Business

Cooler Housing Prices Restore Balance to Saudi Real Estate Market

Business Residential units in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Cooler Housing Prices Restore Balance to Saudi Real Estate Market

A cooling in Saudi Arabia’s residential property prices signals a notable shift toward a more balanced and sustainable phase after years of rapid gains,…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business A nana store. (nana)

After Hundreds of Millions in Investments, Saudi Grocery App nana Faces Survival Test

Saudi Arabia’s commercial court has opened a new phase in the trajectory of nana, a grocery delivery app, after approving financial reorganization proceedings…

Abeer Hommadi (Riyadh)
Business Commercial vessels are seen off the coast of Dubai on April 20, 2026. (AFP)

War in Iran Is Causing Biggest Energy Crisis in History, IEA Says

The ‌conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel is creating the worst energy crisis ever faced by the world, the head of the International…

Business  A drone view shows oil tankers at Petrobras distribution terminal operated by Transpetro, a Petrobras subsidiary responsible for oil and gas transportation in Sao Sebastiao, in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 20, 2026. (Reuters)

Oil Falls on Expectations US-Iran Talks Likely to Proceed, Opening Supply

Oil prices fell over $1 on Tuesday, reversing gains in the previous session, on expectations peace talks between the US and Iran will take place this week and…

Business A man walks past parked Lufthansa aircraft at the airport as Lufthansa pilots are on a two-day strike, in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP)

Iran War Fuel Hike Adds $100 to Long-Haul Flight Cost, Study Says

Disruption to global oil supplies from the Iran war has added more than $100 to the price of long-haul flights from Europe, a cost likely to trigger higher…


Business Azour speaks during a presentation of the Regional Economic Outlook update (AFP)

IMF: Middle East Faces Pivotal Economic Moment

The International Monetary Fund said the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan were facing a pivotal and exceptionally difficult moment in their modern…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington )
Business Mohammed Al-Jadaan and Muhammad Aurangzeb following the agreement for Saudi Arabia to provide an additional $3 billion in support to Pakistan (X).

Pakistan Central Bank Receives $2 billion from Saudi Arabia as Part of Broader Financial Support Package

Pakistan announced that it has received $2 billion from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance as part of a broader financial support package. Earlier,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Samples of gold displayed in a program affiliated with the Brazilian Federal Police specializing in tracking gold in Brasilia (Reuters)

Gold Rises as Middle East Optimism Calms Inflation Fears

Gold prices rose on Thursday as growing optimism about a possible end to conflicts in the Middle East calmed inflation worries and improved prospects for lower…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Buses pass in front of the Bank of England building in London (Reuters)

UK Economy Surged Ahead of Iran War, but Energy Shock to Test Resilience

Britain's economy put on a burst of growth in February, suggesting it was in slightly better shape before the start of the Iran war than many economists had…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business FILE PHOTO: A map showing the Strait of Hormuz, also known as Madiq Hurmuz, and 3D printed oil barrels are seen in this illustration taken March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration//File Photo

Oil Little Changed on Skepticism US-Iran Peace Talks Will Ease Hormuz Disruption

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday, reversing earlier declines, on skepticism that peace talks between the US and Iran will reach a deal to end the war…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business (FILES) This illustrative photograph shows screens displaying the logo of the French company TotalEnergies, listed on the CAC 40, the main stock market index of the Paris Stock Exchange, in Toulouse on March 31, 2026. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP)

TotalEnergies: Strong Trading, High Oil Prices Will Boost Q1 Earnings

TotalEnergies expects a significant increase in first-quarter earnings from a strong trading performance, as well as in its upstream production and oil sales…

Asharq Al Awsat (Paris)
Business FILE PHOTO: Logo of the Spanish oil company Repsol at a gas station in Vecindario, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain, January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Borja Suarez/File Photo

Spain's Repsol Reportedly Wins Back Control of Venezuelan Oil Operations

Spanish energy group Repsol is poised to take back operational control of its Venezuelan oil assets and boost production following a deal signed with the South…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business China's exports have helped support the economy but there are concerns about the impact on trade from the Middle East crisis. CN-STR/AFP

China's Economy Beats Forecasts, but War Darkens Outlook

China's economy expanded more than expected in the first three months of the year, with official data Thursday indicating resilience in the face of a Middle…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Al-Jadaan and Bessent shake hands after signing the Tax Information Exchange Agreement in Washington. (X)

Saudi Arabia, US Sign Tax Information Exchange Agreement

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan has held a series of meetings in Washington, D.C. to discuss strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business Long convoys of Iraqi diesel-laden tanker trucks line up along the Tartus-Baniyas highway as they wait to unload their cargo at the Baniyas port refinery on the Mediterranean Sea, on April 15, 2026. (Photo by Bakr ALkasem / AFP)

