Business

World Bank Projects Lebanon Economy to Contract by 6.4% Due to War

Business People inspect a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike on the village of Ansar, southern Lebanon, 15 August 2026. (EPA)

World Bank Projects Lebanon Economy to Contract by 6.4% Due to War

The World Bank on Friday projected that Lebanon's economy would contract by 6.4 percent this year, as the latest Israel-Hezbollah war derailed the country's…

Business Tunisian olive oil producer, Mustapha Mtiraoui, displays olives to be pressed at his oil mill in Kairouan, Tunisia February 24, 2024. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui

Tunisia Olive Oil Exports Surge 55%, Bringing in $1.6 billion

Tunisia's olive oil exports surged 55.3% to a record 368,000 metric tons in the first nine months of the 2025/26 season, bringing in $1.6 billion in export…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business South African Rand coins are seen in this illustration picture taken October 28, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/Illustration

South African Rand Hits Strongest Level since Start of Iran War

The South African rand strengthened on Friday to its strongest level since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, as rising gold…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: Representation of Bitcoin cryptocurrency in this illustration taken September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Bitcoin Jumps Further on US Crypto Policy Hopes

Bitcoin surged Friday on optimism over US cryptocurrency legislation and the US Treasury's surprise move to buy back more of its own bonds, which fueled a…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: A salesman arranges gold bangles inside a jewelry showroom on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, a major gold buying festival, in Mumbai, India, May 7, 2019. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo

Gold Climbs to Near Three-month Peak after US Treasury Move

Gold prices hit a near three-month high on Friday, poised for a third straight weekly gain, supported by a softer dollar and the US Treasury's bond buyback…

Asharq Al Awsat

Business Engineers are seen at a Petro Rabigh facility. (Petro Rabigh on X)

A Year After Restructuring, Petro Rabigh Posts $709 Million Profit

Just one year after facing financial challenges that forced a capital restructuring, the Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company (Petro Rabigh) has returned…

Abeer Hommadi (Riyadh)
Business Riyadh, the Saudi capital (SPA)

Royal Commission for Riyadh City Announces Completion of Northeast Riyadh Master Plan

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) has announced the completion of the master plan for Northeast Riyadh, covering a total area of approximately 456…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: The logo of TotalEnergies at the 10th edition of the VivaTech technology startups and innovation fair in Paris, France, June 18, 2026. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

TotalEnergies to Appeal French Court Decision Ordering it to Adapt its Business to Climate Change

French oil major TotalEnergies will appeal a Paris court decision ordering it to bring its business in line with climate change goals. The first-of-its…

Asharq Al Awsat (Paris)
Business King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Trade Surplus Soars 329% as Exports Drive Gains

Saudi Arabia’s merchandise trade surplus surged nearly 329 percent year on year in May, driven by robust export growth, particularly in oil shipments,…

Bandar al-Mosalam (Riyadh)
Business Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi poses next to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (not pictured) in Athens, Greece, May 7, 2025. (Reuters)

Egypt to Restructure Military-Linked ‘Future of Egypt’ Economic Body

Egypt will restructure a military-linked body focused on agricultural and industrial development and commodities imports into an overarching economic authority…

Business Villagers fetch water from a makeshift borehole in Mudzi, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP)

Africa Facing $20 Billion Economic Hit From 'Super' El Nino

An impending “super” El Nino is likely to inflict a combined $10 billion to $20 billion hit on affected African countries and trigger mass migration from hard…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business Russian-flagged bulk carrier SV Nikolay is unloaded at Izmir port in Türkiye June 25, 2022. REUTERS/Yoruk Isik/File Photo 

Turkish Exports to Syria Up 26% in 6 Months

Turkish exports to Syria reached $1.28 billion in the first half of 2026, up 26.4% compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Ankara)
Business FILED - 16 March 2023, Bavaria, Munich: FILE PHOTO - Gold bars and coins lie on the table at the Precious metal dealership Pro Aurum. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa

Gold Gains on Pause in US-Iran Fighting; Fed Decision Looms

Gold rose on Monday as a pause in Middle East hostilities sent oil prices sharply lower and eased some inflation concerns, while investors waited for the US…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A Saudia Cargo airplane (Asharq Al-Awsat) 

Saudi Cargo Launches New Route Between Riyadh and Melbourne

Saudia Cargo on Saturday launched a new scheduled route linking Riyadh and Melbourne, Australia, as part of the expansion of its international network to boost…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources building (SPA)

Saudi Arabia Processes 1,274 Customs Exemption Requests in June to Support Local Industry

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources processed 1,274 applications for industrial customs exemptions in June 2026 as part of its efforts to support…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business Badawi inspects Alexandria Petroleum Company refinery projects (Egypt cabinet Facebook page)

