Business

World Food Prices Dip in October, but Remain Higher Than a Year Ago

Business A worker carries loaves of bread for sale at a bakery in the capital city of Cairo, Egypt November 4, 2026. (Reuters)

World Food Prices Dip in October, but Remain Higher Than a Year Ago

World food prices edged lower in October as weaker import demand contributed to monthly declines in cereal, dairy and meat prices, but were still nearly 6%…

Business Copper at the Aurubis copper smelting and refining plant in Hamburg, Germany. (Reuters)

Copper Falls, Set for Worst Week Since March on AI Rout

Copper dropped on Friday and was set for its biggest weekly drop in London since March, as a rout in technology stocks battered markets. Benchmark three…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Workers walk at Kalyon Karapinar solar power plant in Karapinar, Konya province, Türkiye, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP)

Emerging Economies Set to Match Advanced Nations’ Renewable Capacity Additions, IEA Says

Emerging ‌and developing economies outside China are expected to add as much new renewable energy capacity as advanced economies for the first time over…

Business Gold bracelets displayed in a shop window on Green Street, east London, UK, April 30, 2024. (AFP)

Gold Drops Over 1% on Higher Oil Prices; US Payrolls Data in Focus

Gold prices slipped on Friday as oil prices rebounded, fanning inflation worries and higher-for-longer interest rate expectations, while investors awaited key…

Business A pumpjack operates near Bakersfield, California, on Oct. 16. (AFP)

Oil Set for Sharp Weekly Drop but Middle East Supply Concerns Provide Floor

Oil prices are set for a sharp weekly drop on expectations of a de-escalation of the Iran war after US President Donald Trump's party suffered election losses,…


Business Aboul Gheit addressing the opening session of the forum (Arab League - X)

15th Turkish-Arab Economic Cooperation Forum Kicks Off in Istanbul

The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, stressed the need for Arab-Turkish economic cooperation to extend beyond trade into broader areas…

Saeed Abdulrazek (Ankara)
Business FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Safe-Haven Gold Breaks $2,700/Oz Level as Uncertainty Looms

Gold breached the $2,700-per-ounce level on Friday for the first time ever, as US election jitters and simmering Middle East tensions boosted safe-haven demand…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A gas station in Egypt. AFP file photo

Egypt Raises Gasoline, Diesel Prices for 3rd Time this Year

Egypt raised prices on a wide range of fuel products early on Friday, the petroleum ministry said, marking the third such increase this year. Prices for diesel…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

Oil Steadies, But on Track for Biggest Weekly Loss in Over a Month

Crude oil futures steadied on Friday after strong US retail sales data, but Chinese economic indicators remained mixed and prices were headed for their biggest…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Bahrain's capital Manama. Reuters file photo

IMF Forecasts Bahrain’s Economy to Grow by 3% in 2024

Bahrain’s economy is on track for growth, with gross domestic product expected to expand by 3 percent this year and 3.5 percent in 2025, the International…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business People rest in a public park outdoors away from buildings following an earthquake in Malatya, southern Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (Burhan Karaduman/Dia Photo via AP)

Türkiye's Central Bank Holds Rate at 50%, Warns on Inflation

Türkiye's central bank held interest rates at 50% on Thursday as expected but cautioned that recent data had lifted inflation uncertainty, in a hawkish signal…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo

Gold Hits Record High

Gold prices charged to an all-time high on Thursday as expectations of more US Federal Reserve rate cuts and uncertainty over the US presidential election…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

Oil Prices Flat as Investors Await US Inventory Data

Oil prices traded flat on Thursday as investors eye developments in the Middle East and more details on China's stimulus plans, and await the release of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business OQEP is the exploration and production business of Oman's state oil group

Oman's OQ Exploration and Production Raises $2 Bln in IPO

OQEP, the exploration and production business of Oman's state oil group, has raised $2.03 billion from its initial public offering (IPO) on the local stock…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A group photo of participants at the Jeddah meeting, which approved the membership of 10 countries (Ministry of Environment)

‘Middle East Green Initiative’ Aims to Launch Projects in Multiple Countries by 2025

Dr. Osama Faqih, head of the executive committee for the “Middle East Green Initiative,” announced plans to launch several qualifying projects in member…

