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 Rise in Food Prices Exacerbates Suffering in Syria

Rise in Food Prices Exacerbates Suffering in Syria

Food prices in war-torn Syria have doubled in the past year to record levels, largely due to the Lebanese financial crisis and the novel coronavirus, the World…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business OPEC Oil Supply Surges in April Ahead of New Cut

OPEC Oil Supply Surges in April Ahead of New Cut

OPEC oil supply in April is at its highest since December 2018, a company that tracks oil shipments said on Tuesday, as producers pump at will before a new…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business Turkey Aims to Reopen Economy Starting Late May

Turkey Aims to Reopen Economy Starting Late May

Turkey’s government aims to begin reviving the economy in late May after a sharp slowdown due to measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak, while minimizing…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Algeria's Annual Inflation Unchanged in March at 1.8%

Algeria's Annual Inflation Unchanged in March at 1.8%

Algeria’s annual inflation stood at 1.8% in March, unchanged from the previous month, as prices for most products stabilized, official data showed on Tuesday. …

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Sudan Inflation Soars as Economic Crisis Bites

Sudan Inflation Soars as Economic Crisis Bites

Sudan's annual inflation rate has topped 80 percent, the government said Tuesday, as the country grapples with an acute economic crisis. "The annual…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia Launches Project to Manufacture Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Saudi Arabia Launches Project to Manufacture Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The Saudi General Authority of Military Industries (GAMI) is coordinating with the INTRA Defense Technologies to manufacture unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
 …

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Arab Central Banks Stress Importance of Fast Transition to Digital Services

Arab Central Banks Stress Importance of Fast Transition to Digital Services

The Council of Arab Central Banks and Monetary Authorities Governors stressed the importance of bolstering financial inclusion to promote comprehensive and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business EBRD Appoints Philip ter Woort Director for its Eastern Mediterranean Region

EBRD Appoints Philip ter Woort Director for its Eastern Mediterranean Region

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has appointed Philip ter Woort Director for its eastern Mediterranean region, leading its future…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business Gas Found off Lebanon Not Commercially Viable, Says Minister

Gas Found off Lebanon Not Commercially Viable, Says Minister

Drilling off the Lebanese coast has shown some traces of gas but no commercially viable reserves, Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar said on Monday. "Initial…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia Purchases 60,000 Tons of Wheat From Ukraine

Saudi Arabia Purchases 60,000 Tons of Wheat From Ukraine

Saudi Arabia's state grain buyer SAGO on Monday said it bought 60,000 tons of Ukraine wheat from investment firm SALIC, marking its first purchase from…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Global Markets Gain as More Economies Prepare to Reopen

Global Markets Gain as More Economies Prepare to Reopen

Global stock prices gained Monday after Japan´s central bank boosted support for financial markets as more governments prepared to reopen economies that were…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Tunisia Becomes Self-Sufficient in Fuel

Tunisia Becomes Self-Sufficient in Fuel

The Tunisian Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines has announced a 4,000 barrels per day increase in the domestic production of oil since April 23, saying…

Mongi Saidani (Tunis)
Business Lebanon Banks Set Rate of 3,000 Pounds/Dlr for Withdrawals From Dollar Accounts

Lebanon Banks Set Rate of 3,000 Pounds/Dlr for Withdrawals From Dollar Accounts

Lebanese banks have set an exchange rate of 3,000 pounds per dollar for withdrawals from US dollar accounts for this week, two banking sources said on Monday -…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Egypt Seeks Aid from IMF to Confront Virus Crisis

Egypt Seeks Aid from IMF to Confront Virus Crisis

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Sunday that Egypt is seeking an aid package from the International Monetary Fund to offset the economic impact of the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi G20 Presidency Welcomes Initiative for Health Tools to Combat COVID-19

Saudi G20 Presidency Welcomes Initiative for Health Tools to Combat COVID-19

G20 nations on Sunday launched an international initiative to accelerate access to health tools needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The finance…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Lebanon's Top Christian Cleric Backs Salameh as Currency Tumbles

Lebanon's Top Christian Cleric Backs Salameh as Currency Tumbles

Lebanon's politically influential Maronite Christian patriarch backed the long-serving central bank governor on Sunday, after the prime minister cast bank…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Government, BDL Conflict Threatens Lebanon’s Exhausted Economy

Government, BDL Conflict Threatens Lebanon’s Exhausted Economy

Lebanon’s financial markets are closely and tensely monitoring the recent outbreak of conflict between the country’s government, headed by Prime Minister…

Ali Zeineddine (Beirut)
Business PIF Seeks Opportunities in Several Economic Sectors

PIF Seeks Opportunities in Several Economic Sectors

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is scouting the world for bargain investments amid the economic wreckage of the coronavirus crisis. It seeks to enhance…

Mosaed al-Zayani (Dammam)
Business Iraq: Lukoil Faces Staffing Issues amid Coronavirus

Iraq: Lukoil Faces Staffing Issues amid Coronavirus

Russia’s second oil producer Lukoil is running into difficulties staffing its assets in Iraq due to the new coronavirus and associated restrictions, chief…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia Sets New Regulations for Finance Companies

Saudi Arabia Sets New Regulations for Finance Companies

King Salman on Saturday issued a royal order instructing the Ministry of Justice to put in place controls to limit the practice of financial activity by…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business NEOM’s First Stage Field Survey Completed

NEOM’s First Stage Field Survey Completed

The National Program for Community Development (Tanmia) has completed field survey works for real estate located within the first phase of the NEOM project. …

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Abu Dhabi's Etihad Extends Suspension of Scheduled Flights to May 15

Abu Dhabi's Etihad Extends Suspension of Scheduled Flights to May 15

Abu Dhabi's Etihad airways said on Saturday it would extend its suspension of scheduled passenger flights until May 15. The airline had said it would…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business SAMI Appoints Walid Abukhaled as Acting CEO

SAMI Appoints Walid Abukhaled as Acting CEO

The Board of Directors of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) announced the appointment of Eng. Walid Abukhaled as acting CEO to oversee the company’s…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Tunisia Receives €400 Million in Loans

Tunisia Receives €400 Million in Loans

The Tunisian parliamentary finance committee has okayed five sealed deals with donors that allow it to receive loans amounting to nearly EUR400 million to…

Mongi Saidani (Tunis)