August, marking the sixth consecutive month in expansionary territory. This also marked the highest reading since February, driven by a sharp increase in new orders, which moved closer to its long-run average and signaling a recovery in demand after a softer period in mid-2026. Survey respondents cited higher client numbers and a growing volume of pending projects as key drivers of sales growth. Businesses also stepped up hiring, expanding sales and technical teams to support new investments and rising workloads. However, delivery times lengthened at the fastest pace in five months as supply chain disruptions persisted amid geopolitical uncertainty. On the cost front, input prices increased markedly, driven by higher material and transportation expenses. Firms responded by raising selling prices at a robust pace, with output charge inflation remaining among the strongest seen in more than six years.