Syria’s Baniyas Begins Loading Iraqi Oil Shipments for Re-export

Syria began loading its first tanker carrying Iraqi oil on Wednesday at the Baniyas port refinery, according to state media. With maritime traffic through…

Asharq Al Awsat (Damascus)
Business The screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), the foreign exchange rate between US dollar and South Korean won and the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (KOSDAQ) at a dealing room of Hana Bank, in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Riyadh Backs Seoul with 250 Million Barrels of Crude Oil

South Korea has secured 273 million barrels of crude oil from the Middle East and Kazakhstan through the end of the year, with supplies routed outside the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Seoul)
Business UAE, Jordan Sign $2.3 billion Aqaba Rail Project Deal

UAE, Jordan Sign $2.3 billion Aqaba Rail Project Deal

The United Arab Emirates and Jordan signed on Wednesday an agreement to launch a $2.3 billion rail project to Aqaba port and to create a joint company to build…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - SPA

Chaired by Saudi Crown Prince, PIF Board of Directors Approves PIF 2026-2030 Strategy

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) Board of Directors, chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has approved…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A cargo ship in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

World Bank to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Plays a Central Role in Stabilizing Energy Markets

At a time when geopolitical tensions are disrupting the stability of vital maritime corridors, fundamental questions are emerging about the ability of major…

Hala Saghbini (Riyadh)
Business Chairman of Menzies Aviation Hassan El-Houry. (Menzies Aviation)

Menzies Chairman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Aviation Services Sector Highly Resilient Despite Regional Disruptions

The aviation services sector continues to demonstrate strong resilience amid geopolitical tensions disrupting air traffic across the Middle East, said Hassan…

Zeinab Ali (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan and Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb shake hands following the agreement. (X)

Saudi Arabia Pledges $3 Billion More in Financial Support to Pakistan

Saudi Arabia will provide $3 billion in additional support for Pakistan to help the South Asian nation bridge a multi-billion-dollar gap in its finances linked…

Business A display shows oil prices as cars queue at a gas station in Seoul. (Reuters)

S. Korea Secures 270 Mn Barrels of Oil from Suppliers Unaffected by Hormuz Blockade

South Korea has secured supplies of more than 270 million barrels of crude oil via routes unaffected by the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a senior…

Business A cild pushes a bicycle near Grand Winner 1, an oil and chemical tanker, moored at Kurnell in Sydney, Australia, April 15, 2026. (Reuters)

Oil Prices Fall on Expectations US-Iran Peace Talks May Resume

Oil prices fell for a second day on Wednesday on expectations peace talks between the US and Iran may resume and supply will eventually be released from the…

Business Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas attends a press briefing on the world economic outlook at the IMF in Washington, DC, USA, 14 April 2026. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia Leads Gulf Growth at 3.1%

The International Monetary Fund cut its 2026 growth forecasts for Gulf economies, citing uneven exposure to energy markets and trade disruptions, as well as…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington )
Business A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Musandam province, April 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Hormuz Under Insurance Pressure as ‘War Premiums’ Violate Int’l Laws

As military tensions flare in the Strait of Hormuz, another battle is unfolding behind the scenes, one no less dangerous. Insurance companies have emerged as…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, Director of IMF Research Department, speaks during an economic outlook briefing during the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (AFP)

IMF Says World Is Drifting Toward More Adverse Growth Scenario as Energy Disruptions Continue

The world may be already drifting towards the International Monetary Fund's "adverse scenario" forecast of weaker 2.5% global growth in 2026 even as it…

Business A worker rides a bicycle at the Zubair oil field in Basra, Iraq, April 6, 2026. (Reuters)

Iraq Says Has ‘Understandings’ to Bypass Hormuz Blockade

Baghdad's oil ministry said Tuesday it has "understandings" with the United States and Iran to reduce the impact of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on…

Business Shuaibah Desalination Plant (Saudi Water Authority)

Saudi Arabia Boosts Water Efficiency with Over $26.7 Billion in Investments Since 2018

Saudi Arabia has invested about SAR100 billion ($26.7 billion) in its water sector since 2018, as part of its National Water Strategy to improve efficiency and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Gold bracelets and necklaces on display for sale in a gold shop in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (AFP)

Gold Rises as Dollar Softens, Lower Oil Prices Ease Inflation Fears

Gold prices rose on Tuesday, supported by a softer dollar and easing inflation fears as oil prices dropped on hopes of further US-Iran peace talks. Spot…

Asharq Al Awsat