Business

Saudi Arabia Offers 100% Social Insurance Debt Waiver to Businesses That Have Exited Market

Business Officials from the General Organization for Social Insurance at an earlier meeting with businessmen and businesswomen at the Riyadh Chamber (SPA)

Saudi Arabia Offers 100% Social Insurance Debt Waiver to Businesses That Have Exited Market

Saudi Arabia's General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) has made businesses that have ceased operations and exited the Saudi market eligible for a 100%…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business A general view shows Ras Tanura's oil production plant near Dammam in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province (AFP)

From Aramco's Profits to State Budget Revenue: How Do Oil Proceeds Reach Government Coffers?

Saudi Aramco's financial results and Saudi Arabia's third-quarter budget performance report, released on the same day, revealed a divergence between the…

Hala Saghbini (Riyadh)
Business Representation of cryptocurrencies are seen in this illustration taken September 10, 2025. (Reuters)

Crypto Dips on Democrat Midterm Wins, Binance Hack Dents Optimism

Cryptocurrencies briefly dipped on Wednesday as Democrats won majorities in both the Senate and House in the US midterm elections, a potential blow to an…

Business A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images file)

Saudi Non-Oil Sector Expands for Seventh Straight Month

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector continued to expand in October, with business activity and output growth accelerating despite a decline in the Riyad Bank…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business  A general view of Riyadh city during the early hour of evening at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 28, 2025. (Reuters)

Growth in Non-Oil Revenue Bolsters Saudi Budget Resilience

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil revenue surpassed oil revenue in the third quarter of 2026 for the first time since 2020, highlighting progress in diversifying…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)

Business Containers are seen at a port in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Food Self-Sufficiency Shields Economy from Hormuz Crisis

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed global energy and food security to the brink. Saudi Arabia responded by positioning itself as a stabilizing…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP)

US Renews Russian Oil Waiver for a Month to Curb Global Energy Prices

Washington renewed on Friday a waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil at sea for about a month, even as lawmakers accused the government &zwnj…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington )
Business Former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang applaud during a ceremony launching the fourth of seven planned development phases at Galkynysh gas field, the world's second-largest gas field in the Karakum desert about 400 kilometres (250 miles) east of the capital Ashgabat, on April 17, 2026. (Photo by AFP)

Turkmenistan, China Launch Expansion of World’s Second-largest Gas Field

Turkmenistan and China broke ground Friday on works to expand production at the giant Galkynysh gas field, strengthening Beijing's already dominant position in…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The project covers approximately 2.4 million square meters of land. Asharq Al-Awsat

$27 Billion City to be Built East of Cairo

Egypt's Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) will build a new 1.4 trillion Egyptian pound ($27 billion) mixed-use city east of Cairo, CEO and Managing Director Hisham…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business Türkiye's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar -  REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Türkiye Says Iran Gas Pipeline Contract Nearing Expiry, No Talks Yet on Extension

Türkiye's long-term contract for importing natural gas from Iran is due to expire in the coming months, and the two countries could hold talks on a possible…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Technicians working at the Majnoon oil field in Basra, Iraq. (Reuters)

Iraq Says Oil Exports to Resume from All Fields within Days, State News Agency

Iraq's oil ministry said oil exports would resume from all fields within the next few days, the Iraqi state news agency INA reported on Saturday. Four energy…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business (L/R) Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva
speak during a press briefing following a meeting of the IMFC (International Monetary and Financial Committee) at the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2026. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP)

Al-Jadaan: Ending Conflicts, Securing Peace Are Essential to Sustainable Growth

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the global economy’s ability to withstand crises depends on adopting a “unified strategic vision and swift…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington )
Business Traders at the New York Stock Exchange (Reuters)

Global Markets Regain Momentum after Strait of Hormuz Reopening Announcement

Global markets moved sharply on Friday after Iran said it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all commercial vessels, prompting investors to rapidly reassess…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks at a news conference following the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting during the World Bank and IMF spring meetings at IMF headquarters in Washington, Friday, April 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Georgieva: Venezuela Likely to Get IMF Loan Support after Necessary Groundwork

The International Monetary Fund will likely provide Venezuela with a financial support program as part of its re-engagement with the South American oil…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Hafnia Lillesand, a crude oil and product tanker, sits at Viva Energy Australia's Gore Bay fuel terminal overlooking the city skyline in Sydney, Australia April 14, 2026. (Reuters)

Oil Falls by 13% After Iran Declares Strait of Hormuz Open

Oil prices plunged by about 13% on Friday after Iran's foreign minister said passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz was open for the…

Business Buildings are seen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 18, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser 

