CAIRO, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has lowered its growth forecast and expects to post a budget deficit this year rather than an earlier projected surplus, a preliminary budget statement showed on Saturday.
The largest Arab economy expects real gross domestic product to grow by 0.03% this year, the document released by the ministry of finance showed, compared with a previous forecast for growth of 3.1%.
Total revenue is now expected to be 1.180 trillion riyals ($314.64 billion) and government spending is forecast to be 1.262 trillion riyals.
Oil prices remain below last year’s average of $100 a barrel.
It said “limited budget deficits” would continue in the medium term due to expansionary spending policies and conservative revenue estimates.
Saudi Arabia’s economy grew 8.7% last year on the back of high oil prices, allowing it to record its first budget surplus in almost a decade
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