Business

Bahraini Transport Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Each Country to Finance Its Share of Gulf Railway Project

Business A conceptual rendering of the Gulf railway interconnection project. (X)

Bahraini Transport Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Each Country to Finance Its Share of Gulf Railway Project

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states took a new step toward completing the railway interconnection project by signing the project's general…

Merza al-Khuwaldi (Manama)
Business Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a press conference with Minister of Information Diaa Rashwan (not pictured) in Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2026. (Reuters)

Egypt Seeks Faster Progress on Libya Gas, Refining and Power Projects

Egypt aims to accelerate energy projects with Libya, including gas pipeline links, refining of Libyan crude in Egypt and an electricity interconnection,…

Business GCC transport ministers pose for a group photo following the 27th committee meeting in Kuwait. (GCC Railway Authority)

GCC: Railway Agreement Sets Joint Framework for Project Implementation and Operation

Jasem Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said on Sunday that the signing of the General Agreement on the GCC Railway Project…

Asharq Al Awsat (Manama)
Business A factory in Madinah’s industrial city. (SPA)

Mega Projects Drive Growth for Saudi Small and Medium Factories

Mega projects in Saudi Arabia are offering increasing opportunities for small and medium-sized factories to expand their businesses and integrate into local…

Sara bin Shamran (Riyadh)
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 Oman Talks to Banks About New Loan of at Least $1 Billion

Oman Talks to Banks About New Loan of at Least $1 Billion

Oman is discussing a loan of at least $1 billion with a group of banks, sources said, as the oil-producing Gulf state seeks more funding ahead of heavy debt…

Asharq Al Awsat (Muscat)
Business Saudi G20 Presidency Seeks Int’l Framework for Economic Empowerment of Women

Saudi G20 Presidency Seeks Int’l Framework for Economic Empowerment of Women

Under Saudi Arabian presidency, the G20 is undertaking strong endeavors to promote the empowerment of women in the global economy. This is a key element in the…

Ohoud Mefreh (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Arabia Raises Minimum Wages of 'Nitaqat' Employees

Saudi Arabia Raises Minimum Wages of 'Nitaqat' Employees

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resource and Social Development (HRSD) issued a decree on Wednesday raising the minimum wages of Saudi employees. Minister…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Eurozone Crisis Prevailed Over Mexican Los Cabos Summit

Eurozone Crisis Prevailed Over Mexican Los Cabos Summit

From the French Cannes, the world’s attention turned to the coastal city of Los Cabos in Mexico, awaiting the outcome of the G20 leaders’ seventh summit, amid…

Business Iraq-Saudi Arabia Border Crossing Opens for Trade

Iraq-Saudi Arabia Border Crossing Opens for Trade

Saudi Arabia and Iraq announced the opening of the Jadidah-Arar border crossing - located at the northernmost point of the Kingdom - to become a vital lifeline…

Business Aramco Awards Major Long-Term Agreements to Eight Companies Oil, Gas Projects

Aramco Awards Major Long-Term Agreements to Eight Companies Oil, Gas Projects

Aramco announced on Wednesday a new contracting strategy for the Company’s oil and gas brownfield and plant upgrade projects. The strategy focuses on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Wealth Fund Cut US Stocks by $3 Billion Last Quarter

Saudi Wealth Fund Cut US Stocks by $3 Billion Last Quarter

Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund cut its exposure to North American equities by $3 billion in the third quarter, offloading some exchange traded funds …

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Optimism For A More Robust Global Economy to Face Future Shocks

Saudi Optimism For A More Robust Global Economy to Face Future Shocks

Saudi officials voiced optimism towards the G20 2020 Riyadh summit producing a policy and recommendations platform that would enhance the recovery of the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business G20 Initiatives to Protect Degraded Lands

G20 Initiatives to Protect Degraded Lands

At a time safeguarding the planet is at the heart of efforts exerted by the Saudi G20 presidency, an environment-focused event revealed on Thursday that…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Think Tanks Lead Ambitious G20 Agenda

Saudi Think Tanks Lead Ambitious G20 Agenda

Saudi research centers, through their large contribution to preparatory sessions of the upcoming G20 Riyadh summit, have proven their ability to both lead…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Business Sudanese Banks Take First Steps to End Decades of Isolation

