Business

Saudi Arabia Expands Tourist E-Visa Eligibility to Four More Countries

Business The tourist visa allows visitors to attend events, perform Umrah, and visit exhibitions and conferences (SPA)

Saudi Arabia Expands Tourist E-Visa Eligibility to Four More Countries

Saudi Arabia has expanded its electronic tourist visa program by adding four countries to the list of eligible nationalities: Mexico, North Macedonia, Serbia,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business A neighborhood in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (SPA)

50-Year Contracts Open New Horizons for Real Estate Investment in Saudi Arabia

Long-term real estate investment models are opening new opportunities for Saudi Arabia's private sector, as the Kingdom seeks to expand partnerships with…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business Gold chips displayed at a state-owned gold retail store in Surabaya, East Java (AFP)

Gold Rallies as Dollar, Treasury Yields Soften after US Midterm Results

Gold climbed to its highest level in over two weeks on Thursday as the fallout from the US midterm election results rippled through the global financial and…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Hong Kong stocks rallied more than three percent on a broadly healthy day for Asian markets. Leung Man Hei / AFP

Tech Hit by New AI Worries on Positive Day for Most Markets

Tech firms tumbled Thursday as investors contemplated the outlook for the AI boom after Democrats swept the US midterms, partly on the back of growing anger…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Türkiye is rapidly expanding its renewable energy capacity. But as host of COP31, the country faces growing pressure to match its clean energy ambitions with a clear commitment to phase out fossil fuels. Yasin AKGUL / AFP

Türkiye Showcases Renewables Surge, but Leaves Coal Intact

On a windy hillside about an hour's drive northwest of Istanbul, the Catalca power plant was one of Türkiye's first large-scale wind farms and has been feeding…

Asharq Al Awsat

Business The 11th Doha Islamic Finance Conference on April 8 is set to explore the development of decentralized financial platforms that align with Islamic economic principles (QNA)

Doha to Host Islamic Finance Conference on April 8

The 11th Doha Islamic Finance Conference on April 8 is set to explore the development of decentralized financial platforms that align with Islamic economic…

Asharq Al Awsat (Doha)
Business A miner filters with water the soil extracted from gold quarries in Paso Yobai, Guaira Department, Paraguay, on February 11, 2025. (Photo by Daniel DUARTE / AFP)

Trade War Woes Propel Gold to Record High

Gold breached the $3,100 level on Monday to touch an all-time high as investors turned to the safe-haven asset amid concerns that US President Donald Trump's…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A view of buildings in the dark due to a power outage, in a neighborhood in Maracaibo, Venezuela, March 16, 2025. REUTERS/Jose Issac Bula Urrutia

Eni Confirms US Will No Longer Allow Oil Payments from Venezuela

Italy's Eni confirmed on Sunday it was notified by US authorities it would no longer be allowed to be repaid for gas production in Venezuela through oil…

Asharq Al Awsat (Rome)
Business FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship carrying containers is seen near the Yantian port in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China May 17, 2020. REUTERS/Martin Pollard/File Photo

China Discovers Major Oilfield in South China Sea

The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has discovered an oilfield in the South China Sea with proven reserves exceeding 100 million tons, state…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beijing)
Business 30 March 2025, Lower Saxony, Hanover: Acting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks at the opening ceremony of the Hannover Messe 2025 industrial trade fair at the Hannover Congress Centrum HCC. Photo: Michael Matthey/dpa

Scholz: EU Ready to Respond to US on Trade Tariffs

Europe wants to cooperate with the United States but the EU is ready to respond as one if Washington leaves it no choice by imposing tariffs on steel and…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business President Donald Trump waves to supporters from his limousine as he arrives at Trump International Golf Club, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Trump Says he 'Couldn't Care Less' if Car Makers Hike Prices Due to Tariffs

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he did not warn car industry executives against raising prices as tariffs on foreign-made autos come into force,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. SPA

Saudi Crown Prince Orders Measures to Balance Riyadh’s Real Estate Market

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman has issued directives for a series of comprehensive measures aimed at stabilizing land and rental…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business South Korea's Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun (C), Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto (R) and China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao attend at the 13th Trilateral Economic and Trade Ministers' Meeting in Seoul on March 30, 2025. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)

South Korea, China, Japan Agree to Promote Regional Trade as Trump Tariffs Loom

South Korea, China and Japan held their first economic dialogue in five years on Sunday, seeking to facilitate regional trade as the three Asian export powers…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao attends a meeting with global business leaders at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 28, 2025. (Reuters)

South Korea, China Industry Ministers Agree to Cooperate in Evolving Global Environment, Seoul Says

