Amman, Oct. 1 (Petra) -- The national economy grew 3 percent in the second quarter of 2026, accelerating from 2.8 percent a year earlier as manufacturing, agriculture and other productive sectors drove a broad-based expansion despite heightened regional disruptions.
The second-quarter rate was the highest recorded in years and came amid pressures on regional energy flows, trade, tourism, transport and supply chains. Economists told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the figures point to greater resilience, particularly as Jordan imports most of its energy and remains exposed to regional economic disruptions.
They said the strength of the latest performance lies not only in the headline GDP figure but also in the breadth of growth across the economy, with 19 of the 20 sectors covered by the national accounts recording positive expansion.
Manufacturing grew 6.2 percent and made the largest contribution to overall GDP growth at 1.04 percentage points, while agriculture expanded 7.8 percent and electricity rose 5 percent.
Banking expert Mohsen Abu Awad said the figures show the economy maintaining a positive growth trajectory despite elevated geopolitical risks and uncertainty.
He said stronger manufacturing, agricultural and electricity activity reflected a tangible improvement in productive sectors, with manufacturing in particular playing a growing role in generating added value.
Abu Awad also highlighted the role of the Central Bank of Jordan in maintaining monetary and financial stability and confidence in the banking system, providing an environment that supports financing for economic and investment activity.
Sustaining the momentum will require continued coordination between fiscal and monetary policies, greater productive investment, higher productivity and stronger export capacity, he said.
The focus in the next stage, Abu Awad added, should be on translating GDP expansion into increased private investment, a broader productive base, higher employment and stronger household incomes.
University of Jordan economics professor Raad Al-Tal said the second-quarter performance indicates that the economy has maintained a stable growth path despite regional pressures affecting trade, tourism, investment and supply chains.
Manufacturing was among the strongest indicators, he said, with the sector accounting for 17.2 percent of GDP at constant prices.
Al-Tal said growth in agriculture, electricity and water, which expanded 4.1 percent, also showed that economic momentum was spread across several productive activities.
Maintaining that performance will depend on further support for productive sectors, particularly manufacturing, and improving their ability to invest, expand and access export markets, he added.
Financial and economic expert Mohammad Al-Hadab Al-Sarhan said the breadth of the expansion was particularly significant because growth was not dependent on a single sector.
Activity increased across production, services, trade, transport and financial services, reducing reliance on one economic engine and strengthening the economy's ability to withstand external shocks, he said.
Al-Sarhan said faster growth will require building on sectors already performing strongly while addressing constraints facing slower industries through investment, productivity gains, lower energy and transport costs and access to larger markets.
He said the performance comes amid efforts led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, follow-up by HRH Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II on economic and investment priorities, and government implementation of the Economic Modernisation Vision.
Economic and financial expert Mohammad Abdulqader said the second-quarter result also forms part of a longer upward trend in real GDP growth.
The economy expanded 2.5 percent in the second quarter of 2024, 2.8 percent in the same period of 2025 and 3 percent this year, indicating a gradual improvement rather than a one-quarter surge, he said.
Abdulqader noted that manufacturing generated about 35 percent of total second-quarter growth, while agriculture contributed 0.34 percentage points. Trade, transport, financial services, education and electricity also made positive contributions.
He said the figures were achieved against an unusually difficult regional backdrop in 2026, with conflict and disruptions to energy and trade routes, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, putting pressure on economies across the region.
The International Monetary Fund lowered its growth forecast for the Middle East and Central Asia to 0.7 percent this year amid disruptions to energy production and transportation, while Jordan recorded 3 percent real GDP growth in the second quarter, Abdulqader said.
He added that the Kingdom's second-quarter rate was broadly in line with the IMF's projection of around 3 percent for global economic growth this year.
The next challenge, he said, is to move toward higher and more sustainable growth by expanding value-added productive sectors and translating higher output into investment, employment, productivity gains and stronger real incomes.
//Petra// RZ