Sudanese Banks Take First Steps to End Decades of Isolation

Sudanese banks have started moves to re-establish relations with foreign banks as the United States prepares to remove Sudan from its state sponsor of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia Calls on OPEC+ to Be Flexible as it Weighs Oil Cut Extension

Saudi Arabia Calls on OPEC+ to Be Flexible as it Weighs Oil Cut Extension

Saudi Arabia called on fellow OPEC+ members on Tuesday to be flexible in responding to oil market needs as it builds the case for a tighter oil production…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business OPEC+ Sees Oil Cut Extension Curbing 2021 Rise in Oil Stocks, Document Shows

OPEC+ Sees Oil Cut Extension Curbing 2021 Rise in Oil Stocks, Document Shows

OPEC and its allies see oil inventories declining further in 2021 should producers extend supply curbs for three months or more, a confidential document seen…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Ministry of Finance, Samba Ink Deal to Back Govt. Payments to Private Suppliers

Saudi Ministry of Finance, Samba Ink Deal to Back Govt. Payments to Private Suppliers

The Saudi Ministry of Finance, in coordination with the National Debt Management Center, signed an agreement with the Samba Financial Group to support…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Shura Council Agrees to Change SAMA Name, System

Shura Council Agrees to Change SAMA Name, System

The Saudi Shura Council approved on Monday a new draft law, which includes changing the name of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) to the Saudi Central…

Saeed al-Abyad (Jeddah)
Business Saudi Arabia Announces Comprehensive Electricity Sector Reforms

Saudi Arabia Announces Comprehensive Electricity Sector Reforms

The Saudi Ministry of Energy revealed on Monday comprehensive reforms and restructuring plans of the electricity in the country as part of its efforts to…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Business Report: Muslims Spend $2.2 Trillion on Halal Goods, Products

Report: Muslims Spend $2.2 Trillion on Halal Goods, Products

The report on the reality of the global Islamic economy in its eighth edition, entitled “Growth in spite of challenges,” estimates Muslim spending on halal…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business Saudi G20 Presidency Underpins Coordination to Mitigate Covid-19 Impact on Labor Markets

Saudi G20 Presidency Underpins Coordination to Mitigate Covid-19 Impact on Labor Markets

The G20 Summit, under Saudi presidency this year, is seeking to coordinate efforts for implementing effective measures that soften the fallout of the…

Mohammed Al-Ayed (Riyadh)
Business Princess Maha Bint Mishari: Women, Youth Participation in Labor Productivity Crucial for Human Capital Investment

Princess Maha Bint Mishari: Women, Youth Participation in Labor Productivity Crucial for Human Capital Investment

Saudi Princess Maha Bint Mishari, who is co-leading the migration and young societies task force at the Think 20 (T20) engagement group of the G20, revealed…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business Iraq’s Debt Exceeds $160Bn

Iraq’s Debt Exceeds $160Bn

Iraq’s debt has exceeded $160 billion after the fiscal deficit law was approved, while the foreign public debt alone ranges between $60-70 billion. MP…

Asharq Al Awsat (Baghdad)
Business Egypt’s Unemployment Drops to 7.3% during Q3

Egypt’s Unemployment Drops to 7.3% during Q3

Egypt’s unemployment rate fell to 7.3 percent during the third quarter of the year, down from 7.8 percent during the same period in 2019, announced the Central…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business Saudi Arabia is Middle East’s Highest Climber in Legatum Prosperity Index 2020

Saudi Arabia is Middle East’s Highest Climber in Legatum Prosperity Index 2020

Saudi Arabia has made the greatest progress in the Middle East on the Legatum Prosperity Index 2020. Since 2010, the Kingdom has moved up the rankings table…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Arabia to Host Sustainable Production in Health Sector Global Forum 2020

Saudi Arabia to Host Sustainable Production in Health Sector Global Forum 2020

Saudi Arabia will host this week the Sustainable Production in the Health Sector Global Forum on the sidelines of Riyadh’s staging of the G20 Summit. The…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business World Shares Climb After S&P 500 Record, Despite Virus Woes

World Shares Climb After S&P 500 Record, Despite Virus Woes

Shares started out the week on a strong footing after the Standard & Poors 500 hit a fresh high on Friday, with robust data from Japan and China adding to…

Asharq Al Awsat