Business

IMF: Any Slowdown in AI-driven Growth Would be Factor for Central Banks

Business IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks during the Annual Meetings Plenary at the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok on October 16, 2026. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

IMF: Any Slowdown in AI-driven Growth Would be Factor for Central Banks

Central bankers around the world would need to consider any slowdown in AI-driven growth as they assess steps in their fight against inflation, International…

Asharq Al Awsat
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 Minister Khalid Al-Falih during his participation at the Saudi-Brazilian Investment Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi GDP Soars by 66% in Seven Years, Al-Falih Reveals

Saudi Arabia’s Investment Minister Eng. Khalid Al-Falih revealed that the Kingdom’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has surged by an extraordinary 66% in the last…

Business The Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) Eng. Abdullah bin Muftar Al-Shamrani (Photo Credit: Ghazi Mehdi)

Head of Saudi Geological Survey: 400 Investment Requests in the Saudi Mining Sector

The Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS), Eng. Abdullah bin Muftar Al-Shamrani, revealed that there are approximately 400 license…

Saeed Al Abyad (Jeddah)
Business The forum included presentations on Invest Saudi, a program that aims to promote investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia to the world. (SPA)

Brazilian-Saudi Investment Forum Witnesses Signing of 25 MoUs in Various Fields

The Saudi Ministry of Investment organized on Monday in Sao Paulo the Brazilian-Saudi Investment Forum, which saw the signing of many memoranda of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The localization rate at the “Sakaka" Photovoltaic Solar Energy Project has reached nearly 100%. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

ACWA Power Unveils Plans to Localize Renewable Energy Sector in Saudi Arabia

ACWA Power has declared its continued dedication to localizing the renewable energy sector in Saudi Arabia through extensive plans and strategies aligned with…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Expected space economy revenues to reach around one trillion dollars by 2040 (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Initiatives Contributing to Creating a Sustainable Future Through Space

Saudi Arabia has achieved 96% of the targets set by the “Connect 2030” program, established by the International Telecommunication Union. This program aims to…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni during their trip to the ISS in May 2023. (SPA)

Int’l Companies Interested in Investing in Space Technology in Saudi Arabia  

Global space technology companies are eager to invest and form partnerships with Saudi counterparts as the Kingdom strengthens its strategic focus on…

Fatehalrahman Youssef (Riyadh)
Business The flag of Jordan in the capital, Amman (Getty Images)

Saudi Exports to Jordan Exceed $1.5 Bn in 5 Months

Saudi Arabia was the top importer of Jordanian exports, with a total value of $485.81 million during the first five months of 2023. The Kingdom…

Asharq Al Awsat (Amman)
Business A petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Financial Results of Petrochemicals, Cement Drop in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's financial results of listed petrochemical and cement companies have experienced a decline in the first half of 2023. Economic analysts attribute…

Business  China's Vice Premier He Lifeng and French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire attend the China-France Economic and Financial Dialogue at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, July 29, 2023. (Reuters)

China Hopes France Can Help Take Heat Out of Relations with EU

China hopes France can "stabilize the tone" of EU-China relations, vice-premier He Lifeng told his French counterpart in Beijing on Saturday, as European…

Business A farmer harvests at a rice paddy on the outskirts of Srinagar, India. (AFP)

UAE Imposes Temporary Ban on Rice Exports and Re-Exports

The United Arab Emirates has temporarily banned rice exports and re-exports for four months as of Friday. The decision included banning the export and re…

Business Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Algerian Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg. (EPA)

Algeria, Russia to Produce 2Mln Cubic Meters of Gas Daily in 2026

Russian Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov announced on Thursday a partnership with Algeria to produce two million cubic meters of gas daily. Meanwhile,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Algiers)
Business Demonstrators protest in front of the Iraqi central bank as currency plummets against the US dollar, in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, July. 26, 2023. (AP)

Iraqi Banks Hit with Dollar Ban Say They Are Ready to Challenge Measures

Fourteen Iraqi private banks hit with curbs by the United States over allegedly helping siphon US dollars to Iran said on Wednesday they were ready to…

Business Saudi female workers enter the labor market (Middle East)

HADAF Spends $1.2 Bn to Empower Saudi Cadres in the Labor Market

The Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF) in Saudi Arabia spent more than $1.2 billion to support training and empowerment in the labor market during the…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business Dhaman said that FDI projects in the Arab region increased 74% in 2022 (Reuters)

Dhaman: FDI to Arab Countries Grew 74% in 2022

The Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman) said on Thursday that foreign direct investment (FDI) projects to the Arab region…

Asharq Al Awsat (Kuwait)
Business Kuwaiti Oil Minister Saad Al Barrak. (KUNA)

Kuwait to Drill in Durra Field before Iran Border Demarcation

Kuwait’s Oil Minister Saad Al Barrak told Sky News Arabia on Thursday his country will start drilling and begin production at the Durra gas field without…

Asharq Al Awsat (Kuwait)
Business The inflation rate in Saudi Arabia remains at low levels. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia Takes Precautions to Continue to Contain Inflation

Saudi Arabia has resumed its process of raising the repurchase agreement rate, “repo”, by 25 basis points to 6%, and increasing the reverse repurchase…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business A man pulls a trolley with goods in a street market in Eminonu commercial district in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, July 20, 2023. (AP)

Türkiye’s Erdogan Appoints Three Deputy Governors to Central Bank 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan named three deputy governors to the central bank, the country's official gazette said on Friday, a day after the bank…

Business Asfar contributes to the national target of attracting 100 million visitors per year by 2030. Photo: PIF

PIF Announces Establishment of Saudi Tourism Investment Company ‘Asfar’

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced on Thursday the establishment of the Saudi Tourism Investment Company (Asfar) to support the growth of the country’s…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A growth of FDI in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

FDI Into Saudi Arabia Grows 10.2%

Saudi Arabia attracted SAR 8.1 billion ($2.1 billion) in foreign direct investment in the first quarter of 2023, marking a 10.2 percent growth year-on-year …

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Iraqi activists in front of the Central Bank in Baghdad demand economic reforms (EPA)

Group of 14 US-Sanctioned Iraqi Banks Warn of ‘Negative Consequences’

A group of 14 private Iraqi banks sanctioned by the US Treasury Department warned of "negative consequences" by depriving them of dealing in dollars. The…

Fadhel al-Nashmi (Baghdad)
Business Hydrogen pipes in a green hydrogen facility. (Getty)

Swiss Firm to Allocate 1$ Bln for Green Hydrogen Production in Egypt

Smartenergy intends to expand in Egypt by producing green hydrogen in a project of initial value worth one billion dollars, said well-informed sources. …

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business Through the MoU, PIF aims to streamline its investment activities in Oman. SPA

Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Oman Investment Authority Sign MoU to Expand Cooperation

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oman Investment Authority (OIA) to expand cooperation and investment…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Brazilian Investment Bank “BTG Pactual” (official website)

Brazilian Investment Bank Gears Up for Operations in Saudi Arabia

Brazilian Investment Bank “BTG Pactual” is gearing up to commence its operations in Saudi Arabia after obtaining a banking license in the Kingdom. Mario…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Arabia is taking several measures to keep pace with the developments of artificial intelligence (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Establishment of AI Center Boosts Digital Economy in Saudi Arabia

In response to the surging demand for artificial intelligence, anticipated to play an ever more crucial role in propelling the future of the Saudi economy, the…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)