AMMAN — The Jordan Investor Confidence Index rose 21.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2026 to 186.6 points, up from 153.1 points in the first quarter.

 

The quarterly index, published by the Jordan Strategy Forum (JSF), measures confidence in the national economy through three sub-indices covering economic activity, the monetary system and the financial system, Al Mamlaka reported.

 

The Economic Activity Confidence Index rose 74.3 per cent in the second quarter to 200 points, compared with 114.7 points in the first quarter, reaching its highest quarterly level in the past three years.

 

According to the data, real Gross Domestic Product growth reached 3 per cent in the second quarter, compared with 2.8 per cent in the same quarter of 2025 and 2.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.

 

The general budget deficit after grants stood at JD550.7 million in the second quarter, compared with JD722.3 million in the first quarter and JD541.3 million in the second quarter of 2025.

 

Foreign direct investment inflows reached JD457.5 million in the second quarter, the second-highest quarterly level recorded over the past three years.

 

The industrial production quantity index, however, fell to 87.5 points in the second quarter from 88.1 points in the first quarter, marking its third consecutive decline.

 

The Monetary System Confidence Index fell to 161.4 points in the second quarter from 182.8 points in the first quarter.

 

Total foreign reserves held by the Central Bank stood at JD18.49 billion in the second quarter, compared with JD19.01 billion in the first quarter. The interest rate differential between the Jordanian dinar and the US dollar stood at 2.0 percentage points.

 

The value of returned cheques reached approximately JD275 million in the second quarter, up from JD260.7 million in the first quarter.

 

The Financial System Confidence Index stood at 185 points in the second quarter, compared with 200 points in the first quarter.

 

The Amman Stock Exchange index gained 305 points to reach 7,517 points in the second quarter, up from 7,212 points in the first quarter.

 

The rate of growth in bank credit extended to the private sector rose to 1.3 per cent in the second quarter, compared with 1.2 per cent in the preceding quarter.

 

Meanwhile, the ratio of shares bought by foreign investors to shares sold on the Amman Stock Exchange fell to 79.2 per cent in the second quarter from 92.6 per cent in the first quarter.

 

According to the JSF, the index reflects ongoing efforts to increase investment and improve the Kingdom’s business environment, contributing to higher living standards for Jordanian citizens.