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 A restaurant in Al-Jawf region, in northern Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Government Takes Initiatives on SMEs

The Saudi government has been able to save hundreds of projects through its initiatives and programs on small and medium enterprises and ensure they do not…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business  A container ship passes through the Egyptian Suez Canal (AFP)

Egypt’s Trade Deficit Up 23.8% YoY in April

Data released by Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics on Tuesday revealed that the North African nation’s trade deficit increased by…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business A full moon rises behind Camlica mosque in Istanbul, Türkiye, Monday, July 3, 2023. (AP)

Turkish Monthly Inflation Hits 3.9% In June After Post-Election Lira Drop 

Turkish monthly inflation hit 3.92% in June, lower than expected, after a plunge in the lira currency following the re-election of President Recep Tayyip…

Business UAE Minister of Energy Suhail Al Mazrouei. (WAM)

UAE to Produce 1.4 Mmt of Hydrogen Annually by 2031

The UAE aims to produce 1.4 million metric tons of hydrogen per year by 2031, and 15 million metric tons annually in 2050, thanks to efforts aimed at reducing…

Business Eng. Mansour Al-Mushaiti, Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, meets Dr. Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia Renews Commitment to Supporting Flexible Food Production

Saudi Arabia has affirmed its commitment to implementing its declared strategic policy to achieve food security and support flexible and effective food…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business HANDOUT - 04 July 2023, Russia, Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the government, via a video conference at the Kremlin. Photo: -/Kremlin/dpa -

Putin Says Russian Economy Faring Better than Expected

President Vladimir Putin said late on Tuesday that the Russian economy was performing better than expected after Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin reported to…

Asharq Al Awsat (Moscow)
Business A drilling rig in the Hasaba oil field, 150 kilometers north of Jubail Industrial City (Aramco website)

Oil Prices Rise on Saudi, Russian Voluntary Production Cuts

Oil prices rose on Tuesday after Saudi Arabia and Russia, the world's biggest oil exporters, deepened oil cuts on Monday. Saudi Arabia said it would extend…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Nas Aircraft, the Saudi national economic carrier (Middle East)

Saudi Arabia's flynas Receives 2 Airbus A320neo

The Saudi budget airline flynas announced Monday that it had acquired two new Airbus A320neo aircraft, representing the third batch of 19 aircraft of the same…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The Red Sea Global project in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Catering Inks $2.4 Bn Concession Deals with Red Sea Global

Saudi Airlines Catering Company (SACC) signed two contracts with Red Sea Global (RSG) at a total value of $2.4 billion. The Saudi Tadawul announced a one…

Business The OPEC logo is seen at the entrance to the organization headquarters. (Reuters)

OPEC International Seminar to Tackle Market Stability Amid Growing Challenges

The OPEC+ energy ministers are scheduled to meet with oil industry CEOs at the 8th OPEC International Seminar to discuss global energy security, plans for…

Business The Saudi market is expected to witness a rise in IPOs in the second half of 2023. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Public Offerings in Saudi Arabia to Increase in Second Half of 2023

The Saudi market is expected to witness a rise in IPOs in the second half of this year after two important developments in the past few days. Ades…

Business Workers are seen at a Saudi Aramco facility. (SPA)

Experts to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Playing its Responsible Role in Controlling Oil Market

Saudi Arabia announced on Monday its decision to extend the voluntary oil production cut of one million barrels per day until August. Saudi analysts told…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, right, poses for a photo with Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at 10 Downing Street, ahead of their meeting, in London, Monday July 3, 2023. (AP)

Bahrain Signs Deals to Invest $1.3 Bln in UK Economy

Bahrain signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic investments and collaborations with Britain that will see the Gulf state's private sector invest 1…

Business Saudi Arabia will extend the voluntary oil cut of one million barrels per day, which had gone into effect in July, for another month to include August.

Ministry of Energy: Saudi Arabia to Extend Voluntary Oil Cut of 1 Mln bpd for Another Month to Include August 

An official source from the Ministry of Energy announced that Saudi Arabia will extend the voluntary oil cut of one million barrels per day, which had gone…

Business Chairman of the World Union of Arab Bankers and Lebanese banker Dr. Joseph Torbey. (Torbey’s personal website)

Chairman of World Union of Arab Bankers to Asharq Al-Awsat: Lebanon Must Assume Responsibility of its Debts

As the term of Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh draws to an end in July, Lebanon’s political and economic circles are cautiously anticipating the management…

Business An oil field in Dibis area on the outskirts of Kirkuk, Iraq (File Photo: Reuters)

Iraq Plans to Increase Oil Production to Over 5 Mln bpd

The Iraqi Parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee announced that the government had made plans to increase oil production to more than 5 million barrels per day …

Asharq Al Awsat (Baghdad)
Business British Deputy Ambassador to Riyadh Anna Walters. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

London, Riyadh Seek New Partnerships in Hydrogen, Carbon, Clean Technologies

British Deputy Ambassador to Riyadh Anna Walters said the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia were exploring new partnerships in hydrogen, carbon capture and…

Fatehalrahman Youssef (Riyadh)
Business Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Is Making a Long-Awaited Trip to China This Week 

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Is Making a Long-Awaited Trip to China This Week 

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will travel to Beijing Thursday as part of an ongoing Biden administration effort to thaw US-China relations, a senior Treasury…

Business FILE - In this Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, file photo, a flame burns at the Shell Deer Park oil refinery in Deer Park, Texas. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

Oil Prices Range-bound amid Tighter Supply, Slow Demand Fears

Oil prices were roughly unchanged on Monday as concerns about global macroeconomic headwinds and possible further interest rate hikes from the US Federal…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A general view shows Beijing's skyline on a sunny day, China January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Lee

Saudi Minister of Communications Visits China

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Abdullah Alswaha started on Sunday an official visit to China. He is slated to visit…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Kingdom Tower in Riyadh. (File photo: Reuters)

GSR Ranks Saudi PIF 1st in Middle East, 7th Globally

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) ranked seventh globally and first in the Middle East among 100 sovereign wealth funds according to Global SWFs…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business  Saudi banks maintain positive performance despite global headwinds. (SPA)

Profits of Saudi Banks before Zakat, Taxes, Rise to SAR 6.33 Billion

The combined profits of banks operating in Saudi Arabia, before zakat and taxes, increased during the month of May 2023, to about 6.33 billion riyals ($1.68…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Days of violent protests in the wake of the police killing of a 17-year-old have begun to take a toll on France's tourism sector. JEFF PACHOUD / AFP

French Tourism Sector Faces Cancellations over Unrest

Days of violent protests across France after the fatal police shooting of a teenager have started to impact the country's tourism sector, with hotels and…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Al Jaber meets with King Charles during his participation at the London Climate Action Week 2023. (WAM)

UAE: Cutting Emissions Requires Holistic Ecosystem

The United Arab Emirates stressed that cutting emissions by 43% in the next seven years requires a holistic ecosystem that connects policy, technology, finance…