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 Business Environment Strongly Improves in Egypt Despite Pandemic

Business Environment Strongly Improves in Egypt Despite Pandemic

The headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit Egypt PMI rose from 49.4 in August to 50.4 in September, signaling an improvement during the latest survey period. …

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business Dubai Inks Deal with Israel Export Institute

Dubai Inks Deal with Israel Export Institute

The Dubai World Trade Center (DWTCA) signed an agreement with the Israel Export Institute (IEI) on Monday to cooperate in facilitating the participation of…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business Algeria Plans to Set up New Airline for Domestic Flights

Algeria Plans to Set up New Airline for Domestic Flights

Algeria’s government plans to set up a company for domestic air transport to ease pressure on state carrier Air Algerie which will focus on international…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Oman Signs Agreement with Swedish Maha Energy

Oman Signs Agreement with Swedish Maha Energy

Oman's Ministry of Energy and Minerals has signed a new agreement with Swedish Maha Energy for oil exploration. In a statement, the ministry said Mohammed…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Agreement to Attract Qualitative Investments to KAEC

Agreement to Attract Qualitative Investments to KAEC

The Saudi Ministry of Investment and King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) signed on Sunday a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The MoU aims at bolstering…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Fintech Saudi Launches Accelerator Program to Empower Entrepreneurs

Fintech Saudi Launches Accelerator Program to Empower Entrepreneurs

Fintech Saudi announced on Sunday the launching of a three-month innovation and entrepreneurship program to support the Kingdom’s financial technology industry…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business 'Gilded Cage': Private Pools, Fancy Meals in Thailand's Luxury Quarantine

'Gilded Cage': Private Pools, Fancy Meals in Thailand's Luxury Quarantine

A private infinity pool, gourmet meals -- and two temperature checks a day. Welcome to five-star quarantine in Thailand, where well-heeled tourists can live in…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Microsoft Plans $1 Billion Data Center Venture in Greece

Microsoft Plans $1 Billion Data Center Venture in Greece

Microsoft has announced plans to build three data centers in greater Athens, providing a badly needed investment of up to $1 billion to the Greek economy which…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business APICORP Provides $70.5m for Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park

APICORP Provides $70.5m for Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park

The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) has signed an agreement with Shuaa Energy 3 P.S.C sponsored by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority …

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business Kuwait Market Rebounds on Reopening

Kuwait Market Rebounds on Reopening

Kuwait’s stock market rebounded on Sunday, with financial shares leading broad-based gains as it reopened after a two session break following the death of the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business SAMA Introduces Five Riyal Denomination Made of Polymer

SAMA Introduces Five Riyal Denomination Made of Polymer

The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) announced on Sunday its plan to release a five-riyal denomination of the Saudi currency made of polymer during the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business 79 Saudi Govt. Bodies to Be Included in Finance Ministry’s Planned Treasury

79 Saudi Govt. Bodies to Be Included in Finance Ministry’s Planned Treasury

The Saudi Ministry of Finance is planning to include 79 entities in the treasury in 2021, as officials finalize the last phase of establishing the independent…

Mohammed al-Hamidi (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Arabia, Japan Discuss Cooperation in Energy, Technology

Saudi Arabia, Japan Discuss Cooperation in Energy, Technology

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman discussed with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi possible ways to boost bilateral ties especially…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Arabia to Host 1st Space Economy Meeting

Saudi Arabia to Host 1st Space Economy Meeting

The Saudi Space Commission said it is organizing the first meeting of space agency leaders that belong to G20 countries. The meeting, hosted by the G20…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Govt Introduces New Exemptions to Boost Real Estate Sector

Saudi Govt Introduces New Exemptions to Boost Real Estate Sector

Saudi Arabia has given new impetus to real estate activities in the country by exempting real estate transactions from a 15% value-added tax and instead…

Mosaed al-Zayani (Riyadh)
Business Trump Coronavirus Positive Rocks Stock Markets

Trump Coronavirus Positive Rocks Stock Markets

News that US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania had tested positive for the coronavirus rocked global markets Friday, stoking uncertainty in the world…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Lebanon's Salameh Says Can No Longer 'Exhaust' Foreign Currency Reserves

Lebanon's Salameh Says Can No Longer 'Exhaust' Foreign Currency Reserves

Lebanon's Central Bank Gov. Riad Salameh said in statements on Thursday that the economy is suffering from major problems with the complete absence of any…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beirut)
Business Saudi Arabia Launches $800 Mn Worth Development Projects in Yanbu

Saudi Arabia Launches $800 Mn Worth Development Projects in Yanbu

Prince Faisal bin Salman, Governor of Madinah, launched on Thursday a package of development and service projects in the Yanbu governorate worth more than 3…

Asharq Al Awsat (Madinah)
Business Number of Tourists Visiting Spain in August Fell 76% on Year

Number of Tourists Visiting Spain in August Fell 76% on Year

Much-needed revenues from foreign tourists collapsed in Spain this year as the coronavirus pandemic pushed many holiday makers to stay at home, further…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Inflation Slump in Europe Could Presage More Stimulus

Inflation Slump in Europe Could Presage More Stimulus

Annual inflation in the 19-country eurozone sagged further below zero in September, bolstering expectations that the European Central Bank will add to its…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Tunisia's Foreign Currency Reserves Rise, Tourism Revenues Fall

Tunisia's Foreign Currency Reserves Rise, Tourism Revenues Fall

Figures of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) showed that Tunisia's foreign exchange reserves are now TND21.219 billion (USD7.8 billion), equivalent to 141 days…

Al Mongi Al Saidani (Tunis)
Business Amazon: Nearly 20,000 Workers Tested Positive for COVID-19

Amazon: Nearly 20,000 Workers Tested Positive for COVID-19

Amazon said Thursday that nearly 20,000 of its front-line US workers have tested positive or been presumed positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. But…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia Imposes New, Lower Property Tax

Saudi Arabia Imposes New, Lower Property Tax

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued on Friday an order exempting real estate deals from a 15% value-added tax (VAT) and imposed…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia’s 2021 Spending Budget Set at $264 Billion

Saudi Arabia’s 2021 Spending Budget Set at $264 Billion

The Saudi Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday the estimated budget for the 2021 fiscal year, with expected general revenues of 846 billion riyals (USA…

Mohammed al-Hamidi (Riyadh)