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Immediate VIEW-Saudi Arabia sees budget deficit of $27 bln in 2025

Saudi Arabia authorized its 2025 budget on Tuesday, which forecasts a financial deficit of $ 26.88 billion or 2.3% of GDP next year, as it bolsters costs on its financial improvement goals, amidst drawback dangers to profits forecasts. Following are remarks from Saudi Arabia's crown prince, financing minister, financial experts and analysts:

MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CROWN PRINCE, PRIME MINISTER as priced quote by state news agency medspa

The positive indicators of the Saudi economy are a result of the ongoing reforms under vision 2030.

The Kingdom is predicted to have the second-fastest GDP growth rate amongst major economies next year, approximated at 4.6%. This development is fuelled by the increasing contribution of non-oil activities, which reached a record 52% in 2024.

The financial reforms executed by the Kingdom, through the federal government's adoption of monetary policies that keep monetary sustainability and effective financial preparation, have favorably impacted its credit ratings.

MOHAMMED AL JADAAN, MINISTER OF FINANCE

The outcomes to date verify the success of financial and financial reforms, which will continue to boost thorough financial growth and establish public finance management, focusing on enhancing the quality of services offered to residents, residents, and visitors.

We will continue preserving the Kingdom's monetary position and attaining fiscal sustainability by maintaining sustainable levels of public debt and substantial government reserves.

The Kingdom will continue expanding strategic costs, supporting economic diversity, and allowing the private sector.

JAMES SWANSTON, EMERGING MARKETS ECONOMIC EXPERT AT CAPITAL ECONOMICS:

The approved 2025 Budget didn't spring a lot of surprises offered the Pre-Budget Declaration delivered a month ago, but it verified that authorities' turn to fiscal combination is here.

Government spending will be cut by 4.5% in 2025, compared to actual spending in 2024. The breakdown showed that present expenses are being cut by 4%, with the biggest cuts coming to items and services and other expenses, however there is also an extra 7% cut to capital investment.

The latter we thought would happen provided the remarks from officials before on scaling back expectations of gigaprojects and the previous kind in 2014-16 of the Kingdom paring back capital expenditure costs during durations of lower oil rates.

MONICA MALIK, CHIEF ECONOMIST AT ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK:

The budget plan points to federal government spending still providing significant support to the economy, with general expense will still stay high. This is despite a prepared contraction in federal government spending in 2025, which we do not view as a sharp retrenchment.

The focus staying on progressing with the transformation plan and the investment program, while recognizing a contained deficit. This stance should lead to a progressive build up in government financial obligation, consequently maintaining Saudi Arabia's strong basics.

JUSTIN ALEXANDER, DIRECTOR AT KHALIJ ECONOMICS:

From the numbers themselves there isn't much change in the story - the state stays comfortable with deficit financing, as well it might provided strong need for its debt and an upgrade back to double A status. Still, spending is being managed in some essential locations such as salaries.

If the budget assumes the current OPEC+ taper, comparable to a 7% boost in crude on average, then this decline in income indicates either substantially lower costs or a decrease in Aramco dividends - possible a combination of the 2.

(source: Reuters)