“Chamber”: GDP growth 2.7 % and an unprecedented joke with Qatar, with an increase of 164 %

Zahra Habib

• Saudi Arabia is the first destination for exports .. Australia tops import partners thanks to aluminum oxide

• Aluminum alloys and iron materials are at the forefront of Bahrain’s commodity exports

• Nice growth in electronic payments and “immediate” transfers

• Manama enters the smart city index for the first time and achieves 36th in the world

The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued its separation report for the first quarter of 2025, which revealed the registration of the national economy remarkably in the real GDP by 2.7% on an annual basis, driven by an increase of 2.2% in the non -oil sectors, and the rise in trade between Bahrain and Qatar by up to 164%.

It is expected that the investment will refer to 22.5% in 2026 in the advanced economies, while it is expected that the public governmental revenues will settle for 45.7% in 2024, 2025 and 2026 in European Union, and that is the expectation of the expectations of the report of the global economic horizons The issued by the international criticism in Actober 2024.

Residence and food services activities recorded the highest growth rate of 10.3%, followed by financial activities and insurance by 7.5%, then the construction sector by 5.4%, so that the financial and insurance activities sector remains the largest shareholder in the GDP by 17.4%

The report pointed to the decrease in trade between the Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries with a rate of 10% of 2.38 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2024 to 2.14 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2025, as well as “Forery+” transactions increased by 11%, from the side By 14% in the quarter for the same period in 2025, compared to the same period in the same year in 2024.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has registered a pilgrimage for trade exchange with the naval in the first quarter of 2025, and the trade of trade between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Nervies reached 1.2 million dollars in the first quarter of 2024 and reduced the 19 % rate to 944 million dollars in the quarter in the quarter. The first in 2025

Trade levels doubled between Qatar and the Bahrain at 164% of 73 million dollars in the first quarter of 2024 to 192 million dollars in the first quarter of the year. 2025

While the Arab Emirates achieved the second rank of the volume of commercial exchange with the two navies between the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the first quarter of the year. In the first quarter of the year 2025

While the trade of trade between the Bahraini and the Oman of Amman reached 115 million dollars in the first quarter of 2025, after it was estimated at 136 million dollars in the first quarter of 2024, which constitutes a 15%decrease.

The trade quadruple between the Bahrain and the Kuwaiti reduced 9%, of 101 million dollars in the first quarter of 2024 to 92 million dollars in the first quarter of 2025.

With regard to the field of import, Australia has strengthened its position to become the first trade partner of Bahrain during the first three months of 2025, with a value of imports of $ 595 million in the first quarter of 2025, and the main imported commodity was the other aluminum oxide, at a value of $ 566 million, which constitute 95% of total imports from Australia.

While China ranked second in terms of the largest import partner for Bahrain with a total value of $ 578 million, and the main imported commodities were smartphones, with a total value of $ 73 million, and this commodity represents 13 % of total imports from China.

The United Arab Emirates is the third largest import partner in the first quarter of 2025, with a total value of $ 317 million. Gold jewelry represents the main imported commodity of $ 69 million, and reaches 22 % of the total imports, followed by Brazil as the fourth largest import market for Bahrain with a total value of $ 307 million, and the raw materials and unlocked iron concentrations were the most prominent imported goods, at a value of $ 233 million.

The United States of America is ranked fifth as the largest import market for Bahrain, with total imports of $ 226 million, and the parts of the aircraft engines were the largest imported goods, worth $ 42 million, and constitutes 18% of the total imports from the United States.

As for the export partners, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia maintained its position as the largest market for exports for Bahraini goods in the first quarter 2025, with the total value of exports amounted to 727 million dollars, and the first exporting commodity was an unbalanced aluminum alloys of $ 113 million, which represents 16 %of the total exports to Saudi Arabia.

The report indicated that the United Arab Emirates is the second largest export partner for Bahrain, with a total value of exports amounting to 479 million US dollars. The first exporting commodity was the raw materials and concentrations of iron that is worth $ 85 million, which represents 18 %of exports.

