Business

US Economy Expanded at Solid 2.1% Pace in January-March, Government Says

Business President Donald Trump stands on stage after speaking at the opening of the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

US Economy Expanded at Solid 2.1% Pace in January-March, Government Says

The US economy expanded at a solid and unexpected 2.1% annual pace from January through March, the Commerce Department reported Thursday in its final estimate…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business A handout picture released by Iraq's Prime Minister's Press Office on January 2, 2025, shows a partial view of the oil refinery of Baiji north of Baghdad, during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units. (Iraq's Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)

Baghdad Urges OPEC to Raise Iraq's Production Quota

Baghdad has urged OPEC to increase Iraq's oil production quota, taking into account the damage done to its industry by its history of conflicts and the recent…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business General view of part of Cairo (Reuters)

Egypt Overhauls Nitrogen Fertilizer Export Levy, Exempts High-grade Ammonium Nitrate

Egypt has revamped its export tax regime for nitrogen fertilizers, replacing a fixed export tax with a 10% ad valorem duty on all nitrogenous fertilizer…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A worker displays gold bullion bar at the ABC Refinery in Sydney - AFP

Gold Lingers Near 7-month Low as Fed Hike Bets Boost Dollar

Gold fell for a third straight session on Thursday, lingering near a more than seven-month low it had reached in the previous session, as expectations of US…

Business A drilling rig operates near a crude oil reserve in the Permian Basin oil field in Texas, USA (Reuters)

Oil Falls to Pre-war Levels on Rising Middle East Supply

Oil prices fell on Thursday to levels last seen before the start of the Iran war as expectations of rising supply from the Middle East outweighed demand…

Asharq Al Awsat

Business This photograph shows the TotalEnergies refinery in Antwerp on May 18, 2026. (Photo by JONAS ROOSENS / Belga / AFP)

TotalEnergies Extends Fuel Price Cap in France Through June

Oil major Total Energies said on Wednesday it would extend its policy of capping fuel prices at its French service stations through the month of June as the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business FILE PHOTO: Samsung Electronics’ labor union members chant slogans during a protest against the company’s compensation levels ahead of a planned lengthy strike in front of Samsung Electronics semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, April 23, 2026.  REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

Samsung Workers Approve Bonus Deal after Big AI Profits

Samsung Electronics union members on Wednesday approved a deal with management securing massive annual bonuses after threatening a major strike, as the global…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A saleswoman adjusts gold jewellery for sale at a shop in Lianyungang_ in China痴 eastern Jiangsu province - AFP

Gold Falls as Renewed US-Iran Tensions Dampen Peace Hopes, Clouds Interest Rate Outlook

Gold slipped on Tuesday as US strikes in Iran pushed Brent prices higher, stoking inflation worries and clouding the outlook for US interest rates. Spot gold…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Azerbaijan's capital Baku with the city's famous architectural landmarks in the background (X)

Azerbaijan Promotes Caucasus Corridors to Link Saudi Logistics With Central Asia

As global markets search for logistical lifelines to secure supply chains and energy flows amid ongoing geopolitical disruptions, Azerbaijan is promoting major…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business A worker holds a Marianne-Or gold coin bullion replica at La Monnaie de Paris in Paris on May 21, 2026. (Photo by SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP)

Paris Mint to Issue 1st Solid-gold Coins in a Century

The Paris Mint said Tuesday that it would soon start selling solid-gold coins for investment, the first since it quit making Napoleons and Louis a century ago…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business A giant crude oil tanker carrying two million barrels of Saudi oil arrives at a refinery off Chita, Japan, May 25, 2026 (Reuters)

Global Oil Price Gains 3% after US Military Strikes on Iran

Brent crude oil rose 3% on Tuesday after the US military carried out strikes in Iran, adding to uncertainty on whether a deal will be imminently reached to end…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Albudaiwi and Bryant embrace after signing the agreement in London amid applause from negotiators (UK Department for Business and Trade)

General Coordinator for Negotiations: GCC-UK Agreement is a Strategic Step in a Turbulent World

Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the United Kingdom have entered a new era of comprehensive strategic cooperation, following the official announcement in…

Mosaed al-Zayani (Riyadh)
Business Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at last year’s St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF)

Putin: Russia Remains Integral Part of Global Economic System

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday conveyed a strong message to international investors, saying Russia has been and remains an integral part of the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Moscow)
Business FILE PHOTO: Saudi Aramco logo and stock graph are seen through a magnifier displayed in this illustration taken September 4, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Aramco Transfers Full Ownership of PRefChem to Malaysia’s Petronas

