The International Monetary Fund now expects Saudi Arabia's economy to expand by 7.9% in 2027, compared with the 5.5% it projected in July — an upgrade of 2.4 percentage points, Saudi Gazette reported, citing the IMF's World Economic Outlook for October 2026.

For 2026, however, the fund changed its outlook from 1.7% growth to a 3.3% contraction. The IMF said the Saudi economy has proved more resilient to geopolitical instability than some other economies in the region.