Egyptian Oil Surge Boosts Energy Security Amid Regional Turmoil

As oil prices fluctuate due to ongoing regional instability since February, Egypt has managed to achieve a nearly 20 percent increase in crude oil production,…

Mohamed Mahmoud (Cairo)
Business  Oil tankers outside the Port of Long Beach, California, US July 17, 2026. (Reuters)

Oil Slips 4% After US, Iran Pause Fighting Over Weekend

Oil prices tumbled 4% on Monday after the US and Iran paused strikes over the weekend after two weeks of attacks, raising hopes of a diplomatic solution that…

Business Brazilian President Luiz Inacio 'Lula' da Silva speaks during a meeting with leaders of Brazil's science and technology community at the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 24 July 2026.  EPA/ISAAC FONTANA

Lula Calls New US Tariffs a Mistake in Washington Post Op-ed

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called new US tariffs unfair and a strategic mistake in a Sunday opinion column for The Washington Post, warning…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: A customer holds shopping bags with a Shein logo in the first physical space of online fast-fashion retailer Shein on the day of its opening inside the Le BHV Marais department store, the Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville, in Paris, France, November 5, 2025. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo

Shein Swings to Quarterly Loss Ahead of Hong Kong IPO

Shein swung to a $99 million net loss in the first quarter of this year, the draft Hong Kong listing prospectus of the online fast-fashion retailer showed, as…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Saudi Tadawul Group tower in Riyadh’s financial district. (Hamah Holding)

What Saudi Stocks Need to Regain Momentum After Years Near 11,000 Points

Saudi Arabia’s economy is changing rapidly. Its stock market is not. Despite years of sweeping reforms, strong non-oil growth and heavy investment under…

Abeer Hommadi (Riyadh)
Business An aerial view shows Shibushi National Petroleum Stockpiling Base in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan January 18, 2019, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

Japan Secures Enough Crude Oil Supplies as US-Iran War Spirals

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday reiterated that enough crude oil supplies have been secured in the country for the time being. In response…

Asharq Al Awsat (Tokyo)
Business The APL Sentosa container ship departs from Port Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey on July 24, 2026. (AFP)

India to Keep Engaging with US on Trade Deal After New Tariff Measures

India said on Saturday it would continue engaging with the United States to conclude a bilateral trade agreement, after Washington imposed a 10% tariff on…

Business A view of Kuwait City on June 2, 2026. (AFP)

Kuwait’s KPC Signs $16 Billion Lease and Leaseback Deal for Oil Pipeline Network

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has signed a $16 billion deal to lease and lease back its crude oil pipeline network with a consortium comprising global…

Business A customer withdraws cash from an Al Rajhi Bank ATM in Saudi Arabia (Al Rajhi Bank)

Saudi Banks’ Q2 Profit Rises 12.5% to $6.63 Bn

Saudi Arabia’s banking sector maintained its strong performance in recent years, posting another set of record results as the 10 banks listed on the Saudi…

Mohammed al-Mutairi (Riyadh)
Business A man refuels his motorbike at the petrol station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 24 July 2026. (EPA)

Physical Oil Prices Jump with Some Nearing $110 as Iran, Ukraine Wars Hit Supply

The price of physical crude oil cargoes in the Middle East, Europe and Africa jumped this week to two-month highs with some nearing $110 a barrel, as supply…

Business Skyscrapers in Beijing's Central Business District (CBD) and the Forbidden City are seen through haze in Beijing, China, July 24, 2026. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

China Restricts Exports to 14 EU Entities

China banned exports of products with the potential for dual civilian and military uses to 14 EU companies on Friday, citing national security concerns. …

Asharq Al Awsat
Business An aerial photograph taken with a drone shows high-rise towers behind social housing blocks in Manchester, Britain, 23 July 2026.  EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN

UK Retail Sales Unexpectedly Rise 1.0% in June

British retail sales volumes unexpectedly rose by 1.0% in monthly terms in June, according to official figures published on Friday. Economists polled by…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business  European Union (EU) Vice President Kaja Kallas gestures during an interview with the media on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila on July 24, 2026. (AFP)

EU’s Kallas Questions US Rationale for Tariffs on Bloc, Seeks Clarification

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas questioned Washington's rationale for imposing new tariffs on European goods, saying on Friday that allegations…

Business A shop attendant displays pairs of gold bracelets for Chinese weddings during a media preview of the Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group flagship store soft opening, in Hong Kong, China, February 11, 2026. (Reuters)

Gold Softens on Prospects of Fed Rate Hikes as Brent Tops $100

Gold extended losses on Friday after falling 2% in the previous session, as Brent crude's move back above $100 a barrel stoked inflation concerns and…