Saeed al-Abyad (Riyadh)
Business Rescue workers at a site damaged by an Israeli airstrike in Qana, south Lebanon (Reuters)

World Bank Again Lowers MENA Growth Forecasts

The World Bank has lowered its growth forecast in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to 2.2% this year from 2.4% in its June forecast because of…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business The agreements cover three projects - SPA

Saudi Fund for Development Finances 3 Development Projects in Serbia Worth $205 Million

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has signed three development loan agreements with the Republic of Serbia worth $205 million to fund key projects…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Mawani Expands Jeddah Islamic Port Connectivity with MER1 Shipping Service

Mawani Expands Jeddah Islamic Port Connectivity with MER1 Shipping Service

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has added the Middle East Red Sea 1 (MER1) shipping service to the Jeddah Islamic Port through a strategic partnership…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: Gold bullions are displayed at GoldSilver Central's office in Singapore June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

Gold Prices Extend Gains as Equities, Bond Yields Weaken

Gold prices extended gains to a second session on Wednesday, driven by weaker equities and bond yields, while traders eagerly await US economic data to gauge…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A pumpjack brings oil to the surface in the Monterey Shale, California, US April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

Oil Steadies after Fall as Middle East Uncertainty Persists

Oil steadied on Wednesday, supported by OPEC+ cuts and uncertainty over what may happen next in the Middle East conflict, although an outlook for ample supply…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Riyadh Metro project covers six main lines with a total length of 176 kilometers and 84 stations. (King Abdulaziz Project for Public Transport)

Riyadh Seeks to Ease Traffic Congestion by Launching Metro Project

Saudi Arabia is preparing to launch the “Riyadh Metro” project, one of the largest public transportation projects in the region, which promises to improve the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Food and beverage prices rose by 0.8% (SPA)

Inflation in Saudi Arabia Reaches 1.7% in September amid Rising Housing Costs

The inflation rate in Saudi Arabia recorded 1.7% in September on a year-on-year basis, rising from 1.6% in July, with housing rents once again acting as the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef meets chairman of the board of directors of Leonardo Stefano Pontecorvo in Milan. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia, Leonardo Partner to Localize Helicopter Manufacturing

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef held talks in Milan on Wednesday with Stefano Pontecorvo, chairman of the board of directors…

Business Riyadh to Host 27th Edition of World Energy Congress in October 2026

Riyadh to Host 27th Edition of World Energy Congress in October 2026

The World Energy Council announced that the 27th edition of the World Energy Congress (WEC) will be hosted by Riyadh from October 26-29, 2026, under the theme …

Business People attend a previous edition of the Human Resources and Manpower Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Riyadh to Host Human Resources and Manpower Forum

The Saudi capital will host the sixth edition of the Human Resources and Manpower Forum and Exhibition from Oct. 27-30, featuring participation from the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business FII CEO Richard Attias speaks to attendees during the press conference. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Attias to Asharq Al-Awsat: Riyadh Provides International Platform Shaping Global Economic Trends

Richard Attias, CEO of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, said the upcoming 8th edition of the Future Investment Conference, which will be held…

Ayat Nur (Riyadh) Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business  Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif receives the Chinese Premier Li Qiang, at the venue of the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on the Council of Heads of Government Meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan October 16, 2024. Press Information Department (PID)/Handout via Reuters

Pakistan PM Sharif Calls for Expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on Wednesday for the expansion of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to enhance regional cooperation. He…

Business The MoUs will focus on building capabilities and fostering growth across various sectors. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Partnerships Worth $80 Million Aim to Strengthen Supply Chains in Saudi Arabia

ASMO Logistics, a joint venture of DHL and Saudi Aramco, has signed 16 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with various companies to strengthen cooperation in…

Ali al-Qattan (Dammam)
Business A halal label is seen on a pack of food displayed to sell at a mini market in Jakarta, Indonesia, February 15, 2019. (Reuters)

Indonesia to Check Grocery Shelves as Deadline for Halal Labels Nears

Indonesian authorities plan to inspect grocery store shelves to check compliance with a law requiring halal labels on food items from Friday, officials said,…