Saudi Arabia’s Jump in Debt Exceeds Even Era of Negative Oil

Oil prices have slumped around 20% since the end of March.

Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia’s debt levels jumped the most on record in the first quarter after the government revealed more borrowing in the private markets.

The country’s net indebtedness rose by about $30 billion, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance. That’s even more than at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, when oil prices briefly turned negative.