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 Lebanon's Financial Prosecutor Freezes Assets of 20 Banks

Lebanon's Financial Prosecutor Freezes Assets of 20 Banks

Lebanon’s financial prosecutor has frozen the assets of 20 Lebanese banks, their top bosses and board members, state media and judicial sources said on…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beirut)
Business Lebanese Government to Decide on Eurobonds on Saturday

Lebanese Government to Decide on Eurobonds on Saturday

The Lebanese government will meet on Saturday to take a decision on its Eurobonds, the country's information minister said on Thursday after a cabinet meeting…

Caroline Akoum (Beirut) Asharq Al Awsat (Beirut)
Business Saudi Ministries of Industry, Investment Coordinate to Stimulate Domestic Production

Saudi Ministries of Industry, Investment Coordinate to Stimulate Domestic Production

Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef has revealed ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Investment to unify procedures…

Saeed al-Abyad (Jeddah)
Business Saudi Arabia: Land-lease to Manufacture Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Saudi Arabia: Land-lease to Manufacture Unmanned Aircraft Systems

In an unprecedented step, Saudi Arabia unveiled Wednesday a land-lease for a project to develop and manufacture unmanned aircraft systems. Director General…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Rehabilitation of Saudi Ministry with Energy Saving Lamps Completed

Rehabilitation of Saudi Ministry with Energy Saving Lamps Completed

A Saudi ministry has completed the rehabilitation of its lighting system by converting all the lights to energy saving lamps. This step reflects the Kingdom…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Sudan Raises Minimum Wages

Sudan Raises Minimum Wages

The Sudanese Ministry of Finance announced raising the minimum wage for civil servants to SDG 3,000 (almost $150) following a three-day strike launched by…

Saif al-Yazal Ba Baker (Khartoum)
Business Saudi Banks Up Treasury Bond Holdings to $103 Bln

Saudi Banks Up Treasury Bond Holdings to $103 Bln

Saudi banks raised their investments in treasury bonds by SAR3 billion month-on-month (MoM) to SAR386.7 billion ($103 billion) in January 2020, new data from…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Arabia, UAE Cut Key Rates by 50 bps

Saudi Arabia, UAE Cut Key Rates by 50 bps

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates joined the US Federal Reserve on Tuesday and announced reducing key interest rates by 50 basis points. The Saudi…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business Saudi Arabia Offers Investment Opportunities in 5 Vital Sectors

Saudi Arabia Offers Investment Opportunities in 5 Vital Sectors

Saudi government efforts are now funneled into promoting the Kingdom as an investment and tourism destination and a platform for commercial opportunity,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business World Bank Delegation Visits Aden

World Bank Delegation Visits Aden

A delegation from the World Bank (WB) headed by the Regional Director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti Marina Wes is visiting the interim capital Aden currently. …

Business Banks in Sudan to Introduce Visa Payment Systems

Banks in Sudan to Introduce Visa Payment Systems

Several banks in Sudan are introducing Visa payment systems as the country seeks to develop its financial sector following decades of isolation, a central bank…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Int'l Roadmap to Rehabilitate Sudanese Economy

Int'l Roadmap to Rehabilitate Sudanese Economy

Sudan has agreed a roadmap to "rehabilitate" the country in a trilateral agreement with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and African Development…

Khalid Albululat Izyraq (Khartoum)
Business Saudi Crown Prince Holds Talks with Morgan Stanley Chief

Saudi Crown Prince Holds Talks with Morgan Stanley Chief

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, held talks in Riyadh on Tuesday with CEO of Morgan Stanley James Gorman,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business SABIC Wins Best Corporate Governance Award For 3rd Year in Row

SABIC Wins Best Corporate Governance Award For 3rd Year in Row

The Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has won the Best Corporate Governance Award for the 3rd year in a row, at the level of the largest companies in…

Business Egypt: Coronavirus' Economic Woes on Retail Sector May Outweigh Health Damage

Egypt: Coronavirus' Economic Woes on Retail Sector May Outweigh Health Damage

Mohamed Khattab, E-Commerce Director at B-Tech, has stated that the repercussions of coronavirus on the Egyptian retail sector might outweigh health damages. …

Sabri Najeh (Cairo)
Business Russia Studying Earlier, Smaller Cut Proposal by OPEC, Allies

Russia Studying Earlier, Smaller Cut Proposal by OPEC, Allies

Russia is evaluating an earlier and smaller oil production cut proposal made by OPEC and its allies, energy minister Alexander Novak said, adding it had not…

Business Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company Signs Deal to Launch Low Budget Airline

Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company Signs Deal to Launch Low Budget Airline

Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADDH), announced on Monday that it concluded an agreement with Wizz Air Holdings, to establish Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. The…

Business Lebanon Prosecutor Interrogates Bankers Over Capital Flight

Lebanon Prosecutor Interrogates Bankers Over Capital Flight

A Lebanese prosecutor Monday questioned bankers over more than 2 billion dollars in capital flight in past months despite strict banking restrictions in the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beirut)
Business WTO Expects Coronavirus to Have 'Substantial' Impact on Trade

WTO Expects Coronavirus to Have 'Substantial' Impact on Trade

The head of the World Trade Organization said on Monday that he expected the coronavirus epidemic to have a ‘substantial’ impact on the global economy, but…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business SAMA Issues Four Licences For FinTech Payment Companies

SAMA Issues Four Licences For FinTech Payment Companies

The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) revealed that it issued four licences for several FinTech payment companies granting licences to STC Pay, Geidea,…

Mohammed Al-Ayed (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Non-oil Sector Sees 3.3% Growth

Saudi Non-oil Sector Sees 3.3% Growth

Saudi non-oil economy recorded a 3.3 percent growth at the end of last year, with the overall growth of 0.3 percent during 2019, according to the Saudi General…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Middle East Airlines Lose $100 Mln Due to Coronavirus - IATA

Middle East Airlines Lose $100 Mln Due to Coronavirus - IATA

Middle East airlines have lost an estimated $100 million so far due to the coronavirus outbreak and governments should help the carriers through this …

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Lebanon’s Advisers Hold Talks with Bondholders

Lebanon’s Advisers Hold Talks with Bondholders

Lebanon's financial and legal advisers are in talks with holders of its dollar-denominated debt on a restructuring but have not reached a deal, a source close…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business IATA, Lebanon's Central Bank Discuss Airline Revenue Repatriation

IATA, Lebanon's Central Bank Discuss Airline Revenue Repatriation

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Monday it was working with Lebanon's central bank to ensure revenues of non-Lebanese airlines…

Asharq Al Awsat