Business

Iraq to Export More Kirkuk Crude Oil Next Month

Business Oil flows through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline resumed in late September (Reuters)

Iraq to Export More Kirkuk Crude Oil Next Month

Iraq will export a ​total of 223,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February, up by 21% on the month, ‌loading programs show

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The logo of the World Economic Forum at the Davos Conference Center (AFP)

From Davos: The World Looks to Saudi Vision, from Reform to Delivery

At the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Saudi Arabia offered a compelling account of how long-term ambition can be translated into measurable results. …

Asharq Al Awsat (Davos)
Business The CEO of Saudi Aramco, Engineer Amin Nasser (World Economic Forum)

Nasser from Davos: AI Has Generated $6 Billion for Aramco

The CEO of Saudi Aramco, Engineer Amin Nasser, on Tuesday revealed fundamental transformations in the company's financial and operational performance thanks to…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A boat makes its way past the Doha skyline in Doha, Qatar on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)

Qatar Central Bank Says AI Operational Risks Need Prudential Focus

The governor of Qatar's central bank said on Tuesday that operational risks emerging from technologies like Artificial Intelligence should ‌be treated as …

Asharq Al Awsat (Davos)
Business Croatian Central Bank Governor Boris Vujcic pictured during an interview with Reuters in Zagreb (Reuters file photo)

Croatia's Vujcic Nominated as ECB's Next Vice President

Croatia's Boris Vujcic was formally nominated on Monday as the European Central Bank's next vice president, putting him on track to become the first person…

Asharq Al Awsat

Business Passengers walk in front of Fes Railway Station, decorated with Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) theme colors and flags, in the Moroccan city of Fes, January 5, 2026. (Reuters)

Morocco to Ban Frozen Sardine Exports from February

Morocco will halt exports of frozen sardines from February ​1 to protect domestic supplies and contain prices, the cabinet member in charge of fisheries, Zakia…

Business Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting on Tuesday (SPA)

Saudi Cabinet Approves Operating Framework for National Minerals Program

The Saudi Cabinet approved on Tuesday the draft regulations and operating procedures of the National Minerals Program, which was authorized for establishment…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The Saudi and Syrian officials discussed opportunities for development cooperation to support various sectors in Syria. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia, Syria Discuss Opportunities for Development Cooperation

Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) Chief Executive Sultan Al-Marshad held talks in Damascus on Tuesday with Syrian Minister of Finance Mohammed Yusr Barniyeh,…

Business A general view of Riyadh. (SPA)

Standard Chartered: Fiscal Deficit a Catalyst of Transformation in Saudi Arabia

Standard Chartered Global Research said on Tuesday it believes the recent fiscal deficits in Saudi Arabia have not been a setback, but rather a catalyst of…

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

Saudi Arabia Raises $11.5 Bln to Open 2026 Amid Strong Investor Demand

Saudi Arabia has successfully completed its first foray into international debt markets for 2026, issuing $11.5 billion in US dollar-denominated sovereign…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Abdulelah Aldeheem, Assistant Governor for Executive Affairs at the Saudi Central Bank. (Turky Al-Agili)

Saudi Central Bank to Asharq Al-Awsat: Payment Digitization Anchors Kingdom's Global Financial Hub Status

The Saudi Central Bank is spearheading a comprehensive regulatory and technical initiative to transform the Kingdom’s digital payments landscape, shifting from…

Mosaed al-Zayani (Riyadh)
Business  Fireworks burst over the historical site of the Giza Pyramids, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, early Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP)

Egypt Non-Oil Private Activity Expands Second Month in December, PMI Shows

Egypt's non-oil private sector expanded for the second straight month in December, albeit at a slower pace, with firms benefiting from increased new orders and…

Business FILE PHOTO: Crude oil drips from a valve at an oil well operated by Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA, in the oil rich Orinoco belt, near Morichal at the state of Monagas April 16, 2015. Picture taken on April 16, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo

Oil Dips on Ample Supply Outlook, Market Weighs Venezuelan Output

Oil prices fell on Tuesday on expectations of ample global supply amid weak demand, and as the market weighed the prospect of higher Venezuelan crude output…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: UK gold bars and gold Sovereign coins are displayed at Baird & Co in Hatton Garden in London, Britain, October 8, 2025. REUTERS/Hiba Kola//File Photo

Gold Hits One-week High on Fed Rate-cut Bets, Venezuela Turmoil

Gold rose further on Tuesday to hit a one-week high, as dovish comments from Federal Reserve officials boosted interest rate-cut bets and Venezuela tensions…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Crowds gather in a street decorated with lights during New Year celebrations in Damascus, Syria, 31 December 2025. (EPA)

