Because fewer dollars are flowing into the country from oil sales, Saudi Arabia is now paying more for imported goods and services than it receives from oil sales. As a result, its current account deficit reached $28 billion in the first half of the year, down from $40 billion quarterly surpluses for most of the past decade. Because hard currency is used to fund trade, the Saudi Arabian riyal, pegged to the dollar at a stable rate of 3.75 riyals, is under pressure as speculators bet the long-term fix to the dollar may break in a surprise move.