" SATEP " : NON-OIL PRIVATE SECTOR CONTINUES TO GROW IN KUWAIT

The Purchasing Managers' Index for Kuwait, issued monthly by S&P Global, revealed the continued growth of the non-oil private sector in Kuwait at the end of the third quarter of the year, driven by marketing efforts... At the same time, corporate confidence rose to its highest level in 7 months. The results of the “S&P” survey showed that efforts to deal with increasing workloads prompted companies to increase the number of employees and the activity of purchasing inputs again at a rapid pace. In contrast, the inflation of input costs (all the goods, services, and resources that the company needs in order to produce or provide its services), while the prices of outputs (what the company produces or provides to its customers in exchange for sale, that is, the goods or services that the company provides) accelerated at a slower pace.

A little. Composite IndexThe main Kuwait Purchasing Managers' Index (S&P Global Kuwait PMI®) is a composite index to measure the performance of the non-oil private sector, and is based on indicators of new orders, production, employment, supplier delivery times and purchase inventories. The main index recorded 52.4 points in September, remaining above the level of 50 points, which separates growth from contraction, for the third month in a row, indicating continued improvement in business conditions in the non-oil private sector. However, the rate of improvement was lower than in August, when the index reached 53.6 points. Marketing and Pricing The success of marketing strategies was a factor, while competitive pricing also contributed to securing new business, the survey said.

Both production and new orders rose for the third month in a row, albeit at lower rates than in August. Growth in total new orders was also supported by a rise in new export orders for the second month in a row, with their growth rate accelerating to the highest level in 7 months. On the outlook front, announcements and price discounts, along with companies’ plans to expand their product range and hopes not to impose restrictions on air travel, contributed to supporting confidence about business activity during the next 12 months. Business sentiment strengthened for the third month on Respectively, recording its highest level since February, that is, just before the outbreak of war in the region. Employment and Purchasing The desire to meet customer requirements in a timely manner prompted companies to increase employment levels and input purchasing activity during September. The increase in input purchasing activity maintained the rapid pace recorded in August, to be the strongest since the start of series data collection in September 2018, on par with November 2024.