Kuwaiti companies bank on growth as orders rise sharply

Kuwaiti companies reported the highest output growth in seven months in December, as the non-oil private sector ended 2025 on a positive note.

The headline S&P Global Kuwait Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 54 in December, up from 53.4 in November, reflecting the growing strength of the non-oil private sector.

A PMI score above 50 represents growth, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

The Kuwaiti non-oil private sector has been building growth momentum through the final quarter of 2025 and is in a strong position as 2026 gets underway, Andrew Harker, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said in a report.

“Companies are buoyant about prospects for the coming year, with business optimism among the highest since the survey began in 2018,” he said.

New orders increased for the 35th consecutive month in December, with the rate of expansion fastest since last May.

Moreover, non-oil companies were increasingly optimistic that output would expand over the coming year, the report said, adding sentiment reached a two-year high in December.

New orders drove employment for the tenth month in a row in December, as the job creation rate was the fastest since June.

However, inflationary pressures remain a potential headwind, driven by rising demand for materials and higher staffing levels, S&P said.

Further reading:

• Bank Muscat closes its branch in Kuwait
• Kuwait awards $4bn port contract to Chinese company
• Kuwait oil production costs up more than 1,200% since 2000