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 The Taipei 101 skyscraper is seen lit up before the Earth Hour in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/ Chiang Ying-ying)

Taiwan Says It Has Assurances over LNG Supplies from 'Major' Country

Taiwan has received ‌supply assurances from the energy minister of a "major" liquefied natural gas-producing country, the island's economy minister said…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Indian-flagged carrier Jag Vasant, carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) via the Strait of Hormuz, arrives at Mumbai Port in Mumbai, India, 01 April 2026. EPA/DIVYAKANT SOLANKI

India Says Crude Oil Supplies Secured, No Payment Issues for Iran Imports

India's petroleum ministry said in a post on X on ‌Saturday ‌that the ‌country's ⁠refiners have secured their ⁠crude requirements, including…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A gas station in Los Angeles, California (AFP) 

From Asia to the Americas: Governments Race to Contain Energy Shock

Governments worldwide are moving swiftly to contain the fallout from a sharp rise in energy costs, as global supply disruptions linked to the US-Israeli war on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda attends a press conference after a BOJ policy meeting in Tokyo, Japan, March 19, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

IMF Urges BOJ to Keep Raising Rates Even as Iran War Poses New Risks

The International Monetary Fund urged the Bank of Japan to continue raising interest rates, even as the Middle East war posed "significant new risks" to the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Workers carry out maintenance on a pipeline at a gas separation station in the Zubair oil field near Basra (AP). 

Iraq in Talks with Gulf States on Pipeline Exports beyond Hormuz

Iraq is in talks with Gulf countries to use their pipeline networks to secure alternative oil export routes beyond the Strait of Hormuz, the state oil marketer…

Asharq Al Awsat (Baghdad)
Business  A farmer carries harvested rice at a paddy field in Samahani, Aceh province on April 2, 2026. (AFP)

World Food Prices Rose in March as Iran War Lifted Energy Costs, FAO Says

The war in the Middle East has pushed food commodity prices higher due to higher energy and fertilizer costs, the UN's food agency said Friday. The UN's…

Business A full moon rises behind Galata Tower, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP)

Turkish Inflation Near 2% Monthly in March, Below Forecasts

Turkish consumer price inflation was 1.94% month-on-month in March, while the annual figure fell to 30.87%, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed …

Business FILE - Workers walk in an area at a degassing station in Zubair oil field, whose operations have being reduced due to the Mideast war triggered by the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, near Basra, Iraq, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

Oil Prices Surge While Asian Share Prices Rise Moderately

Oil prices continued to surge on worries of a prolonged Iran war but the Asian markets that were open Friday rose moderately in cautious trading, while others…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Container ship at King Abdullah Port (SPA)

Saudi Arabia Boosts Firms’ Readiness for Supply Chain Challenges

Amid mounting geopolitical tensions threatening global supply chains, particularly disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia is stepping up efforts to…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business Lebanon’s central bank (National News Agency)

War Hits Lebanon Dollar Lifeline, Remittances Fall Sharply

A Lebanese mother described the sharp decline in one of her last sources of income, once a pillar of her financial stability, as remittances from her son…

Asharq Al Awsat (Beirut)
Business FILE PHOTO: US dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken March 24, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Dollar Jumps as Trump Pledges More Iran Strikes

The dollar rose sharply on Thursday after US President Donald Trump's address on Iran shattered hopes for a swift end to the conflict, sending investors…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business 01 April 2026, Iraq, Erbil: Smoke rises from a motor oil depot on the outskirts of Erbil, after it was hit by a drone attack. Photo: Ismael Adnan/dpa

Iraq’s Oil Hub Slows to a Crawl as Strait of Hormuz Shutdown Strangles Exports

Iraqi oil fields once alive with the buzz of workers are nearly deserted. Ports that pulsed with the churn of cargo have fallen still, the din of commerce…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business An Indian woman displays a gold jewelry piece at a jewelry store in Bangalore (AFP)

Gold Prices Retreat as Trump Threatens Further Attacks on Iran

Gold retreated from two-week highs on Thursday after US President Donald Trump said that Washington would continue its military campaign in Iran in the coming…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Oil prices surged and stocks sank after Donald Trump's address to the nation. Alex Brandon / POOL/AFP

Oil Rallies, Stocks Tumble as Trump Says US to Hammer Iran Further

Oil prices spiked and stocks sank on Thursday after Donald Trump reiterated that US forces would hammer Iran for another two to three weeks but offered no…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A displaced man prepares his shisha, at a temporary encampment for displaced people, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, in Beirut, Lebanon, April 1, 2026. REUTERS/Raghed Waked

IEA, IMF and World Bank to Coordinate Response to Middle East War's Impact

The heads of the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank on Wednesday said they will form a coordination group to maximize…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Jubail Commercial Port. SPA

Saudi Arabia: Mawani Announces Commencement of Container Terminal Operations at Jubail Port

The Saudi Ports Authority “Mawani” has announced the commencement of container terminal operations at Jubail Commercial Port under a privatization contract…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Germany's economy is struggling with fierce Chinese competition in sectors from cars to chemicals © Ronny HARTMANN / AFP/File

Germany Growth Forecasts Slashed as Mideast War Hits Economy

Leading economic institutes more than halved their growth forecast for Germany on Wednesday, warning that the energy shock caused by the Middle East war would…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business US dollar bills (Reuters)

Dollar Falls for Second Day as Middle East Ceasefire Expectations Rise

The dollar dropped for a second day on Wednesday as expectations of a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict grew after the US signalled that an end to the war…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Concerns are growing in Europe about an economic recession as oil prices rise (Reuters)

Oil Slides as Middle East Uncertainty Keeps Markets on Edge

Oil reversed earlier gains on Wednesday as uncertainty over the situation in the Middle East unnerved markets and US President Donald Trump again suggested the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Production lines at German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz at its factory in Rastatt (Reuters)

Eurozone Manufacturing Growth Reaches 4-Year High

Euro zone manufacturers faced soaring input costs and supply chain disruptions in March due to the Iran war, even as underlying tepid demand threatened to…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business  People walk past displayed items in a clothes shop at Eminonu commercial area, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP)

Turkish Manufacturing Contracts at Fastest Pace in Five Months in March, PMI Shows

Turkish manufacturing activity contracted ‌at its fastest pace in five months in March as the war in the Middle East lifted costs, disrupted supply chains…

Business French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during a welcoming ceremony at the Akasaka palace in Tokyo, Japan on April 1, 2026. PHILIP FONG/Pool via REUTERS

Japan, France Agree Rare Earths Deal to Cut China Reliance

Japan and France agreed to strengthen support for rare earths supply chains on Wednesday, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported, in the latest moves by both…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (L) and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) pose for a photo during their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on April 1, 2026. (Photo by YONHAP / AFP)

South Korea and Indonesia Discuss Energy Security, Sign Agreements on Minerals and Tech

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held talks on Wednesday with Indonesian leader Prabowo Subianto, discussing energy security and agreeing to expand…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Two investors monitor Saudi Aramco stock movements on the Saudi market. (Reuters)

Saudi Stocks End March Higher amid Geopolitical Tensions

Saudi Arabia’s stock market closed March on a strong note, advancing while most Gulf markets declined, underscoring its resilience in the face of heightened…

Abeer Hommadi (Riyadh)