Business

Saudi Arabia Offers 100% Social Insurance Debt Waiver to Businesses That Have Exited Market

Business Officials from the General Organization for Social Insurance at an earlier meeting with businessmen and businesswomen at the Riyadh Chamber (SPA)

Saudi Arabia Offers 100% Social Insurance Debt Waiver to Businesses That Have Exited Market

Saudi Arabia's General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) has made businesses that have ceased operations and exited the Saudi market eligible for a 100%…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business A general view shows Ras Tanura's oil production plant near Dammam in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province (AFP)

From Aramco's Profits to State Budget Revenue: How Do Oil Proceeds Reach Government Coffers?

Saudi Aramco's financial results and Saudi Arabia's third-quarter budget performance report, released on the same day, revealed a divergence between the…

Hala Saghbini (Riyadh)
Business Representation of cryptocurrencies are seen in this illustration taken September 10, 2025. (Reuters)

Crypto Dips on Democrat Midterm Wins, Binance Hack Dents Optimism

Cryptocurrencies briefly dipped on Wednesday as Democrats won majorities in both the Senate and House in the US midterm elections, a potential blow to an…

Business A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images file)

Saudi Non-Oil Sector Expands for Seventh Straight Month

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector continued to expand in October, with business activity and output growth accelerating despite a decline in the Riyad Bank…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business  A general view of Riyadh city during the early hour of evening at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 28, 2025. (Reuters)

Growth in Non-Oil Revenue Bolsters Saudi Budget Resilience

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil revenue surpassed oil revenue in the third quarter of 2026 for the first time since 2020, highlighting progress in diversifying…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)

Business Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince Launches CEER's Flagship Vehicles

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Investment Fund (PIF)…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Oil tankers in Basra port (Reuters)

Oil Prices Slide on Hopes of Diplomacy in Iran War

Oil prices slid to their lowest in more than a week on Monday as investors hoped for diplomatic progress on the Iran war due to this week's UN meeting. Brent…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Gold bars, each weighing 1000 grams, displayed at a gold and silver refinery in Vienna (AFP)

Gold Slips as Focus Remains on Middle East, Rate Outlook

Gold prices slipped on Monday as market participants assessed developments in the Middle East and their implications for inflation and interest rates. Spot…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Qatari flag flutters in Doha - AAWSAT/File

Qatar Launches Wealth Fund Division for Domestic Investments

Qatar's prime minister announced on Sunday the creation of a new division of the Qatar Investment Authority dedicated to developing domestic investments. …

Asharq Al Awsat
Business PIF Tower at the King Abdullah Financial District in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

PIF Launches Tawrid to Provide Supply-Chain Financing Products in Saudi Arabia

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Sunday announced the launch of Tawrid Company for Financing Solutions, an innovative digital platform providing supply…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) (Asharq Al-Awsat)

IFAD President to Asharq Al-Awsat: Sanctions Are the Biggest Challenge for Remittance Channels

Money sent by migrants to their families is no longer simply a means of covering living expenses. In many low- and middle-income countries, these flows have…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stated that the high cost of living is 'part of the battle' and pledged to emerge victorious (AFP).

Sudan’s War Economy Sends Pound into Freefall

Sudan has entered a new phase of economic turmoil after its currency, the pound, fell sharply against foreign currencies, with the dollar trading above 9,000…

Ahmed Younes (Kampala)
Business AI Artificial intelligence words, miniature of robot and EU flag are seen in this illustration taken December 21, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

IMF: AI Could Boost EU Growth But Increase Economic Strains

Artificial intelligence could lift European productivity by about 1% over five years, but risks widening inequality, straining power networks and increasing…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dublin)
Business A person is counting dollars in La Paz, Bolivia, 10 July 2026. (EPA)

Bolivia Approves $1.9 Billion IMF Deal, Eliminates Diesel Subsidies

Bolivian lawmakers approved a $1.9 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund on Friday, delivering the conservative government a key victory…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: A view of the International Monetary Fund logo at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., US, November 24, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

IMF Says Lebanon Economic Activity to Contract Sharply in 2026 as Conflict Weighs

