GCC economy posts solid growth in Q3 2025

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economy maintained solid momentum in the third quarter of 2025, with nominal GDP reaching approximately US$595 billion, representing annual growth of 2.2 percent compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from GCC-Stat.

Founded in 1981, the GCC brings together six Gulf states - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, united by shared economic, political and cultural ties. Together, they form one of the world's most significant regional economic blocs, underpinned by vast hydrocarbon reserves and increasingly ambitious diversification agendas.

More significantly, real GDP, which strips out the effects of price changes, reached $474 billion, recording a stronger annual increase of 5.2 percent. All six member states posted positive real growth rates during the period, underscoring the region's broad-based economic resilience.

The figures point to meaningful progress in economic diversification. While oil and gas extraction remained the largest single contributor to nominal GDP at 22 percent, non-oil sectors collectively dominated the economic landscape. Manufacturing accounted for 12.4 percent of output, followed by wholesale and retail trade at 9.7 percent, construction at 8.4 percent, financial and insurance activities at 7 percent, and real estate at 5.8 percent.

The data suggests that diversification across the GCC is no longer simply a policy aspiration, it is increasingly reflected in the actual structure of these economies. 

The growing weight of manufacturing, trade, financial services and construction signals tangible progress in building sustainable growth drivers alongside the hydrocarbon sector.

The overall picture for Q3 2025 is one of balanced and sustained expansion: robust real growth, a gradually broadening economic base, and a measured yet deliberate shift away from oil dependency.