The United States is the third largest export partner for Bahrain, with a total value of exports of $ 262 million. The first exporting commodity was an unbalanced aluminum alloys worth $ 124 million, which represents 47% of exports to the United States.

While the total exports to Qatar amounted to 179 million dollars, and the raw materials and concentrations of the flexible iron were the most prominent exported goods, at a value of 143 million dollars.

The Netherlands came the fifth largest export partner for Bahrain in the first quarter of 2025, when the total exports value reached 129 million dollars, and the most prominent exported goods were uncompromising aluminum alloys, at a value of $ 61 million.

The separation report touched on the most important goods imported in the first quarter of 2025, as follows: Aluminum oxide, with a total value of $ 604 million. Followed by unjust iron raw materials and aircraft engines, with a total value of 328 million dollars and $ 171 million, respectively.

While the non -problem aluminum alloys formed the most prominent commodities exported in the first quarter of 2025, with a total value of $ 733 million, while the raw materials and conjunctivities of the iron and aluminum wires, non -mixed, were occupied by a thickness of more than 7 mm, the second and third ranks, respectively, with a total value of 456 million dollars and 134 million dollars, respectively.

The report confirmed the increase in the consumer price index in March 2025, compared to March of last year by 0.1%, and the most prominent changes in the year were:

– The prices of the restaurants and hotels group by 3.9%

– The price of the transportation group increased by 3.6 %

– The price of the communications group increased by 3.2 %

– The prices of the collection of furniture, home appliances and regular maintenance work for homes by 2.2%.

The report pointed to the low interest rates on commercial loans in all sectors in the first quarter of 2025 on an annual basis, as the interest rate in the construction and real estate sector decreased from 9.68% in the first quarter of 2024 to 7.61% in the same period in 2025.

The interest rate in the manufacturing sector also decreased from 7.34% in the first quarter of 2024 to 4.81% in the first quarter of 2025, and interest rates in the trade sector decreased from 8.10% in the first quarter of 2024 to 6.56% in the first quarter of 2025.

The withdrawals from the ATMs also recorded a decrease from 286.4 million dinars in the first quarter of 2024 to 258.3 million dinars in the first quarter of 2025, met by the increase in the value of the sales and electronic trade points from 1.097 billion dinars in the first quarter of 2024 to 1.253 billion dinars in the first quarter of 2025.

The value of the sales and electronic trade points in the supermarket sector increased from 111 million dinars in the first quarter of 2024 to 133 million dinars for the same period in 2025.

The jewelry sector recorded a decrease in the value of electronic sales and trade points by 4%, from 40 million dinars in the first quarter of 2024 to 38 million dinars in the first quarter of 2025.

The report drew attention to the high value of electronic financial transfers through the “Fawry+” system by 11%, from two billion dinars in the first quarter of 2024 to 2.3 billion dinars in the first quarter of 2025.

The value of electronic financial transfers increased through an immediate system by 7% from 5.7 billion dinars in the first quarter of 2024 to 6.1 billion dinars in the first quarter of 2025, and the value of transactions through bills increased by 9% from 267 million dinars in the first quarter of 2024 to 290.7 million dinars in the first quarter of 2025.

The price of gold reached $ 3114.3 in March, 2025, compared to $ 1734.7 in March 2021.

Manama recorded its first presence in the Smart Cities Index 2025 issued by the International Institute for Administrative Development, a city, ranked 36 globally from 146 cities, and the fifth place in the Middle East and North Africa. This prominent presence reflects Bahrain’s growing focus on developing smart infrastructure and enhancing the course of digital transformation.

According to the Specific Index of Life 2025 issued by the Ceoworld Magazine, Bahrain ranked second in the Arab world and 36 globally from 196 countries, which places it in the “very high” category. This strong performance reflects Bahrain’s continuous commitment to promoting national welfare and social development.