GASTAT: Index of Industrial Production Increased during the Second Quarter of 2018 On its official website www.stats.gov.sa , GASTAT released the results of the industrial production survey for the second quarter of 2018. This survey measures the relative change or any developments in the quantities of commodities and material production. The survey results indicated an increase by 4.17% in the industrial production index during the second quarter of 2018, compared to the first quarter of the same year. The index registered 137.87 points during the second quarter, 2018.  As for the industrial production index activities, the mining and quarrying indicator rose by 1.89%, whereas the manufacturing production increased by 5.07%. However, the production of the electricity and gas supply registered an increase with 83.46% when compared to the first quarter of 2018. The results also showed an increase by 5.84% in all industrial activities compared to the second quarter of 2017. The growth in mining and quarrying production reached 1.95%, while the manufacturing production growth registered 16.44%. However, the production of electricity and gas supply decreased by 0.30%. In this context, industrial production means transforming raw material (inputs) into consuming material in its final shape as (outputs) so that the producing establishment may gain a profit in return. On the other hand, the extractive industries mean raw material extracted from the ground. They depend on non-renewable natural resources such as oil and mining. However, manufacturing concerns all industries whose activity is all about transforming raw material into final products or intermediate products. It is worth mentioning that the idea of index means the measurement of any change in a given value during a specific period of time called the comparison period which compares the values during different periods of times. The Industrial Production Index is considered the fourth statistical product that GASTAT conducts as an index. It is conducted after Consumer Price Index, Wholesale Prices Index, and Real-estate Prices Index.

Within GASTAT’s plan to raise statistical awareness among all society classes Qassim's Students Participate in Smart Statistician Exhibition The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), in cooperation with the General Directorate of Education in Qassim, organized the “Smart Statistician Exhibition” as a part of its plan to raise statistical awareness among all society classes, including the students of general and higher education. The exhibition was held at the student’s house in Buraydah Region during the period 26-29 Safar, 1440H with participation of more than 30 schools in the region to visit and participate.  The exhibition targeted the students in the higher classes of primary and intermediate school. It aims at clarifying the role of statistics in the life of students, in addition to explaining the statistical concepts, and raising the level of students’ awareness. Moreover, it presents the statistical process steps and stages in a simple and scientific way, and enhances the student’s realization of the statistician role. However, the exhibition demonstrates the impact of data accuracy provided by (establishments and households) on development, as the student is considered an effective method in raising households’ awareness. In the beginning of the exhibition, the students were asked to view an introductory video featuring statistics in general, then they visited the sections of the exhibition which contain significant information presented in an entertainment way.  The sections include information on the difference between statistics and mathematics, GASTAT’s role, and the role played by the student and household in the Authority’s work.  Additionally, the students learned the procedures of conducting filed statistical research through a practical experiment, where the student embodied the role of the “statistician”, and visited a household using an electronic form of field research in order to simulate the reality of being statistician. The exhibition opens from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm during weekdays. It involves a number of competitions, such as “Regions and Numbers Challenge”, to know the number of the region’s population, and the competition of “Statistical Signs” to boost the student's understanding of the importance of such signs in conducting census and statistical surveys. GASTAT also gave an awareness lecture on the importance of statistics hosted by the Department of Education in Unayzah Region in the presence of many students of governorate’s schools. However, during this week, Qassim University hosted the event of (We Share You Your Academic Journey) which targets university students, faculty members, and all university staff. This event presents the statistical products and services of the Authority, and explains how to use them to conduct academic studies and research.

GASTAT: Number of Saudi Workers Working at Private Establishments Rose to 5.7% On Wednesday 29/2/1440 H corresponding to 7/11/2018 , GASTAT released the results of the “Economic Indicators Survey (Q2, 2018)” on its official website www.stats.gov.sa . The results provide short-term indicators about the number of workers by gender and nationality as well as the paid compensations, operating expenses and operating revenues as a periodical study that focuses on the features and the components of the working institutions practicing one economic activity or several economic activities in public and private sectors. The results of the survey showed that the total number of workers working at private establishments increased by 3.6% compared to the same quarter of 2017. It also showed an increase of 5.7% in the total number of Saudi workers working at private establishments compared to the same quarter of 2017. In addition, the total paid compensations of workers working at private establishments rose to 8.9% compared to the same quarter of 2017, results showed. According to the survey’s results, the total operating expenses of private establishments increased by 10.2% compared to the same quarter of 2017. The total operating revenues of private establishments also increased by 9.9% compared to the same quarter of 2017.  Economic indicators are a set of economic statistics and data which can be used as a short-term plan to measure the performance of the various economic sectors in order to evaluate the economic situation and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of economy.

Three Economic Indicators Suggest an Economic Growth GASTAT: Per Capita GDP, Current Account of the Balance of Payments and Total Savings of the 2nd Quarter of 2018 Increased      On its official website www.statts.gov.sa , GASTAT published three economic indicators which are: GDP per capita  for the 2nd quarter (2018),  the surplus or deficit in the current account of the balance of payments for the 2nd quarter (2018), and the total savings index for the second quarter of 2018. Furthermore, per capita share at current prices reached (21.997) riyals with an increase of (14.91%) compared to the 2nd quarter of 2017. On the other hand, GDP per capita reached (22.272) riyals for the 2nd quarter of 2018 with an increase of (14.20%) compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The above-mentioned indicator reflects the individual’s ability to obtain consuming goods and services, shows the average income per capita in Saudi Arabia on a quarterly basis, also it can be used to measure the economic development around the world and to compare between countries as well, GASTAT clarified.    In regard to surplus and deficit in current account for the 2nd quarter of 2018, the current account indicator of the balance of payment achieved a surplus amounted to (9.82%) to GDP during the 2nd quarter of 2018; and the deficit was (3.24%) in the current account of the balance of payments in the 2nd quarter (2018).   GASTAT also published the total savings indicator for the second quarter of 2018 where it reached 242 billion and 497 million riyals with an increase of (29.13%) compared to the same period last year 187 billion and 793 million riyals. The total savings rate to GDP edged up to (33.09%) in the 2nd quarter of 2018 compared to (30.18%) in the same period of the previous year.