The industry ministers of South Korea and China met on Saturday to discuss the evolving global trade environment and agreed to cooperate bilaterally as well as…

Business  A Last Energy prototype of a microreactor on display at the corner of 10th and V Street NW in Washington, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP)

New Wave of Smaller, Cheaper Nuclear Reactors Sends US States Racing to Attract the Industry

With the promise of newer, cheaper nuclear power on the horizon, US states are vying to position themselves to build and supply the industry's next generation…

Business Maros Sefcovic, the nominee to become the European Union's trade and economic commissioner, holds a press conference after hearings, in Brussels, Belgium November 4, 2024. (Reuters)

China, EU Discuss ‘Level Playing Field’ on Trade, EU’s Sefcovic Says

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met visiting European Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic for a discussion that Sefcovic said on…

Business  Cats watch as fishermen gather their catch at Besiktas neighborhood in Istanbul on March 28, 2024. (AFP)

Turkish Companies ‘Paying the Bill’ as Political Crisis Roils Economy

Turmoil unleashed by the arrest of Türkiye’s leading opposition figure last week has sent shockwaves through the private sector, forcing companies to rethink…

Business King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, east of Saudi Arabia (SPA) 

Rise in Non-Oil Exports Strengthens Saudi Arabia’s Economic Diversification Efforts

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports continued their upward trajectory, reflecting the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to diversify its economy. According to data from the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business An Iraqi flag is seen in front of oilfields (Reuters)

Iraq Oil Exports Down 8.5% to 95,148 Million Barrels

Iraq exported 95,148 million barrels of oil in February 2025, down 8.5% compared to January exports, according to data released by the State Organization for…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business China's President Xi Jinping (R) and Cai Qi, top ranking of Communist Party, applaud during a meeting with a group of foreign executives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 28, 2025. (AFP)

Chinese President Xi Meets with Global CEOs as Investment Wanes 

China's President Xi Jinping met with global CEOs in Beijing on Friday, as the government tries to woo foreign firms whose investment could give the ailing…

Business A farmer displays eggs from his chickens in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

US is on Egg Hunt in Europe to Ease Prices at Home

The US government is on a global egg hunt, seeking exports from countries in Europe and elsewhere to ease a severe shortage that has caused egg prices at…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Karim Souaid, the new Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon (LinkedIn)

Who Is Karim Souaid, the New Governor of Lebanon’s Central Bank?

The Lebanese Cabinet has appointed Karim Souaid as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon during a government session held on Thursday at the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A woman walks outside of Lebanon's Central Bank building in Beirut, Lebanon March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo

Lebanon Appoints Karim Souaid as New Central Bank Governor

Lebanon on Thursday named asset manager Karim Souaid as its new central bank governor. He will be expected to restructure the banking sector and fairly…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The unemployment rate for Saudi nationals dropped to 7% in Q4 2024

Unemployment Rate for Total Population in Saudi Arabia Drops to 3.5% in Q4 2024

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released on Thursday the Labor Market Statistics for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, saying the unemployment…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Shoppers crowd to buy sweets at a shopping mall in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Riyadh Sees Surge in Business Activity Ahead of Eid al-Fitr

In the final ten nights of Ramadan, as Eid al-Fitr draws near, Riyadh transforms into a bustling hive of activity. Shops see an increase in foot traffic, and…

Ayat Nour (Riyadh)
Business Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment at the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat (Photo: Turki Al-Ogaili)

‘Saudi Green Initiative’ Day: Progress Continues Toward a Sustainable Environment

Saudi Arabia will celebrate the annual Saudi Green Initiative Day on Thursday, showcasing national efforts to promote environmental sustainability and combat…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The project is expected to be operational by the first half of 2027. Photo: WAM

Abu Dhabi's Masdar Buys 234 MW Photovoltaic Solar Project in Spain

Abu Dhabi's state-owned renewable power company Masdar said on Thursday it has bought Valle Solar, one of the largest photovoltaic solar projects in Spain's…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of US President-elect Donald Trump and TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken January 19, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

China Rebuffs Trump Offer of Tariff Concessions if Beijing Agrees TikTok Deal

China rebuffed on Thursday a suggestion from US President Donald Trump that he might offer to reduce tariffs on the country to get Beijing's approval for the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: Gold bars are displayed at a gold jewelery shop in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh May 8, 2012. REUTERS/Ajay Verma (INDIA - Tags: BUSINESS COMMODITIES)/File Photo

Gold Rises as Fears Mount over Trump's Reciprocal Tariff Plans

Gold prices rose on Thursday as US auto tariffs ratcheted up global trade tensions ahead of an April 2 deadline for reciprocal tariffs from the world's largest…

Asharq Al Awsat