Business

Iraq Oil Output Exceeds 5 million bpd

Business Majnoon oil field near the Iraqi city of Basra (Reuters)

Iraq Oil Output Exceeds 5 million bpd

Iraq produces more than 5 million barrels of oil per day (bpd), Oil Minister Basim Mohammed told state news agency INA on Saturday. According to Reuters, Iraq…

Asharq Al Awsat
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 Dozens of containers piled up in the port of Algiers after the decision to suspend foreign trade with Spain. (EPA)

Algeria Looks for Alternatives to Spanish Goods after Suspension of Trade

Algerian businessmen have been seeking alternatives to Spanish products and goods to prevent huge potential losses in their business dealings. This comes…

Asharq Al Awsat (Algiers)
Business FILE PHOTO: A logo is pictured on the headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland, June 2, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibous

WTO Looks to Reach Trade Deals

The World Trade Organization is facing one of its most dire moments, the culmination of years of slide toward oblivion and ineffectiveness. Now may be a chance…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Sheila Al-Rowaily has become the first woman to join the board of directors of Saudi Central Bank. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Non-government Members Appointed on Saudi Central Bank’s Board

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, has agreed to appoint five non-government members to the Board of Directors of the Saudi…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business  A worker dismantles the McDonald's Golden Arches while removing the logo signage from a drive-through restaurant of McDonald's in the town of Kingisepp in the Leningrad region, Russia June 8, 2022. (Reuters)

Goodbye Golden Arches: Rebranded McDonald’s to Reopen in Russia

Sunday marks a new dawn for Russia's fast-food lovers as former McDonald's Corp restaurants reopen under new branding and ownership, more than three decades…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources visits Al-Khunaiqiah Mining Site in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Mining, Manufacturing Activities Drive a Leap in Saudi Industry Growth

The Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) has launched a program to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business A money changer holds Turkish lira banknotes at a currency exchange office in Ankara, Turkey October 12, 2021. (Reuters)

Turkey Caught in a Spiral of Lira Crises

Turkey's lira has lost nearly a quarter of its value this year as soaring inflation and the central bank's reluctance to raise interest rates stoke fears of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A general view shows buildings and the grain silo damaged during the 2020 Beirut port explosion, in Beirut, Lebanon May 17, 2022. REUTERS/Emilie Madi

IMF Names Resident Representative for Lebanon to Continue Reform Talks

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has picked a resident representative for Lebanon, the multilateral lender's spokesman Gerry Rice said on Thursday. …

Asharq Al Awsat
Business TECOM said it planned to offer investors dividends of $218 million a year for the next three years. WAM

TECOM Offers 625 Million Shares on Dubai Financial Market

A major free zone operator in Dubai said Thursday it would make an initial public offering on the local stock market. The TECOM Group plans to offer 625…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business UAE Central Bank Expects Real GDP Growth to Reach 4.2% in 2023

UAE Central Bank Expects Real GDP Growth to Reach 4.2% in 2023

The United Arab Emirates' central bank said on Wednesday it expects real GDP growth to reach 4.2 percent next year, up from its earlier forecast of 3.3 percent…

Asharq Al Awsat (Abu Dhabi)
Business The Gulf banking sector records strong profit growth to return to pre-pandemic levels (Reuters)

GCC Bank Profits Surge to $11 Billion

The first quarter of 2022 proved to be the best quarters for banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council as they raked in $10.9 billion in aggregate profits, a Kamco…

Asharq Al Awsat (Kuwait)
Business Within a few months, Riyadh became the second most attractive city in the region for fintech companies (AP)

Saudi Arabia Gears Up to Become Middle East’s Fintech Hub

Amid a fast-paced financial world, Saudi Arabia is emerging as a very bright spot for the future of the financial technology sector in the Middle East. What…

Business The European Central Bank is pushing back against market expectations that it will lift borrowing costs in 2022 - AFP via Getty Images

With Inflation on Rise, ECB Readies Tougher Action

The European Central Bank is set to announce the end date to its bond-buying stimulus on Thursday, as concerns over the accelerating pace of inflation in the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Oman has achieved a balanced increase of 2.1 percent in the production of crude oil and oil condensate during 2021. (Oman News Agency)

Oman Denies Claims about Negotiations with Iran Over Stakes in Hengam Gas Field

The Omani Ministry of Energy and Minerals stressed that it had not recently participated in any technical discussions or commercial negotiations related to the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Muscat)
Business Representatives from Vortex Energy and Ignis during the signing of the agreements. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Egypt: Vortex Energy Invests $237Mln into Spain’s Ignis

Vortex Energy, a global renewable energy platform managed by the private equity arm of EFG Hermes, announced on Tuesday that it invested to-date in Spain’s…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business World Bank President David Malpass said that the danger of stagflation is considerable today. (Reuters)

World Bank Projects Slow Growth, Warns of ‘Stagflation’ Risk

The World Bank on Tuesday slashed its global growth forecast by nearly a third to 2.9% for 2022, warning that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has compounded the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business A woman holds Turkish Lira banknotes in this illustration taken May 30, 2022. (Reuters)

Turkey’s Lira Dips Again, Down 22% So Far This Year

The Turkish lira slid 0.9% against the dollar on Wednesday, bringing its losses to 22% this year, after worries about a surge in inflation were fueled by…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Local Content and Government Procurement Authority met with Saudi businessmen at the headquarters of the Federation of Saudi Chambers on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Legislation Promotes Competitiveness of Local Products to Access Global Markets

Abdul Rahman Al-Samari, head of the Saudi Local Content and Government Procurement Authority, said that Saudi Arabia was issuing legislation to enhance the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture unveiled a project aimed at registering and updating data on agricultural, animal and fishery activities and agricultural properties. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia Asks Private Sector to Issue Modern Agricultural Registry to Combat Commercial Cover-up

The Saudi government has asked the private sector to approve a developed agricultural registry (tasattur) in the farms, as of September, in order to reduce…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business Iran and Qatar held the eighth meeting of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation and signed a memorandum of understanding to increase bilateral economic and trade cooperation (QNA)

Iran, Qatar Ink MoU to Form Joint Trade Council

Iran and Qatar on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint trade council. According to Qatar News Agency (QNA), the document was signed…

Business The Jebel Ali Port in Dubai. (WAM)

DP World, CDPQ Announce $5 Bn Investment in Strategic Assets in the UAE

DP World announced it was selling a minority share to CDPQ, a global investment group, in three of DP World's flagship UAE assets. CDPQ will invest $2.5…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)

Saudi GDP Grows 9.9% in Q1

Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product grew 9.9% in the first quarter, the fastest in a decade and more than a flash estimate last month of 9.6%, official data…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Officials from the Dubai Chamber and Israeli officials hold talks at a recent meeting. (WAM)

Dubai International Chamber Plans to Open Representative Office in Tel Aviv

The Dubai International Chamber announced plans to open a representative office in Tel Aviv, aiming to facilitate trade and investment between business…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business Starbucks coffee shops are popular in the Gulf region and the Middle East. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi PIF Close to Buying Stake in Starbucks Middle East

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been shortlisted to buy a stake in the Middle East, North Africa, and central Asia Starbucks franchise held by…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business Italian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Roberto Cantone addresses the embassy’s celebration of Italy’s National Day in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Italy Looks Forward to Long-term Partnership with Saudi Arabia in Green Hydrogen

Italian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Roberto Cantone said his country was making great efforts to diversify its gas supplies to achieve independence from Russia,…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)