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 UAE, Jordan Sign $2.3 billion Aqaba Rail Project Deal

UAE, Jordan Sign $2.3 billion Aqaba Rail Project Deal

The United Arab Emirates and Jordan signed on Wednesday an agreement to launch a $2.3 billion rail project to Aqaba port and to create a joint company to build…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - SPA

Chaired by Saudi Crown Prince, PIF Board of Directors Approves PIF 2026-2030 Strategy

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) Board of Directors, chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has approved…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A cargo ship in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

World Bank to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Plays a Central Role in Stabilizing Energy Markets

At a time when geopolitical tensions are disrupting the stability of vital maritime corridors, fundamental questions are emerging about the ability of major…

Hala Saghbini (Riyadh)
Business Chairman of Menzies Aviation Hassan El-Houry. (Menzies Aviation)

Menzies Chairman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Aviation Services Sector Highly Resilient Despite Regional Disruptions

The aviation services sector continues to demonstrate strong resilience amid geopolitical tensions disrupting air traffic across the Middle East, said Hassan…

Zeinab Ali (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan and Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb shake hands following the agreement. (X)

Saudi Arabia Pledges $3 Billion More in Financial Support to Pakistan

Saudi Arabia will provide $3 billion in additional support for Pakistan to help the South Asian nation bridge a multi-billion-dollar gap in its finances linked…

Business A display shows oil prices as cars queue at a gas station in Seoul. (Reuters)

S. Korea Secures 270 Mn Barrels of Oil from Suppliers Unaffected by Hormuz Blockade

South Korea has secured supplies of more than 270 million barrels of crude oil via routes unaffected by the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a senior…

Business A cild pushes a bicycle near Grand Winner 1, an oil and chemical tanker, moored at Kurnell in Sydney, Australia, April 15, 2026. (Reuters)

Oil Prices Fall on Expectations US-Iran Peace Talks May Resume

Oil prices fell for a second day on Wednesday on expectations peace talks between the US and Iran may resume and supply will eventually be released from the…

Business Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas attends a press briefing on the world economic outlook at the IMF in Washington, DC, USA, 14 April 2026. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia Leads Gulf Growth at 3.1%

The International Monetary Fund cut its 2026 growth forecasts for Gulf economies, citing uneven exposure to energy markets and trade disruptions, as well as…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington )
Business A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Musandam province, April 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Hormuz Under Insurance Pressure as ‘War Premiums’ Violate Int’l Laws

As military tensions flare in the Strait of Hormuz, another battle is unfolding behind the scenes, one no less dangerous. Insurance companies have emerged as…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, Director of IMF Research Department, speaks during an economic outlook briefing during the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (AFP)

IMF Says World Is Drifting Toward More Adverse Growth Scenario as Energy Disruptions Continue

The world may be already drifting towards the International Monetary Fund's "adverse scenario" forecast of weaker 2.5% global growth in 2026 even as it…

Business A worker rides a bicycle at the Zubair oil field in Basra, Iraq, April 6, 2026. (Reuters)

Iraq Says Has ‘Understandings’ to Bypass Hormuz Blockade

Baghdad's oil ministry said Tuesday it has "understandings" with the United States and Iran to reduce the impact of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on…

Business Shuaibah Desalination Plant (Saudi Water Authority)

Saudi Arabia Boosts Water Efficiency with Over $26.7 Billion in Investments Since 2018

Saudi Arabia has invested about SAR100 billion ($26.7 billion) in its water sector since 2018, as part of its National Water Strategy to improve efficiency and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Gold bracelets and necklaces on display for sale in a gold shop in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (AFP)

Gold Rises as Dollar Softens, Lower Oil Prices Ease Inflation Fears

Gold prices rose on Tuesday, supported by a softer dollar and easing inflation fears as oil prices dropped on hopes of further US-Iran peace talks. Spot…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A staff works in front of a fruit shop in Beijing, China, 14 April 2026. (EPA)

China’s Exports Slowed in March While Imports Soared

China's exports grew at a slower pace last month after starting the year with a surge, official data showed Tuesday, as the global economy reels from war in…

Business Lightning occurs when META 4, an Oil Products Tanker, sails into Muscat Anchorage on March 21, 2026 at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman (Getty)

Trump’s Blockade of Hormuz Strait to Have Severe Economic Implications

The global economy enters a new stage of uncertainty as the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces began implementing a blockade of maritime traffic…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Tareq Alangari, Lenovo Senior Vice President and President for the Middle East, Türkiye and Africa. (Turki Al-Aqail)

Lenovo Chooses Riyadh as Regional Operations Hub

Global technology company Lenovo has inaugurated its regional headquarters in Riyadh, after investing more than 2 billion riyals ($532 million) in the Saudi…

Abeer Hommadi (Riyadh)
Business Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb speaks during an interview at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group’s annual spring meetings in Washington D.C., US, April 13, 2026. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno

Pakistan Says Looking at Options to Repay $3.5 Billion UAE Loan

Pakistan is considering Eurobonds, loans from other countries and commercial debt to replace a $3.5 billion facility from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington )
Business 25 January 2019, Switzerland, Davos: Executive Director of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol speaks during the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum. (Valeriano Di Domenico/World Economic Forum/dpa)

IEA Is Ready to Further Tap Global Oil Reserves if Needed, Chief Says

The head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, said on Monday he hopes another oil stockpile release is not needed but "we stand ready to act" if…

Business (FILES) A Hapag Lloyd container ship is seen in Rotterdam's harbour on August 1, 2022. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)

Hapag-Lloyd Says US Plans to Block Hormuz Difficult to Assess

Germany's Hapag-Lloyd said on Monday that it is difficult to assess what effect US President Donald Trump's plans to block the Strait of Hormuz would have on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business People shop at the fruit and vegetable market the day after negotiations between Iran and the US in Pakistan failed to produce a deal, in the capital Tehran on April 13, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

UN: Iran War Could Plunge 32 million into Poverty

More than 32 million people worldwide could be plunged into poverty by the economic fallout from the Iran war, with developing countries expected to be hit…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Gas prices are displayed at a Chevron station in Los Angeles, California, on March 31, 2026,(Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)

EU Member States Must Coordinate on Energy Prices amid Iran conflict, Von Der Leyen Says

The European Union's member states must coordinate on energy prices amid a 22 billion euro ($25.70 billion) increase in fossil fuel bills since the start of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Zubair Oil Field in Basra, Iraq, April 6, 2026. REUTERS/Mohammed Aty

Iraqi Oil Exports Plummet 81.3% in March Due to Hormuz Closure

Iraq’s oil exports plunged in March to 18.6 million barrels, down from 99.87 million in February – a drop of 81.3 percent - due to the closure of the Strait of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business World Bank President Ajay Banga gives remarks during a forum held at the Atlantic Council building in Washington, D.C., US, April 7, 2026. REUTERS/Aaron Schwartz

World Bank Chief Sounds Alarm about Looming Jobs Crisis Even after War Ends

The Middle East war will dominate global finance officials' talks this week in Washington, but World Bank President Ajay Banga is sounding the alarm about a…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business AFP a one-ounce gold bar is displayed at Witter Coins on October 07_ 2025 in San Francisco

Gold Drops as Inflation Worries Linger on Failed US-Iran Talks

Gold prices touched a near one-week low on Monday, pressured by a stronger dollar, while a surge in oil prices following failed US-Iran peace talks fueled…

Asharq Al Awsat