Saudi CEDA Reviews Vision 2030 Progress

Saudi Arabia’s Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) held a virtual meeting to consider a package of strategic reports outlining the Kingdom’s…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business South Korean President Lee Jae Myung delivers a eulogy during a memorial service to pay tribute to the victims of the sinking of the ferry Sewol off Jin Island on South Korea's southwest coast in Ansan, south of Seoul, South Korea, 16 April 2026. EPA/YONHAP

1st SKorean Tanker Transits Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu in Alternative Red Sea Route

A South Korean oil tanker has transited the Red Sea for the first time since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Seoul's oceans ministry said on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Samples of gold displayed in a program affiliated with the Brazilian Federal Police specializing in tracking gold in Brasilia (Reuters)

Gold Holds Steady, Eyes Fourth Weekly Gain on US-Iran Peace Deal Hopes

Gold held largely steady on Friday and was on track for a fourth straight weekly gain, as hopes for a US-Iran peace deal eased fears of higher inflation and…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Azour speaks during a presentation of the Regional Economic Outlook update (AFP)

IMF: Middle East Faces Pivotal Economic Moment

The International Monetary Fund said the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan were facing a pivotal and exceptionally difficult moment in their modern…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington )
Business Mohammed Al-Jadaan and Muhammad Aurangzeb following the agreement for Saudi Arabia to provide an additional $3 billion in support to Pakistan (X).

Pakistan Central Bank Receives $2 billion from Saudi Arabia as Part of Broader Financial Support Package

Pakistan announced that it has received $2 billion from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance as part of a broader financial support package. Earlier,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Samples of gold displayed in a program affiliated with the Brazilian Federal Police specializing in tracking gold in Brasilia (Reuters)

Gold Rises as Middle East Optimism Calms Inflation Fears

Gold prices rose on Thursday as growing optimism about a possible end to conflicts in the Middle East calmed inflation worries and improved prospects for lower…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Buses pass in front of the Bank of England building in London (Reuters)

UK Economy Surged Ahead of Iran War, but Energy Shock to Test Resilience

Britain's economy put on a burst of growth in February, suggesting it was in slightly better shape before the start of the Iran war than many economists had…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business FILE PHOTO: A map showing the Strait of Hormuz, also known as Madiq Hurmuz, and 3D printed oil barrels are seen in this illustration taken March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration//File Photo

Oil Little Changed on Skepticism US-Iran Peace Talks Will Ease Hormuz Disruption

Oil prices were little changed on Thursday, reversing earlier declines, on skepticism that peace talks between the US and Iran will reach a deal to end the war…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business (FILES) This illustrative photograph shows screens displaying the logo of the French company TotalEnergies, listed on the CAC 40, the main stock market index of the Paris Stock Exchange, in Toulouse on March 31, 2026. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP)

TotalEnergies: Strong Trading, High Oil Prices Will Boost Q1 Earnings

TotalEnergies expects a significant increase in first-quarter earnings from a strong trading performance, as well as in its upstream production and oil sales…

Asharq Al Awsat (Paris)
Business FILE PHOTO: Logo of the Spanish oil company Repsol at a gas station in Vecindario, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain, January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Borja Suarez/File Photo

Spain's Repsol Reportedly Wins Back Control of Venezuelan Oil Operations

Spanish energy group Repsol is poised to take back operational control of its Venezuelan oil assets and boost production following a deal signed with the South…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business China's exports have helped support the economy but there are concerns about the impact on trade from the Middle East crisis. CN-STR/AFP

China's Economy Beats Forecasts, but War Darkens Outlook

China's economy expanded more than expected in the first three months of the year, with official data Thursday indicating resilience in the face of a Middle…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Al-Jadaan and Bessent shake hands after signing the Tax Information Exchange Agreement in Washington. (X)

Saudi Arabia, US Sign Tax Information Exchange Agreement

Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan has held a series of meetings in Washington, D.C. to discuss strengthening bilateral economic cooperation and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business Long convoys of Iraqi diesel-laden tanker trucks line up along the Tartus-Baniyas highway as they wait to unload their cargo at the Baniyas port refinery on the Mediterranean Sea, on April 15, 2026. (Photo by Bakr ALkasem / AFP)

Syria’s Baniyas Begins Loading Iraqi Oil Shipments for Re-export

Syria began loading its first tanker carrying Iraqi oil on Wednesday at the Baniyas port refinery, according to state media. With maritime traffic through…

Asharq Al Awsat (Damascus)
Business The screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), the foreign exchange rate between US dollar and South Korean won and the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (KOSDAQ) at a dealing room of Hana Bank, in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Riyadh Backs Seoul with 250 Million Barrels of Crude Oil

South Korea has secured 273 million barrels of crude oil from the Middle East and Kazakhstan through the end of the year, with supplies routed outside the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Seoul)