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 Ex-Audi Boss to Stand Trial for 'Dieselgate'

Ex-Audi Boss to Stand Trial for 'Dieselgate'

Former Audi boss Rupert Stadler on Wednesday becomes the first to stand trial in Germany over the "dieselgate" emissions scandal, five years after parent…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business China Opens Auto Show under Anti-Disease Controls

China Opens Auto Show under Anti-Disease Controls

Ford, Nissan and BMW unveiled electric models with more range for China on Saturday as the Beijing auto show opened under anti-virus controls that included…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business E-learning to Drive Technology Growth in Saudi Economic Sector

E-learning to Drive Technology Growth in Saudi Economic Sector

With the start of the new academic year, the Saudi IT and communications sector registered a fast growth, especially as the Kingdom has resorted to distance…

Business Egypt Cuts Interest Rates by 50 Bps

Egypt Cuts Interest Rates by 50 Bps

Egypt’s central bank unexpectedly cut its main overnight interest rates by 50 basis points on Thursday, saying exceptionally low inflation gave it room to help…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Morocco Issues €1 Bn Int’l Bonds in Two Tranches

Morocco Issues €1 Bn Int’l Bonds in Two Tranches

Morocco successfully issued €1 billion bonds on the international financial market, two tranches of €500 million each, announced the Ministry of Economy,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity to Add 3,000 MW to National Grid

Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity to Add 3,000 MW to National Grid

Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity announced Friday that 3,000 megawatts will be added to the national grid, after the US has renewed a waiver for Baghdad to…

Asharq Al Awsat (Baghdad)
Business G20: 46 Countries Applied for Relief Under DSSI

G20: 46 Countries Applied for Relief Under DSSI

The Group of 20 major economies on Friday said they are looking at structural approaches to secure longer-term financing for developing countries, including…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Dubai Airport Free Zone Signs MoU with Israeli Chambers of Commerce

Dubai Airport Free Zone Signs MoU with Israeli Chambers of Commerce

The Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (DAFZA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce (FICC), Dubai Media…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia Assessing Options to Boost Economy

Saudi Arabia Assessing Options to Boost Economy

Saudi Minister of Commerce and Investment Dr. Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi has stated that Saudi Arabia is “assessing all the options” to boost its economy…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business IMF Approves Plan to Monitor Sudan's Reform Programs

IMF Approves Plan to Monitor Sudan's Reform Programs

he International Monetary Fund’s executive board has approved plans to monitor a 12-month economic program by Sudan as it seeks to demonstrate its ability to…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business Dubai, Tel Aviv Chambers Sign Agreement to Boost Economic Cooperation

Dubai, Tel Aviv Chambers Sign Agreement to Boost Economic Cooperation

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it has signed a deal with Tel Aviv Chamber of Commerce, represented by the Federation of Israeli Chambers of…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business Moody's Downgrades Kuwait

Moody's Downgrades Kuwait

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Kuwait's long-term issuer outlook, citing higher liquidity risks and weaker governance and institutional strength,…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business UAE Central Bank Urges Banks to Step Up Anti-Money Laundering Efforts

UAE Central Bank Urges Banks to Step Up Anti-Money Laundering Efforts

The United Arab Emirates central bank said banks should increase anti-money laundering efforts to safeguard financial stability in the country. “To mitigate…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Jordan Remittances Fall 10% as a Result of COVID-19 Blow

Jordan Remittances Fall 10% as a Result of COVID-19 Blow

Jordan's remittances, one of the country's main sources of foreign currency, fell 10 % to $1.94 bln in the first seven months year-on-year, reaching levels it…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Flights Resume Between UAE, Saudi Arabia

Flights Resume Between UAE, Saudi Arabia

The national carriers of the UAE and Saudi Arabia resumed flights between Dubai and several Saudi cities as the Kingdom celebrated its 90th national day on…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business UAE, Israel Discuss Energy, Infrastructure Cooperation

UAE, Israel Discuss Energy, Infrastructure Cooperation

The United Arab Emirates’ Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, held talks on Wednesday with Israeli Minister of Energy Yuval…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business G20 Trade, Investment Ministers Make Series of Pledges

G20 Trade, Investment Ministers Make Series of Pledges

G20 Trade and Investment ministers have expressed concern with the serious risks posed by the coronavirus pandemic to all countries, pledging to continue…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business 'Chopard' Opens New Boutique In Kingdom Mall

'Chopard' Opens New Boutique In Kingdom Mall

Chopard, in collaboration with partner Attar United, opened its new design concept boutique located at the luxurious Kingdom Mall in Saudi Arabia. The mall is…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Flydubai to Resume Flights to the Maldives in October

Flydubai to Resume Flights to the Maldives in October

Dubai-based airline, flydubai announced the resumption of flights to Malé, the capital of the island nation, the Maldives. The service, which the carrier…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business UAE's 1st Nuclear Plant Reaches 50% Power Capacity

UAE's 1st Nuclear Plant Reaches 50% Power Capacity

The UAE announced Tuesday that the reactor of Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant has achieved 50 percent of its electricity production capacity. …

Asharq Al Awsat (Abu Dhabi)
Business Riyadh Ranks 5th Smart City among G20 Capitals

Riyadh Ranks 5th Smart City among G20 Capitals

Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, has achieved qualitative progress in the "IMD" index of smart cities for the year 2020, issued by the International Institute…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business East Mediterranean States Formally Establish Egypt-Based Gas Forum

East Mediterranean States Formally Establish Egypt-Based Gas Forum

Six states signed a charter for an Egypt-based energy forum on Tuesday, giving formal status to a group that seeks to promote natural gas exports from the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business German Economy to Shrink by 5.2% This Year, Grow by 5.1% Next Year - Ifo

German Economy to Shrink by 5.2% This Year, Grow by 5.1% Next Year - Ifo

Germany's Ifo institute on Tuesday said Europe's largest economy would likely shrink by 5.2% this year, raising its previous estimate for a 6.7% drop, in the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia: Liquidity, Credit, and Consumption Herald New Economic Recovery

Saudi Arabia: Liquidity, Credit, and Consumption Herald New Economic Recovery

The Saudi national economy is recovering from severe economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic thanks to a set of fiscal and monetary policies adopted by…

Mohammed al-Hamidi (Beirut)