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 Alat specializes in manufacturing products within seven strategic business units, including Advanced Industries (SPA).

Experts: Saudi PIF’s Alat to Explore New Opportunities in Modern Sectors

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced on Thursday the launch of Alat - a Public Investment Fund company – with the aim to transform Saudi Arabia…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The agency indicated that the banking systems in the UAE and Saudi Arabia would maintain growth, outperforming the rest of their counterparts in the region. (Photo: SPA)

S&P Global Expects GCC Banks to Maintain Stability in Performance Standards

The Standard & Poor’s credit rating agency expected the main performance indicators of GCC banks to remain stable in 2024. In a report, S&P Global…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The new program stimulates the private sector to launch a number of savings products for different categories of individuals. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia Intends to Launch Government-backed Savings Bonds for Individuals

The Saudi Ministry of Finance and the National Debt Management Center (NDMC) unveiled plans to launch the first savings product intended for individuals and…

Business SPIRE seeks to be the world’s premier training destination in the field of renewable and sustainable energy. (SPIRE website)

Saudi Private Sector Competes to Attract Renewable Energy Talent

Saudi Arabia is witnessing the launch of giant projects in renewable energy, leading to competition within the private sector to attract national talent…

Asharq Al Awsat (Sakaka)
Business Lebanon ranked 149th in the world in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023, prepared by Transparency International, the leading global watchdog on corruption (NNA)

Beirut Among Cities with Highest Cost of Living, Worst Quality of Life

The Lebanese capital has maintained a negative lead rank at both the regional and international levels concerning the cost of living and quality of life. …

Ali Zeineddine (Beirut)
Business Egyptians buy food at a popular market in Cairo, Egypt February 1, 2024. (Reuters)

IMF, Egypt Agree on ‘Main Policy Elements’ of Economic Reform Program 

The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it had agreed with Egypt on the key policy components of an economic reform program, in a further sign that a…

Business Jordanian Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmad Hanandeh will be the new chairman of the DCO Council for Digital Collaboration. SPA

Jordan Elected President of Digital Cooperation Organization

The Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), an international multilateral organization that aims to promote digital prosperity for all by accelerating…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology met in Manama on Thursday with the Bahraini Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NSSA. SPA

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Discuss Strategic Partnership in Digital Economy

The Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha, met in Manama on Thursday with the Bahraini Minister of Transportation…

Asharq Al Awsat (Manama)
Business The company, chaired by the Crown Prince, aims to enhance the capabilities of the Saudi technology sector. SPA

Crown Prince Launches ‘Alat' to Make Saudi Arabia a Global Hub for Electronics, Advanced Industries

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced on Thursday the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Kingdom Center in Riyadh, one of the most important tourist attractions in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

FDI 2022 Inflow Hits $203 Bn in Saudi Arabia

The foreign direct investment (FDI) in Saudi Arabia jumped to $203.2 billion by the end of 2022, compared to $175.7 billion in 2021. The General…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Clean Energy Conference 2024 (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Clean Energy Conference Highlights Saudi Arabia's Leading Role in Renewable Energy

The Clean Energy 2024 conference, held on Wednesday in Riyadh, focused on the Saudi government's initiatives in the renewable energy sector, mainly hydrogen,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Aluminum refinery in Ras Al-Khair industrial City. Image from Maaden.

PIF Leads Mining Renaissance in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is prioritizing the mining sector among its thirteen key local sectors for targeted investments. Mohammed Al…

Mosaed al-Zayani (Riyadh)
Business Patrol boats affiliated with the Yemeni coast guard off the port of Mokha in the southern Red Sea (Saba News Agency)

Red Sea Container Shipping Down 30% Over Attacks, Says IMF

Container shipping through the Red Sea has dropped by nearly one-third this year as attacks by Yemen's Houthis continue, the International Monetary Fund said…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Oil storage tanks in Japan. (Reuters)

Ministry: Japan's Reliance on Middle East Oil Rose to 95.1% in 2023

Japan's reliance on crude oil supplied from the Middle East has increased by one percentage point to 95.1% last year, data released by the Ministry of Economy,…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business People search through the rubble of damaged buildings following an Israeli air strike on Palestinian houses, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip December 12, 2023. (Reuters)

Gaza’s Economy Could Take Decades to Recover, UN Trade Body Says

It could take until the closing years of the century for Gaza's economy to regain its pre-conflict size if hostilities in the Palestinian enclave were to cease…

Business A crane lifting stones is pictured behind camels resting with their trainers by the Pyramid of Menkaure (or Menkheres, built in the 26th century BC) at the Giza Pyramids Necropolis, west of Cairo, on January 29, 2023. (AFP)

Egypt Cabinet Approves Ending State Enterprise Tax Privileges

Egypt's cabinet approved regulations on Wednesday that would abolish many tax and fee exemptions for state-owned enterprises, fulfilling a key condition the…

Business Aerial photo of the Sultanate of Oman. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Fitch: Oman Budget Signals Slower Debt Reduction, Increased Social Spending

Fitch Ratings Agency reported on Tuesday that the Sultanate of Oman's budget for the current fiscal year signals that the authorities will continue repaying…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business An employee checks freight at a ramp of Frankfurt airport, Germany, November 27, 2020. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights

Air Freight Rates Rise Amid Red Sea Crisis

Global air freight rates have climbed for the first time in seven weeks as attacks on Red Sea shipping prompt companies to secure costlier air cargo space. …

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A general view of Habib Bourguiba Avenue in downtown Tunis, virtually deserted on the first day of a general lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) ordered by Tunisia's president, in Tunis, Tunisia, March 22, 2020. (Reuters)

As Tunisia's Economy Falters, Medical Tourism Flourishes

While Tunisians face economic hardships and their government is mired in debt, medical tourism has thrived and authorities are looking to expand the profitable…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Gold bars are displayed at a gold jewelry shop in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh November 4, 2009. REUTERS/Ajay Verma/File Photo

Industry: Geopolitics to Boost 'Haven' Gold in 2024

Gold demand will win a "pronounced" boost from geopolitical uncertainty this year, an industry report predicted Wednesday, after the precious metal and haven…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi EXIM Bank Signs Agreement with ITFC

Saudi EXIM Bank signed on Tuesday an agreement with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) to implement a $25 million financing line for…

Business A giant ship passes through the Suez Canal. (Suez Canal website)

Suez Canal Authority Discusses Red Sea Crisis, its Impact on Global Supply Chains

Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Ossama Rabie discussed the current situation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb region and their impact on the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business The Saudi Authority for Artificial Intelligence pavilion is seen at the Smart City Forum in Barcelona 2023. (SDAIA)

Saudi Arabia to Host Global Smart City Forum in February

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) will host Saudi Arabia's first Global Smart City Forum in Riyadh from Feb. 12-13, with 80 speakers…

Business ADNOC Gas said it signed multiple international LNG agreements in 2023. WAM

UAE's ADNOC Gas Signs 10-yr LNG Supply Agreement with India's GAIL

ADNOC Gas on Tuesday signed a 10-year agreement to supply 0.5 million metric tons per year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India's largest Natural Gas…

Asharq Al Awsat