Business

US Stocks Dip on Mixed Earnings as Markets Monitor Iran

Business A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell in New York on March 24, 2026.  (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)

US Stocks Dip on Mixed Earnings as Markets Monitor Iran

Wall Street stocks retreated from records early Thursday as markets digested a trove of mixed earnings reports and monitored the latest dynamics between the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi woman walks at the Saudi stock market in Riyadh - Reuters

What Does the Inclusion of Saudi Bonds in the J.P. Morgan Index Mean?

Saudi Arabia’s debt market is set for a strategic shift in early 2027, following J.P. Morgan’s announcement that local-currency bonds will be included in its…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Central Bank of Egypt building (A.P.)

S&P Warns African Sovereign Credit Rating Risks Likely to Worsen

S&P Global Ratings warned on Thursday that the risks to African sovereign credit scores were likely to worsen the longer the Middle East war drags on. The…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business An image made with a drone shows oil gas and fuel storage units at the Navigator Terminal in Grays, Britain, 14 April 2026. EPA/NEIL HALL

Gold Slips on Inflation Concerns as High Oil Prices and Stronger Dollar Weigh

Gold prices fell on Thursday, pressured by a stronger dollar and elevated oil prices that stoked inflation worries, as investors tried to assess the conflict…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Skyscrapers in London's financial district (Reuters)

UK Budget Deficit for 2025/26 Narrows to Six-year Low

Britain's budget deficit for the last financial year narrowed to a six-year low as a percentage of economic output although borrowing for March alone exceeded…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)

Business FILE PHOTO: Customers crowd around a jewelry showroom during Akshaya Tritiya, a major gold-buying festival, in Kochi, India April 28, 2017. REUTERS/Sivaram V/File Photo

Gold Set for Third Weekly Gain as US Rate Outlook Offsets Dollar Strength

Gold steadied on Friday as US-Iran ceasefire uncertainty lingered, but the metal stayed on course for a third consecutive weekly climb as investors priced in…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A street in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)

Saudi Business Confidence Index Remains Optimistic

Saudi Arabia’s Business Confidence Index remained in optimistic territory at 52.1 points in March, underscoring private sector resilience despite geopolitical…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business This picture shows stacks of Syrian lira banknotes at the Commercial Bank of Syria in Damascus, on November 10, 2022. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)

Syria Nears Correspondent Bank Account Deal with Türkiye, Mulls Currency Swap

Syria ‌is in the final stages of establishing a correspondent bank account with neighboring Türkiye's central bank and will also discuss a potential…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Al Ghais spoke on Thursday at the 16th High-Level Meeting of the Energy Dialogue between OPEC and the EU in Brussels

OPEC Chief Stresses Commitment to Support Market Stability

OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais has reiterated the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ commitment to support market stability and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Brussels)
Business  Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)

World Bank Sees Saudi Budget Deficit Halving, Current Account Surplus of 3.3% in 2026

As regional economies reel from a complex and uncertain geopolitical landscape, with shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz adding pressure, the…

Hala Saghbini (Riyadh)
Business A Lebanese man walks past destruction at the site of an Israeli airstrike the day before that targeted a building in Beirut on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)

European Development Bank Unveils 5 Bn Euros for War-hit Economies

The European development bank said Thursday it was unlocking five billion euros ($5.9 bn) to help shore up economies hit by the Middle East war. The…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business One of Saudia’s aircraft (company website)

Saudia to Partially Resume Flights To, From Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman on Saturday

Saudia announced on Thursday the partial resumption of its operations to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman starting Saturday, April 11. In a post on its…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILED - 24 October 2024, US, Washington: The logo of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is pictured on the facade of the conference building on Pennsylvania Street. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa

IMF Expects to Provide Vulnerable Economies Hit by Iran War Up to $50 bn

The International Monetary Fund expects to have to provide up to $50 billion in immediate financial assistance to countries affected by the Middle East war,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A general view of a beach in Limassol, Cyprus, March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou

Cyprus' Aphrodite Signs 15-year Natgas Supply Deal with Egypt

Cyprus' offshore Aphrodite field signed a 15-year deal to sell natural gas to the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, one of the ⁠partners in Aphrodite said…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek speaks during a meeting of Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD) in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 11, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo

