Citizens and residents spent KD 5.6 billion at various point-of-sale transactions during the first six months of 2018.

According to official data released by the Central Bank of Kuwait, this is an increase of 16.2 percent to KD 787.5 million compared to KD 4.8 billion spent during the same period in 2017.

The figures show that the expenditures of citizens and residents through points of sale in Kuwait rose by 16.1 percent to KD 722.5 million, amounting to KD 5.1 billion during the first six months of the year, which is higher compared to the KD 4.4 billion spent during the same period last year.

Spending through points of sale overseas also saw an increase of 16.5 percent to KD 457 million in the first half of 2018, compared to KD 392 million in the same period last year.

The total amount withdrawn by citizens and residents through ATM machines has increased by 3.1 percent to KD 192.1 million. About KD 6.24 billion was withdrawn during the first six months of 2018 compared to KD 6.04 billion withdrawn during the same period last year.

Regarding online expenditures of citizens and residents inside Kuwait, it increased by 3.1 percent to KD 6.08 billion, which is an increase of KD 185.5 million compared to KD 5.8 billion during the same time in 2017. The volume of expenditure through ATMs abroad increased by 4.2 percent to KD 160.9 million during the first half of this year compared to KD 154.3 million during the same time last year.