1.  Saudi banks extended loans totaling SR2.65 trillion ($706.3 billion) in February, marking an 11 percent rise from the same month in 2023, according to the latest official data.
2.  Figures released by the Kingdom’s central bank, also known as SAMA, showed an increase in personal borrowings accounted for 32 percent of this growth, while the remaining 68 percent was attributed to the expansion of corporate lending, particularly for real estate activities, as well as electricity, gas, and water supplies.
3.  Real estate financing for corporate dealings specifically surged by 26.4 percent in the second month of the year, marking the highest annual growth rate in 9 months, reaching SR271.18 billion.
4.  Personal loans, which include all types of credit provided to individuals, amounted to SR1.26 trillion, showing an annual rise of 7.2 percent.
5.  Lending for real estate in February was followed closely by wholesale and retail trade at 13.32 percent, amounting to SR185.23 billion, with manufacturing activities making up 12.6 percent of corporate lending, totaling SR175.1 billion.
6.  Based on data from SAMA, financing for professional, scientific, and technical activities soared by 56 percent, hitting SR6.49 billion, marking the highest growth rate among sectors.
7.  Education loans also showed robust growth, with an annual increase of 31 percent to reach SR6.17 billion. Additionally, financing for administrative and support service activities rose by 29 percent, totaling around SR35 billion.