Simsek: Türkiye Ready with Other Measures if War Shock Persists

The impact on Türkiye's economy of the conflict in the Middle East may be temporary and reversible if the recent ceasefire holds, and authorities are ready…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business London-based Energean's drill ship begins drilling at the Karish natural gas field offshore Israel in the east Mediterranean May 9, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Rabinovitch/File Photo

Israel Instructs Karish Offshore Natgas Platform to Reopen After Ceasefire

Israel's energy ministry said on Thursday that it had ⁠instructed Energean to begin ⁠resuming operations ⁠at the Karish natural gas platform off Israel's…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A currency trader works near a screen showing international oil prices at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Oil Prices Rise again and Asian Stocks Retreat on the Fragile Iran Ceasefire

Oil rose again to above $97 a barrel and Asian stocks were trading lower Thursday on skepticism over a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran. Investors…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A cargo ship in the Arabian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz (Reuters)

World Bank Slashes 2026 Middle East Growth Forecast, Saudi Arabia Absorbs Shock

The World Bank has slashed its 2026 growth forecast for Middle East economies, saying overall GDP growth in ⁠the region is expected to slow from an estimated 3…

Hala Saghbini (Riyadh)
Business The letters IMF (for International Monetary Fund) stand next to a stage for events in the conference building of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Soeren Stache/dpa 

IMF: Wars Impose Deep and Prolonged Economic Costs on Countries

Wars cause large and persistent economic losses in countries where fighting takes place, with output declining by roughly 7% over five years on average, and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)

Global Supply Chains Reshape, Focus Shifts to Saudi Arabia

At a time when global supply chains are being reshaped by rising geopolitical tensions and disruptions to key routes, led by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Saudi…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business This aerial picture shows stacks of shipping containers at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, March 31, 2026. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP)

Hapag-Lloyd: Resuming Normal Shipping to Take 6-8 Weeks if Mideast Stabilizes

Hapag-Lloyd voiced cautious optimism on Wednesday on the prospect of resuming shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after a two-week ceasefire agreed between…

Business 10 July 2020, Türkiye, Istanbul: People stand behind a Turkish national flag in front of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. (dpa)

Turkish Shares Rise After Iran Ceasefire Deal, Lira Set for Rare Daily Gain

Banking and ‌airline stocks led a more than 4% rise in Turkish shares and the lira was on track for a rare daily gain on Wednesday, as the two-week Middle…

Business A man follows the stock market at the Dubai Financial Market in Dubai (EPA)

Gulf Markets Jump on US-Iran Ceasefire Agreement

Stock markets in the Gulf region jumped on Wednesday in line with global equities after US President Donald Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A Saudi money changer displays Saudi Riyal banknotes at a currency exchange shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia July 27, 2017. (Reuters)

Gulf Banks Weather Geopolitical Tensions with Strong Capital Buffers

Gulf banks are holding up well despite rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, underpinned by solid financial positions and early regulatory action,…

Zeinab Ali (Riyadh)
Business A saleswoman adjusts gold jewelry on display for sale in a store in Jiangsu Province, eastern China (AFP)

Gold Climbs to Nearly 3-week High after Ceasefire Announcement

Gold prices climbed to a nearly three-week high on Wednesday as markets reassessed near-term risks after US President Donald Trump agreed to suspend bombings…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: A map showing the Strait of Hormuz and a 3D printed oil pipeline are seen in this illustration taken March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Oil Slides Below $100 after Trump Announces 2-week Ceasefire

Oil fell below $100 per barrel on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran that was subject to the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business  Industrial facilities and infrastructure at the Hoechst Industrial Park, near Frankfurt, Germany, 07 April 2026. (EPA)

Euro Zone Growth Slows on Surging Energy Costs

The euro zone's private sector expansion weakened sharply in March as the Middle East war drove up energy costs and disrupted supply chains, with overall…

Asharq Al Awsat (Brussels)
Business People visit a shopping center in Beijing on April 7, 2026. (AFP)

China’s Xi Urges Demand‑Driven Growth in Services Sector

China's President Xi Jinping has called for a demand-driven approach coupled with reform and technological empowerment to develop the service sector, the…