Egypt Signs MoU to Supply Syria with Gas, Ministry Says

Egypt has signed two memoranda of understanding (MoU) with Syria to cooperate on supplying gas for power generation and ‌meeting Syria's ‌petroleum…

Business Employees and passengers walk in front of Fes Railway Station, which is decorated with Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) theme colors, in the Moroccan city of Fes, January 5, 2026. (Reuters)

Morocco Receives 19.8 Million Tourists in 2025, Tourism Ministry Says

Morocco received a record 19.8 million tourists in 2025, up 14% from a year earlier, the tourism ministry said on Monday. Tourism ‌accounts for &zwnj…

Business A general view of the Saudi capital Riyadh. (SPA)

Saudi Economy Poised for Strong Non-Oil Momentum in 2026

Saudi Arabia enters 2026 amid an accelerating transformation driven by Vision 2030 targets, even as global economic growth slows to about 3.1% and global…

Mosaed al-Zayani (Riyadh)
Business A street vendor sells traditional Turkish bagel "Simit" at Karakoy square, in Istanbul, on December 27, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)

Türkiye Inflation Falls to 30.9% in December from 44% a Year Earlier

Türkiye's annual inflation slowed in December to 30.9 percent, a fourth straight month of declines and well below the 44.4 percent posted a year earlier,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Saudi capital, Riyadh (AFP) 

Saudi Arabia Balances Expansionary Spending, Financial Stability in Its 2026 Borrowing Plan

Saudi Arabia has unveiled its annual borrowing plan for 2026, a move that underscores the growing maturity of its fiscal policy and its ability to align…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business FILE PHOTO: A woman passes by a logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during the United Nations climate change conference COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan November 13, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

OPEC+ Confirms Suspension of Oil Output Increase in First Quarter of 2026

OPEC+ countries have confirmed the suspension of the planned increase in oil production during the first quarter of 2026, as eight key producers reaffirmed…

Asharq Al Awsat (Vienna)
Business The Saudi capital Riyadh (SPA)

Saudi PIF Tops List of Sovereign Funds Worldwide in 2025

Global SWF’s sixth annual report revealed that 2025 marked a historic shift in the global financial balance of power, as investors together with central banks…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a forum between businesspeople of South Korea and China at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 05 January 2026. EPA/YONHAP

Chinese, South Korean Companies Sign 9 Cooperation Agreements

Chinese and South Korean companies signed nine cooperation agreements, authorities said on Monday, during a state visit by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business People walk along Taksim square during the first snowfall of the year, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP)

Türkiye Opens 2026 Debt Auctions, Plans 1.32 Trln Lira in Q1 Domestic Borrowing

Türkiye will begin its 2026 domestic borrowing on ​Monday with auctions for a 1-year zero-coupon bond and a 4-year floating rate note, with first quarter…

Business FILE PHOTO: People queue outside the ABC Bullion store in Sydney, Australia, October 8, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo

Gold Surges as US Capture of Venezuela President Spurs Safe-haven Demand

Gold prices climbed Monday and other precious metals surged, after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend, escalating…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Venture Capital Records Two Historic Milestones, Reinforces Saudi Arabia’s Regional Leadership

Venture Capital Records Two Historic Milestones, Reinforces Saudi Arabia’s Regional Leadership

The Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC) announced on Sunday that Saudi Arabia’s venture capital ecosystem achieved two historic leaps in 2025, in terms of…

Business Türkiye's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar talks during a meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, September 14, 2023. (Turkish Energy Ministry Press Office/PPO/Handout via Reuters)

Türkiye to Ink 33 bcm Natural Gas Import Deal with Azerbaijan, Minister Says

Türkiye has reached a new long-term agreement to import a total of 33 bcm natural gas from Azerbaijan, Energy ‌Minister Alparslan ‌Bayraktar &zwnj…

Business The logo of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia Approves Annual Borrowing Plan with $58 Billion Financing Needs

Saudi Arabia has approved its annual borrowing plan for the 2026 fiscal year, setting projected financing needs at about $58 billion as the Kingdom seeks to…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Syria begins circulating new post-Assad currency bill (The Associated Press)

Syria Begins Circulating New Post-Assad Currency Bills

Syria started the process of circulating new currency bills on Saturday as the crisis-hit nation seeks to stabilize the economy as it recovers from the fall of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a NATO summit in Madrid, Spain June 30, 2022. (Reuters)

Erdogan Hails 2.6 bln Euro Jet Deal with Spain

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday welcomed an agreement under which Spain will procure Turkish-made HURJET training aircraft, describing it as…

Asharq Al Awsat