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 Children pose for a picture next to the lighting decorations in a square on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Istanbul, Türkiye, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

PMI: Turkish Manufacturing Shrinks at Slower Pace in February

Türkiye's manufacturing sector showed signs of continued struggle in February, reflecting ongoing challenges with new orders, output and employment all hurt by…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business US President Donald Trump holds an executive order about tariffs increase, flanked by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, February 13, 2025. (Reuters)

Mexico, Canada Tariffs Coming Tuesday, but Trump Will Set Exact Levels, Says US Commerce Head

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a Sunday Fox News interview that tariffs on Canada and Mexico will go into effect as planned on Tuesday, but that…

Business Egypt Kuwait Holding CEO Jon Rokk.

Egypt Kuwait Holding Set to Launch First Commercial Project in Saudi Arabia

Egypt Kuwait Holding (EKH) plans to announce its first investment in Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas sector within two to three months, after completing the bulk of…

Sabri Najeh (Cairo)
Business Folk Maritime containers. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Folk Maritime CEO Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Location Boosts Trade, Shipping

Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a new hub in the maritime shipping industry, not merely to generate revenue—a legitimate goal—but to drive a broader…

Mosaed al-Zayani (Riyadh)
Business Representation of bitcoin cryptocurrency is seen in this illustration taken January 11, 2024. (Reuters)

Swiss Central Bank Rules Out Bitcoin for Reserves

Switzerland's central bank boss said bitcoin is too volatile and not liquid enough for use as a reserve currency, amid calls for a referendum on the issue in…

Asharq Al Awsat (Geneva)
Business Shipping containers are shown at the Terminal 1 Container Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles in Wilmington, California, US, October 17, 2024. (Reuters)

US Treasury Chief Urges Canada, Mexico to Match US tariffs on China as Deadline Looms

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pushed Friday for Canada and Mexico to match Washington's tariff hikes on China when asked in an interview if doing so…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business Ukrainian rescuers evacuate patients from a damaged clinic following a drone attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 01 March 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. EPA/SERGEY KOZLOV

Norway Says Plans to Raise Financial Support for Ukraine

The Norwegian government will soon ask that parliament increases its financial backing for Ukraine, Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told public…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Flynas announced on Thursday a Murabaha financing agreement with Bank AlJazira. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Banks Poised to Benefit as Local Aircraft Deals Surpass $100 Billion

Bandar Al-Mohanna, CEO and Managing Director of Flynas, stated that aircraft deals by Saudi national carriers have surpassed $100 billion at list prices. He…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) addresses a joint press briefing as India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi listens, after their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on February 28, 2025. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP)

India and EU to Finalize Free Trade Agreement by Year-end

India will finalize a "mutually beneficial" free trade deal with the European Union by the end of this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday after…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Maaden gold mine in Al-Ammar, Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia Tightens Regulations on Precious Metals and Gemstone Traders to Combat Money Laundering

Saudi Arabia has imposed stricter regulations on traders of precious metals and gemstones as part of its anti-money laundering efforts. The government has…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business People walk on the Galata Bridge after a snowfall in Istanbul, Türkiye, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Türkiye 2024 GDP Growth 3.2%, Exceeding Forecast

Türkiye's economy grew 3.0% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2024, bringing full-year growth to 3.2%, official data showed on Friday, exceeding forecasts…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: People walk past the headquarters of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank, in Beijing, China September 28, 2018. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo

China Vows Response to Latest US Tariffs

China on Friday vowed to take "all necessary countermeasures" after US President Donald Trump said he would impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business (FILES) This illustration photograph taken on November 22, 2024 in Istanbul shows coin imitations of Bitcoin. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP)

Crypto Prices Tumble as Trump-fueled Euphoria Fades

Cryptocurrency prices are down sharply in recent weeks and not expected to rebound soon, with some of the biggest digital currencies erasing nearly all of the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The newly formed board will serve until February 2028, led by Walid Abanumay as chairman. Photo: SCCA website

Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration Board Reconstituted by Royal Order

The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) announced the issuance of a royal decree to reconstitute its Board of Directors for the fourth term. The…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business A special forces soldier waves an Iraqi flag from the top of a church damaged by ISIS forces in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq. (Reuters)

Iraq Appoints Ali Al-Shatari as Director General of Oil Marketer SOMO

Iraq, the second-largest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), appointed a new chief for national oil marketer SOMO,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A flame rises from a chimney at Taq Taq oil field in Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region, August 16, 2014. Picture taken August 16, 2014. (File photo: Reuters)

Russia to Restart Oil Projects in Iraqi Kurdistan

Iraqi Kurdistan and the federal government have managed to settle their oil disputes, which would allow Russian companies to restart their projects in the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A view shows ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom during production at Krastsvetmet precious metals plant in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, May 23, 2024. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File photo

Gold Falls More than 1% as Dollar Firms Ahead of Inflation Data

Gold prices fell over 1% to their lowest level in more than a week on Thursday, as the US dollar firmed, while investors awaited a key inflation print that…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A sculpture of a hand holding an oil drilling rig is pictured outside the state-run oil company Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) in Caracas on February 26, 2025. (AFP)

Trump Axes Chevron’s Venezuela Oil License, Citing Lack of Electoral Reforms 

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was reversing a license given to Chevron to operate in Venezuela by his predecessor Joe Biden more than two…

Business Oil tankers sail the Maracaibo Lake in Maracaibo, Venezuela on March 15 , 2019. (AFP)

Oil Inches up After Trump Cancels Chevron’s Venezuela License 

Oil prices edged up on Thursday after sliding in the previous two sessions, with supply worries resurfacing after US President Donald Trump announced a…

Business stc maintained its position as the most valuable telecom brand in the Middle East for the fifth consecutive year. (AFP)

stc Saudi Arabia Profit Beats Expectations in 2024

Saudi Arabia’s stc Group, a digital enabler, reported strong financial results for FY 2024, with net profit rising 85% to SAR 24.7 billion ($6.6 billion) and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business SABIC CEO Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh speaks at the press conference. (SABIC)

SABIC Returns to Profit in 2024, Allocates $4 Bn for 2025 Capital Expenditure

Saudi Arabia’s SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals, announced on Wednesday its financial results for the year 2024, with a net profit of SAR 1.5…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The Qasr Al-Hokm Station is distinguished by its design that combines authenticity and modernity. (Turki al-Aqaili)

World’s Longest Driverless Metro Opens New Qasr Al-Hokm Station in Riyadh

Riyadh’s Qasr Al-Hokm Downtown Station, a major hub in the world’s longest driverless metro network, began operations on Wednesday, offering a new gateway for…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Industrial Affairs Eng. Khalil bin Salamah tours the Saudi Aerospace Connect Forum in Jeddah. (SPA)

Vice Minister of Industry to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia to Gain 300 Auto Supply Plants

Saudi Arabia’s growing automotive industry is set to attract up to 300 new factories supplying vehicle components, as major carmakers, including Ceer, Lucid,…

Saeed al-Abyad (Jeddah)
Business Saudi Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Kassabi and other officials are seen at the forum. (SPA)

Saudi Commerce Minister Inaugurates Makkah Halal Forum

Saudi Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Kassabi inaugurated on Wednesday the Makkah Halal Forum, under the theme “Sustainable Development through Halal.” The…