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 One of Saudia’s aircraft (company website)

Saudia to Partially Resume Flights To, From Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman on Saturday

Saudia announced on Thursday the partial resumption of its operations to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman starting Saturday, April 11. In a post on its…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILED - 24 October 2024, US, Washington: The logo of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is pictured on the facade of the conference building on Pennsylvania Street. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa

IMF Expects to Provide Vulnerable Economies Hit by Iran War Up to $50 bn

The International Monetary Fund expects to have to provide up to $50 billion in immediate financial assistance to countries affected by the Middle East war,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A general view of a beach in Limassol, Cyprus, March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou

Cyprus' Aphrodite Signs 15-year Natgas Supply Deal with Egypt

Cyprus' offshore Aphrodite field signed a 15-year deal to sell natural gas to the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, one of the ⁠partners in Aphrodite said…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek speaks during a meeting of Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD) in Istanbul, Türkiye, July 11, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo

Simsek: Türkiye Ready with Other Measures if War Shock Persists

The impact on Türkiye's economy of the conflict in the Middle East may be temporary and reversible if the recent ceasefire holds, and authorities are ready…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business London-based Energean's drill ship begins drilling at the Karish natural gas field offshore Israel in the east Mediterranean May 9, 2022. REUTERS/Ari Rabinovitch/File Photo

Israel Instructs Karish Offshore Natgas Platform to Reopen After Ceasefire

Israel's energy ministry said on Thursday that it had ⁠instructed Energean to begin ⁠resuming operations ⁠at the Karish natural gas platform off Israel's…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A currency trader works near a screen showing international oil prices at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Oil Prices Rise again and Asian Stocks Retreat on the Fragile Iran Ceasefire

Oil rose again to above $97 a barrel and Asian stocks were trading lower Thursday on skepticism over a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran. Investors…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A cargo ship in the Arabian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz (Reuters)

World Bank Slashes 2026 Middle East Growth Forecast, Saudi Arabia Absorbs Shock

The World Bank has slashed its 2026 growth forecast for Middle East economies, saying overall GDP growth in ⁠the region is expected to slow from an estimated 3…

Hala Saghbini (Riyadh)
Business The letters IMF (for International Monetary Fund) stand next to a stage for events in the conference building of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Soeren Stache/dpa 

IMF: Wars Impose Deep and Prolonged Economic Costs on Countries

Wars cause large and persistent economic losses in countries where fighting takes place, with output declining by roughly 7% over five years on average, and…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)

Global Supply Chains Reshape, Focus Shifts to Saudi Arabia

At a time when global supply chains are being reshaped by rising geopolitical tensions and disruptions to key routes, led by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Saudi…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business This aerial picture shows stacks of shipping containers at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, March 31, 2026. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP)

Hapag-Lloyd: Resuming Normal Shipping to Take 6-8 Weeks if Mideast Stabilizes

Hapag-Lloyd voiced cautious optimism on Wednesday on the prospect of resuming shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after a two-week ceasefire agreed between…

Business 10 July 2020, Türkiye, Istanbul: People stand behind a Turkish national flag in front of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. (dpa)

Turkish Shares Rise After Iran Ceasefire Deal, Lira Set for Rare Daily Gain

Banking and ‌airline stocks led a more than 4% rise in Turkish shares and the lira was on track for a rare daily gain on Wednesday, as the two-week Middle…

Business A man follows the stock market at the Dubai Financial Market in Dubai (EPA)

Gulf Markets Jump on US-Iran Ceasefire Agreement

Stock markets in the Gulf region jumped on Wednesday in line with global equities after US President Donald Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A Saudi money changer displays Saudi Riyal banknotes at a currency exchange shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia July 27, 2017. (Reuters)

Gulf Banks Weather Geopolitical Tensions with Strong Capital Buffers

Gulf banks are holding up well despite rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, underpinned by solid financial positions and early regulatory action,…

Zeinab Ali (Riyadh)
Business A saleswoman adjusts gold jewelry on display for sale in a store in Jiangsu Province, eastern China (AFP)

Gold Climbs to Nearly 3-week High after Ceasefire Announcement

Gold prices climbed to a nearly three-week high on Wednesday as markets reassessed near-term risks after US President Donald Trump agreed to suspend bombings…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: A map showing the Strait of Hormuz and a 3D printed oil pipeline are seen in this illustration taken March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Oil Slides Below $100 after Trump Announces 2-week Ceasefire

Oil fell below $100 per barrel on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran that was subject to the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business  Industrial facilities and infrastructure at the Hoechst Industrial Park, near Frankfurt, Germany, 07 April 2026. (EPA)

Euro Zone Growth Slows on Surging Energy Costs

The euro zone's private sector expansion weakened sharply in March as the Middle East war drove up energy costs and disrupted supply chains, with overall…

Asharq Al Awsat (Brussels)
Business People visit a shopping center in Beijing on April 7, 2026. (AFP)

China’s Xi Urges Demand‑Driven Growth in Services Sector

China's President Xi Jinping has called for a demand-driven approach coupled with reform and technological empowerment to develop the service sector, the…

Business The fund financed agricultural projects worth 7.1 million dollars to support afforestation and expand vegetation cover. SPA

Saudi Fund Injects $1.7 Bn to Boost Food Security

Saudi Arabia’s Agricultural Development Fund is stepping up efforts to bolster food security and sustain the Kingdom’s agricultural sector, raising self…

Saeed al-Abyad (Riyadh)
Business A British Airways plane takes off from Milan Linate airport northern Italy, on April 7, 2026. (Photo by Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP)

IATA Chief: Jet Fuel Supply Could Take Months to Recover after Hormuz Reopening

The head of a body representing global airlines said on Wednesday that even if Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz it would take months for jet fuel supply to…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A portrait of George Washington is displayed on a stack of US one-dollar bills in Dallas, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dollar Drops as Iran Ceasefire Prompts risk-on Turn for Markets

The dollar sank to its lowest level in a month while the euro, yen, Aussie and sterling rallied hard in Asian trading on Wednesday after US President Donald…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Türkiye’s Ziraat Bank tower is seen in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, May 16, 2018. (Reuters)

Türkiye, Syria Step Up Banking Ties as Lenders Eye Expansion

Türkiye and Syria are accelerating cooperation between their central banks, Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on Tuesday, adding that Syria’s central bank…

Business Travelers cross from Iran into Türkiye at the Kapikoy border crossing in eastern Van province, Türkiye, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP)

Türkiye Not Facing Energy Security Problem Amid War but Situation ‘Volatile’

Türkiye is not ‌facing any problems regarding energy supply security due to the Iran war, but the situation is "volatile", Energy Minister Alparslan…

Business A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (SPA file)

SME Financing Moves to the Core of Saudi Arabia’s Non-Oil Economy

In a sign of a deep shift in the structure of financing within Saudi Arabia’s economy, and reflecting the goals of Vision 2030 to diversify the production base…

Zeinab Ali (Riyadh)