The International Monetary Fund said on Friday that Lebanon's economic activity is expected to contract significantly in 2026 ‌as the ‌conflict in …

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: Vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, September 2, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

Oil Prices Fall on Easing Fears Over Saudi Supply Disruption

Oil prices fell 2% on Friday, extending losses for a third straight session as easing concerns over Saudi supply disruptions outweighed anxiety about a…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde addresses a press conference after a meeting of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Berlin on September 10, 2026. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP)

ECB's Lagarde Keeps Door Open to Early Exit

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde on Friday kept the door open to leaving her post early, replying "we'll see" when asked if she would remain…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium April 29, 2026. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

5 Countries Want Smaller Growth of Next EU Budget, Spain Offers Ideas

Germany, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Austria said on Friday the European Union's budget for 2028-2034 must be "several hundred billion euros" smaller…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: A salesman arranges gold bangles inside a jewelry showroom on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, a major gold buying festival, in Mumbai, India, May 7, 2019. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo/File Photo

Gold Extends Gains to Scale One-week High as Crude Prices Ease

Gold rose for a second straight session on Friday, hitting a one-week high, as oil prices fell, while investors kept a close watch on developments in the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A keyboard and robotic hands are pictured in front of the words “Artificial Intelligence” (Reuters) 

State Street: Saudi Arabia Has ‘Unique Opportunity’ to Build Modern Digital Financial Infrastructure

As global financial market infrastructure undergoes rapid change, digital assets are moving beyond blockchain proof-of-concept experiments toward institutional…

Abeer Hommadi (Riyadh)
Business Vessels transit the Hormuz Strait off the coast of Iran's southern port city of Bandar Abbas on September 7, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) /

Shipping Traffic Via Strait of Hormuz Stays Below 10-day Average, Data Shows

Four commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf on Thursday, down from six a day earlier and below the 10-day average of about 16,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A man watches stocks fall in the Kuwaiti market (AFP)

Gulf Markets Hold Firm Despite Tensions, US Rate Hike

Most Gulf stock markets advanced on Thursday despite mounting geopolitical tensions, as investors weighed the fallout from the US Federal Reserve’s first…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business A fuel station in Damascus displays prices following a recent increase that sparked protests in several Syrian cities. (Reuters)

Syrian Energy Minister Revises Fuel Prices, Announces Subsidized Diesel

Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir announced on Thursday that subsidized diesel would be sold at 115 Syrian pounds per liter, saying the ministry had…

Asharq Al Awsat (Damascus, London)
Business Gold bracelets and necklaces displayed for sale at a gold shop in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar (AFP)

Gold Rises as Traders Reassess Positions after Fed Rate Hike, Oil Rally Eases

Gold climbed more than 1% on Thursday as a softer dollar and easing oil prices lent support, while investors assessed the Federal Reserve's latest rate hike…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump Warns EU of Tariffs over Canada's Potential Associate Membership

US President Donald Trump has threatened to take action against the EU if it moved forward with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The fourth edition of the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit 2026 concluded on Wednesday. (SPA)

Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit Concludes with Agreements Exceeding SAR5 Billion

The fourth edition of the Riyadh Global Medical Biotechnology Summit 2026 concluded on Wednesday with more than 40 agreements, initiatives and announcements…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: The Federal Reserve building is set against a blue sky in Washington, US, May 1, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

Goldman Sachs Sees October Fed Hike after Hawkish Signal

Goldman Sachs now expects the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by another quarter point in October, making it one of the first major Wall Street banks…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Saudi Capital Market Authority’s headquarters in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Money Market Funds Face Investment Reshuffle

Saudi money market funds are entering a new phase of liquidity management and portfolio restructuring as new rules cap foreign investments at 5% of net asset…

Mohammed al-Mutairi (Riyadh)
Business Tourists are seen at Saudi Arabia's AlUla. (SPA)

Saudi Tourism Minister Announces Launch of Second Edition of TOURISE Forum in March

Saudi Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the TOURISE Forum Board Ahmed Al-Khateeb announced on Wednesday the launch of the second edition of the “TOURISE 2027…