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 Pump jacks in a field in Russia's Tatarstan (Reuters)

Oil Heads for First Monthly Gain this Year as Supply Tightens

Oil prices stayed steady on Friday with Brent poised for its first monthly gain this year, as a big drawdown in US oil stocks outweighed concerns that fuel…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A man sells balloons at a road side during Eid al-Adha celebration in Karachi, Pakistan, 29 June 2023. (EPA)

Pakistan, IMF Agree on Crucial $3 Bln Bailout

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reached a staff-level pact with Pakistan on a $3 billion stand-by arrangement, the lender said, a decision long…

Business FILE - Protesters smash windows and burn tires at Bank Audi during a protest demanding the release of depositors' trapped savings, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

IMF Says Lebanon Faces Ballooning Inflation and Public Debt

Without reforms, Lebanon will continue to see triple-digit inflation, and public debt in the small, crisis-ridden country could reach nearly 550% of GDP by…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Clean energy projects are key drivers to achieving sustainability and avoiding carbon emissions. (SPA) 

Solar Energy in Saudi Arabia Attracts Japanese, French Investments

A consortium consisting of Japanese Toyota Tsusho, French TotalEnergies Renewables, and Saudi Altaaqa Renewable Energy (a Zahid Group company) has completed a …

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business  Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal Al-Ibrahim speaks during the Davos Summer meeting in Tianjin, China.

Saudi Arabia Leads Transformation Addressing Climate Change

The Saudi government is leading a shift in food production that can effectively address climate change, while ensuring a sustainable future for agriculture. …

Asharq Al Awsat
Business In this picture taken on June 25, 2023, a farmer holds sacrificial camels, as he waits for customers at a livestock market ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in Lahore. (AFP)

Reports: Pakistan, IMF Discuss $2.5 Bln Standby Arrangement

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund are discussing a $2.5-billion "standby arrangement" for six to nine months, domestic newspapers said on Wednesday,…

Business President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with his "Investing in America Cabinet," in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, May 5, 2023, in Washington. (AP)

Biden Tries to Flip Skeptical Americans on His Economic Plan

US President Joe Biden will use what aides are billing as a major speech on Wednesday to lift Americans' dour mood about the economy, hoping to shore up his…

Business The opening ceremony of the 14th annual meeting of the New Champions, known as Summer Davos, in northern China. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia Participates in ‘Summer Davos,’ Launches an Innovative Challenge

Saudi Arabia intends to launch an innovative challenge for the participants of the 14th edition of the annual meeting of the New Champions of the World…

Asharq Al Awsat (Tianjin (China))
Business Energy and Hajj ministers inspect energy supply preparations and operational plans for this year’s Hajj season (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Energy Minister: Electricity Service in Holy Sites Set for Transformative Changes

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has unveiled that significant transformations are expected to occur in the electricity service…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Turkish lira banknotes are seen in this illustration taken in Istanbul, Türkiye November 23, 2021. (Reuters)

Turkish Lira Flat after Touching Record Low, Cenbank Reserves Up

Türkiye's lira was mostly flat on Tuesday, after touching a new record low overnight, while bankers said the central bank's net reserves had marked their…

Business A factor of polymers that are used in manufacturing wire wraps and cable insulators in UAE. (WAM)

UAE: Growth of Local Banks’ Credit Financing to Business, Industrial Sectors

National banks in the UAE have increased their credit financing provided to the business and industrial sectors by 40.6 billion dirhams ($10.8 billion) or 5.8%…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals Eng Salim al Aufi after signing the agreement with Chairman of Sindbad Mining Resources Co Nasser al Araimi. (Oman News Agency)

Oman’s Ministry of Energy Signs Agreement to Explore Potash Ore

Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals has signed a concession agreement in the mining sector for the exploration and mining of potash ore. Oman News…

Asharq Al Awsat (Muscat)
Business Saudi factories recently honored for achieving advanced level in the SIRI evaluation (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Factories Race to Adopt Fourth Industrial Revolution Application

Saudi factories are competing to exceed the assessment of the global Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI), focused on the transitioning to the Fourth…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business FILE PHOTO: A pipe yard servicing government-owned oil pipeline operator Trans Mountain is seen in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada June 7, 2021.   REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier/File Photo

Oil Rises on Supply Worries, US Summer Demand Hopes

Oil prices edged higher on Tuesday, spurred by worries about political instability in Russia and possible supply disruptions, as well as US demand hopes ahead…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business President and CEO of Aramco Amin Nasser attends the Energy Asia conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia June 26, 2023. (Reuters)

Saudi Aramco Sees ‘Sound’ Oil Outlook for H2 on China, India Demand

Saudi Aramco believes market fundamentals remain "sound" for the second half as demand from emerging markets led by China and India will offset recession risk…

Business A man draws some Turkish Lira banknotes from an ATM in Istanbul, Türkiye, 22 June 2023. (EPA)

Türkiye Lira Hits New Low After Bank Rules’ Rollback 

The Turkish lira slid as much as 3% to a record low against the dollar on Monday, after the central bank took steps to simplify policy, while an official and…

Business Muscat Stock Exchange (Omani News Agency)

Oman’s Investment Authority Allocates $260 Mln to Support Muscat Stock Exchange

The Oman Investment Authority (OIA) announced the allocation of 100 million Omani riyals (about $260.8 million) to support the Muscat Stock Exchange through…

Asharq Al Awsat (Muscat)
Business A view of Abu Dhabi International Airport. (WAM)

UAE GDP Grows by 7.9% in 2022

The UAE's GDP in 2022 at constant prices totaled AED1.62 trillion ($440 billion), achieving a positive growth of 7.9%, while totaling AED1.86 trillion ($506…

Business Abdulhameed Al-Muhaidib, the chief financial officer of ACWA Power, and Yuan Shengrui, a senior executive of China Construction Bank at the Dubai International Financial Center branch after signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Chinese Credit Facilities of $100 Mln Extended to Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power

Saudi energy firm ACWA Power recently announced its attainment of a 3-year renewable credit facility agreement with China Construction Bank. This agreement…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business FILE PHOTO: A pump jack operates in front of a drilling rig at sunset in an oilfield in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo

Oil Climbs, Rouble Falls as Markets Take Mutiny in Stride

Oil was slightly higher on Monday and the rouble lower as an abortive weekend mutiny by Russian mercenaries raised questions about Russian stability and crude…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A person looks at an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index at a securities firm Friday, June 23, 2023, in Tokyo. (AP)

BIS Warns World Economy at Critical Juncture in Inflation Fight

The world's central bank umbrella body, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), called on Sunday for more interest rate hikes, warning the world economy…

Business A Saudi Aramco sign is pictured at an oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, October 12, 2019. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia to Boost Role of Petrochemical Sector in National Economy

Saudi Aramco and France's TotalEnergies awarded Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts for the $11 billion "Amiral" complex, a…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Dhahran)
Business Oman’s GDP at current prices increased by 7.4% at the end of Q1 2023. (ONA)

Oman’s GDP Grows by 7.4% in Q1

Oman’s GDP at current prices increased by 7.4% at the end of Q1 2023, according to the preliminary data issued by the National Center for Statistics and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Muscat)
Business Private military company (PMC) Wagner Group servicemen prepare to leave downtown Rostov-on-Don, southern Russia, 24 June 2023. (EPA)

Russia Back in Investors’ Focus after Weekend Mutiny

Some investors were watching for ripple effects from an aborted mutiny in Russia on Saturday, expecting a move into safe havens such as US government bonds and…