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 Yasir Al-Rumayyan said the FII focuses on several key sectors, primarily sustainability, education, healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics. SPA

PIF Governor: Saudi Arabia Seeks to Become Global Hub for AI

Public Investment Fund (PIF) Governor, Chairman of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute, and Chairman of Saudi Aramco’s Board of Directors Yasir Al…

Asharq Al Awsat (Miami)
Business Oil Falls after US Fed Governor Says No Rush to Cut Interest Rates

Oil Falls after US Fed Governor Says No Rush to Cut Interest Rates

Oil prices fell on Friday after a US Fed official said interest rate cuts should be delayed at least two more months, but indications of healthy demand and…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The MoU was signed during the visit to China of Saudi officials as part of ongoing cooperation between the two countries in air transportation. SPA

Saudi Arabia, China Sign MoU to Develop Air Transport Cooperation

General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) President Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Dauilej on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the field of…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beijing)
Business A man carries sacks of goods at Eminonu commercial area in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Turkish Central Bank Keeps its Key Interest Rate Unchanged

Türkiye’s central bank left its key interest rate unchanged at 45% on Thursday, pausing a series of aggressive rate hikes aimed at taming high inflation. The…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The retail sector represents about 12% of the Kingdom's GDP, according to Kearney (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia Ranks 3rd in Global Retail Development Index

Saudi Arabia jumped nine places in the Global Retail Development Index, ranking third globally and first in the Arab world. Kearney International…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The forum highlighted the growing importance of private sector collaboration in unlocking further trade potential. SPA

Saudi-Pakistani Business Forum Aims for Stronger Economic Ties, More Trade

The Saudi-Pakistani Business Forum kicked off on Wednesday in Riyadh under the patronage of Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi. Organized by the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The logo of HSBC in one of its branches in the German city of Dusseldorf. (dpa)

HSBC Profits Plummet 80% After Chinese Losses

HSBC’s quarterly profit plunged 80 percent as it took a $3 billion charge on the value of its stake in a Chinese bank and a further write-down on commercial…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business IMF expects the Moroccan economy to grow by 3.5% in the medium term, driven by investments. (Reuters)

Morocco's Economy Set to Grow 3.5%, IMF Says

Morocco’s economy strengthened last year on recovery in domestic demand and exports, with growth expected to pick up to about 3.5 percent over the medium term,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Minister of Communications and Information Technology met with a group of members from the US House of Representatives in Riyadh. SPA

Saudi Arabia, US Discuss Partnership in Digital Economy Expansion

The Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Alswaha, has met with US House of Representatives members in Riyadh. Alswaha…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business FII Institute PRIORITY Summit to Be Held in US on February 22-23

FII Institute PRIORITY Summit to Be Held in US on February 22-23

Leaders from across the world, and across the political spectrum will gather in Miami for the Future Investment Initiative PRIORITY Summit on February 22 and…

Business Saudi Arabia represents 70% of the relative weight of the Middle East and North Africa markets in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Capital Market Forum to Host CONNECT Hong Kong Edition in May

Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Forum is set to enhance ties with China’s capital markets by venturing beyond borders to host the next edition in Hong Kong. The…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Jasem AlBudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), receives Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary General of OPEC. (OPEC’s LinkedIn account)

GCC Praises OPEC’s Role in Supporting Oil Market Stability

Jasem AlBudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), praised on Tuesday OPEC’s role in supporting oil market stability. AlBudaiwi made…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosary outlined key strategic aspects of the media system for the upcoming year. (SPA)

Media Minister: 2024 Marks Year of Media Transformation in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Minister of Media Salman bin Yousef Al-Dosary expressed on Tuesday optimism about the future of Saudi media, anticipating numerous achievements and…

Business Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing speaking during the Retail Leaders Circle MENA Summit in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Al-Hogail at the Retail Leaders Circle MENA Summit: The Sector Represents 23% of Non-Oil Output

Saudi Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing, Majed Al-Hogail, said that the retail sector currently constitutes 23 percent of the non-oil GDP in the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Pump Jacks are seen at sunrise near Bakersfield, California October 14, 2014. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

Oil Hovers Near 3-week Highs on Middle East Tensions, China Demand

Oil prices edged up on Tuesday, hovering close to three-week highs on heightened Middle East tensions and recovering China demand. Brent futures ticked up 3…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A container ship sails at the Suez Canal, in Ismailia, Egypt March 31, 2021. (Handout via Reuters)

Houthi Attacks Cut Suez Canal Revenue By 40-50%, Says Egypt's Sisi

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Monday that revenues from the Suez Canal had "decreased by 40 to 50 percent" so far this year due to attacks on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Demonstrators hold signs while blocking traffic as they attend a rally calling for the release of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas from Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel, February 19, 2024. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Israeli Economy Shrinks by 19.4% in 3 Months Due to War in Gaza

Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics said Monday the Israeli economy plunged 19.4% in the final three months of 2023, affected by the war on Hamas in the Gaza…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business Dubai Airports' official forecast for this year stands at 88.8 million passengers. (AFP)

Dubai Airport Could Break Passenger Record This Year, Says CEO

Dubai's air hub has "every chance" of breaking its record for passenger traffic this year after surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2023, Dubai Airports' CEO…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Minister: Unified GCC Tourist Visa Boosts Tourism

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb took part in the eighth meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourism ministers in Doha during which he said a…

Asharq Al Awsat (Doha)
Business Saudi Public Investment Fund Invests in Zamil Offshore

Saudi Public Investment Fund Invests in Zamil Offshore

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced on Monday that it had acquired a 40% stake of the total issued capital of Zamil Offshore Services Company…

Business The logo of Aramco is seen as security personnel walk before the start of a press conference by Aramco at the Plaza Conference Center in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia November 3, 2019. (Reuters)

Saudi Aramco Likely to Issue a Bond in 2024, CFO Says

Saudi Aramco is likely to issue a bond this year and will prioritize longer maturities of up to 50 years, Chief Financial Officer Ziad Al-Murshed said on…

Business Saudi Arabia in top spot of ESCWA Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index in 2023. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia in Top Spot of ESCWA Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index in 2023

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has cemented its position as a leader in digital government, once again getting the top spot in the Government Electronic and…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Tamar gas platform off the coast of Israel. (Chevron)

Chevron Partners Agree to Boost Gas Production of Israel Tamar Gas Field

Chevron and partners in the Israeli Tamar natural gas field agreed on Sunday to boost natural gas production capacity from the offshore field. The gas field…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia Expects More than 5% Medium-Term Non-Oil Growth, Minister Says 

Saudi Arabia's non-oil growth is expected to come in above 5% in the medium term, Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan said on Monda. "If you look at the…