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 Baku is preparing to host the second edition of the Gulf-Azerbaijan Economic Forum in September (Reuters)

Azerbaijan Ambassador to Asharq Al-Awsat: Baku Plans to Waive Visa Requirements for Saudis

The Federation of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Chambers is scheduled to organize the second edition of the Gulf-Azerbaijan Economic Forum on September 25,…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business Recently, the Saudi government announced the opening of new logistics zones, including a major investment by Danish shipping company Maersk. (Maersk)

Saudi Arabia Expands Logistics Zones to Secure Global Supply Chains

The Saudi government is expanding its logistics zones to strengthen global supply chains and navigate future geopolitical and economic challenges. This…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed natural gas pipeline is placed in front of displayed CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation) logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Chinese Oil Giant Looks to Revive Global Dealmaking

CNPC, Asia's top oil producer, is reviewing its global strategy as it looks to revive dealmaking, eyeing gas liquefaction and deepsea drilling as well as…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beijing)
Business Laborers busy in unloading fruits from truck at market in Peshawar (AFP)

Pakistan Eyes $4 Billion from Middle East Banks

State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad said his country aims to raise up to $4 billion from Middle Eastern commercial banks by the next fiscal year, as…

Asharq Al Awsat ( Islamabad )
Business Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia to Host 4th Future Minerals Forum in January

Under the Patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia is set to host the fourth edition of the world’s…

Business A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

Gold Holds above $2,500/Oz Level on Fed Optimism, Middle East Concerns

Gold prices were little changed on Tuesday, but held above the $2,500 per-ounce psychological level on investor optimism for imminent US rate cuts and…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A power station in Iraq. (Reuters)

Second Phase of Jordan-Iraq Electrical Interconnection to Be Completed in Q1 2025

The 2023 annual report from Jordan’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said the second phase of the Jordan-Iraq electrical interconnection project is on…

Asharq Al Awsat (Amman)
Business The storage facility will have a capacity of over 110,000 cubic meters of petroleum products, which will enhance fuel supplies for up to 30 days, facilitating the management of energy crises (Omani News Agency).

New Strategic Storage Project to Ensure Oman’s Emergency Preparedness

OQ Group, a leading global integrated energy company, has laid the foundation for a strategic fuel storage project in Dhofar Governorate, southern Oman. The…

Asharq Al Awsat (Oman)
Business A group of professionals competing for the E-sports World Cup in the Saudi capital, 2024. (X platform)

Saudi Arabia Leads Global Investment in Video Game Industry

In a country where youth make up 70% of the 36 million population, at least 21 million are video game enthusiasts. This is Saudi Arabia, which has placed…

Business Saudi Mawani: Emirates Shipping Line Launches New Service at Jeddah Islamic Port

Saudi Mawani: Emirates Shipping Line Launches New Service at Jeddah Islamic Port

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) announced on Monday the addition of Emirates Shipping Line's (ESL) new service, ECRC, to Jeddah Islamic Port. The…

Business Storage tanks are seen at the Petroineos Ineos petrol refinery in Lavera, France, March 29, 2022. Picture taken March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Oil up 2% on Libya Shutdowns, Mideast Escalation Fears

Oil prices rose 2% on Monday on news of fresh production outages in Libya, adding to earlier gains on concerns that an escalating Gaza conflict could disrupt…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A view shows Sharara oil field near Ubari, Libya, July 6, 2017. REUTERS/Aidan Lewis/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Libya's Eastern Government Says All Oilfields to Close

The government in eastern Libya announced on Monday that all oilfields would be closed down and production and exports halted, while there was no word from the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business This picture taken from Doha's seaside promenade shows traditional Qatari Dhow boats with the Qatari capital's skyline seen in the background on August 16, 2024. (AFP)

Qatar Strikes Another 15-Year LNG Supply Deal with Kuwait 

Qatar agreed on Monday to supply Kuwait with 3 million tons per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 15 years, the second such deal since 2020 as…

Business People attend the opening ceremony of Riyadh Season 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Riyadh Season: Economic Driver Attracting Local, Foreign Investment

The Riyadh Season events are emerging as a key economic driver, drawing both local and international capital. Private sector companies see it as a rewarding…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business Participants are seen at an e-sports event that was recently held in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

American Niantic Teams Up with Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games to Expand in Middle East

Savvy Games Group, which is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced on Sunday the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant

Oil Climbs on Mideast Escalation Fears, US Rate Cut Expectations

Oil prices extended gains on Monday on fears a major spillover in fighting from the Gaza conflict into the Middle East could disrupt regional oil supplies,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

Gold Edges Higher as Fed Backs September Easing

Gold prices ticked up on Monday, extending gains from the last session as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's dovish remarks solidified expectations of an…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business NEOM's OXAGON. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat

KAUST, NEOM Collaborate to Advance Green Economy with Hydrogen and Sustainable Fuel Technologies

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has announced a strategic partnership with NEOM to accelerate the transformation of the Kingdom's…

Asharq Al Awsat (Jeddah)
Business FILE PHOTO: Paramilitary police officers stand guard in front of the headquarters of the People's Bank of China, the central bank (PBOC), in Beijing, China September 30, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo

Bank of China President Resigns

Bank of China Vice Chairman and President Liu Jin resigned for personal reasons effective on Sunday, the bank said. The state-owned lender said its board had…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beijing)
Business A usually crowded beach in Tel Aviv is nearly deserted on August 25, 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)

Israel's Cabinet Approves 2024 Budget Increase to Fund Displaced Citizens

Israel's cabinet on Sunday approved an expansion of 3.4 billion shekels ($923 million) in the 2024 state budget to help fund evacuees until the end of the year…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A Turkish flag with the Bosphorus Bridge in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, Türkiye September 30, 2020. (Reuters)

Turkish Isbank CEO Sees Challenges ahead, November Rate Cut

Turkish banks will pay the price throughout next year as challenges linger from the country's economic turnaround, the chief executive of lender Isbank said in…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business This screen grab made from video footage from ISRO via AFPTV taken on July 14, 2023 shows an Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) rocket carrying the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft lifting off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, an island off the coast of southern Andhra Pradesh state. AFP

India's Space Sector Adds $60 Billion to GDP

The Indian space sector has in the last 10 years contributed $60 billion to GDP, as well as generated 4.7 million jobs in the country, a report showed on…

Asharq Al Awsat (New Delhi)
Business Dark clouds loom over the city in Beijing on August 23, 2024. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP)

China Slams US for Adding Firms to Export Control List

China's Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday it strongly opposed a US decision to add multiple Chinese entities to its export control list over Russia-related…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beijing)
Business The agreement was signed by SRC CEO Majid Fahd Al-Abduljabbar and General Manager of BlackRock in the Middle and CEO of BlackRock Saudi Arabia Yazeed Al-Mubarak. BlackRock President Robert Capito attended the signing ceremony. (SPA)

Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company, BlackRock to Promote Developing Programs in Saudi Real Estate Finance Market

The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC), a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US BlackRock…