Unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia drops to 5.5 percent

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Updated 16 December 2019
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Unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia drops to 5.5 percent

  • It revealed an increase in the participation rate of the total population, which scored 45.5 percent for the third quarter of 2019

RIYADH: The General Authority for Statistics has issued a labor market bulletin for the third quarter of 2019, showing that the unemployment rate decreased to 5.5 percent, compared to 5.6 percent for the second quarter of the same year.

The results showed a decrease in the unemployment rate for the total Saudi population to 12.0 percent, compared to 12.3 percent for the second quarter of the same year.

It also revealed an increase in the participation rate of the total population, which scored 45.5 percent for the third quarter of 2019, compared to 45 percent for the previous quarter, while the economic participation rate for Saudi women remained at 23.2 percent for both periods.

According to the bulletin, the total number of Saudi workers reached 3,100,812 employees, compared to 3,090,248 in the second quarter.

The Ministry of Civil Service and the Human Resources Development Fund said the total number of Saudis looking for jobs during the third quarter of 2019 was 1,025,328.


Closing Bell: Saudi stocks slip as Tadawul falls 1% amid broad market weakness

Updated 30 December 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi stocks slip as Tadawul falls 1% amid broad market weakness

RIYADH: Saudi stocks fell sharply on Tuesday, with the Tadawul All Share Index closing down 108.14 points, or 1.03 percent, at 10,381.51.

The broader decline was reflected across major indices. The MSCI Tadawul 30 Index slipped 0.78 percent to 1,378.00, while Nomu, the parallel market index, fell 1 percent to 23,040.79.

Market breadth was strongly negative on the main board, with 237 stocks falling compared to just 24 gainers. Trading activity remained robust, with 164.7 million shares changing hands and a total traded value of SR3.19 billion ($850.6 million).

Among the gainers, SEDCO Capital REIT Fund led, rising 2.73 percent to SR6.77, followed by Chubb Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co., which gained 2.69 percent to SR20.20.

National Medical Care Co. added 1.72 percent to close at SR141.60, while Alyamamah Steel Industries Co. and Thimar Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing Co. advanced 1.57 percent and 1.13 percent, respectively.

Losses were led by Al Masar Al Shamil Education Co., which tumbled 8.36 percent to SR24.65. Raoom Trading Co.fell 6.75 percent to SR64.20, while Alkhaleej Training and Education Co. dropped 6.60 percent to SR18.12 and Naqi Water Co. declined 5.51 percent to SR54.00. Gulf General Cooperative Insurance Co. closed 5.44 percent lower at SR3.65.

On the announcement front, Chubb Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co. signed a multiyear insurance agreement with Saudi Electricity Co. to provide various coverages, expected to positively impact its financial results over the 2025–2026 period. The deal will run for three years and two months and is within the company’s normal course of business.

Meanwhile, Bupa Arabia for Cooperative Insurance Co. announced a one-year health insurance contract with Saudi National Bank, valued at SR330.2 million, covering the bank’s employees and their families from January 2026. Despite the sizable contract, Bupa Arabia shares fell 0.8 percent to close at SR137, weighed down by the broader market weakness.

In contrast, United Cooperative Assurance Co. revealed an extension of its engineering insurance agreement with Saudi Binladin Group for the Grand Mosque expansion in Makkah. The contract value exceeds 20 percent of the company’s gross written premiums based on its latest audited financials and is expected to support results through 2026. However, the stock came under selling pressure, ending the session down 4.51 percent at SR3.39.