Saudi Aramco and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) have announced the signing of an agreement for the transfer of Aramco’s equity stakes in Pengerang…

Business  A worker holds a nozzle to pump fuel in a vehicle at a petrol pump in New Delhi, India, May 19, 2026. (Reuters)

India Turns to Latin American, African Oil After Hormuz Disruption

Indian refiners turned to imports from Latin America and Africa after supplies from the Middle East were disrupted as the Israeli-US war on Iran restricted…

Business  People walk in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Monday, May 25, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP)

Asian Shares Mostly Gain and Oil Prices Fall After Trump Says Peace Talks on Iran War Are Proceeding

Asian shares mostly rose Monday and oil prices plunged after US President Donald Trump said talks on ending the war with Iran are progressing. Japan's…

Business Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, May 22, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

Vessels Carrying Middle East Oil, LNG Exit Hormuz, Head for Pakistan, China

Two liquefied natural gas tankers are exiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, heading to ‌Pakistan and China, while a supertanker with Iraqi crude for…

Asharq Al Awsat (Singapore)
Business Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters) 

Moody’s Affirms Saudi Arabia ‘Stable’ Outlook Despite Geopolitical Risks

A Saudi Arabia’s sovereign credit rating affirmed at “Aa3” with a stable outlook by Moody’s last week came as an international testament to the resilience of…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business The crude oil tanker Idemitsu Maru, owned by a subsidiary of Idemitsu Kosan, sails through Ise Bay near Chita City in Aichi Prefecture on May 25, 2026, after becoming the first crude tanker bound for Japan to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran conflict began. (Photo by JIJI Press / AFP) / Japan OUT

Oil Falls, Asian Stocks Climb on Hopes of US-Iran Hormuz Deal

Oil prices fell and Asian stocks climbed on Monday over hopes a deal between the United States and Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz could be brokered. The…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business  People board a Royal Air Maroc flight on July 15, 2020 at Bordeaux airport. (AFP)

Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc Scales Back Flights Due to Fuel Costs

Morocco's state-owned carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) said on Saturday it would temporarily suspend several routes to African and European destinations due to …

Business A floating oil export platform in Basra port, Iraq (Reuters)

Official: Iraq Has Not Yet Applied for an IMF Loan

Financial Advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister Mazhar Mohammed Saleh revealed on Saturday that Iraq has not yet submitted a formal request for a loan from the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Baghdad)
Business Mawani Adds CMA CGM’s Ocean Rise Express Service to Jeddah Port

Mawani Adds CMA CGM’s Ocean Rise Express Service to Jeddah Port

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has added CMA CGM's Ocean Rise Express (OCR) shipping service to Jeddah Islamic Port, aiming to strengthen maritime…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets with a delegation from the Association of Banks in Lebanon (Lebanese Presidency)

Lebanon's Financial Battles Persist Despite War Priorities

Lebanon's unresolved financial and monetary issues continue to generate new and pressing obligations for the executive, legislative and monetary authorities…

Ali Zeineddine (Beirut)
Business The war and ⁠resulting disruption of global ⁠energy markets have hit global supply chains and prevented vital fertilizer shipments from reaching developing countries (Reuters)

World Bank: 27 Countries Seeking to Ensure Access to Crisis Funds

Twenty-seven countries have moved since the Iran war started to put in place crisis instruments that could quickly access funding from existing World Bank…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business Poppy flowers stand on a field not far from the European Central Bank, centre, in Frankfurt, Germany, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

IMF: EU Must Reform, Consolidate, Use Joint Debt to Cope with Spending Needs

European Union countries will face large bills for defense, energy and pensions in the next 15 years, the International Monetary Fund told EU finance ministers…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Business 22 May 2026, Mexico, Mexico City: EU Council President Antonio Costa, Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum and EU Comission President Ursula von der Leyen are pictured holding the trade agreement at the presidential palace. Photo: Felix Marquez/dpa

Mexico, EU Sign Stalled Trade Deal as they Aim to Diversify from US

Mexico and the European Union signed a long-stalled free trade agreement on Friday as they seek to decrease dependence on the US and partially insulate…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Moody's Affirms its Credit Rating of Saudi Arabia at 'Aa3' with Stable Outlook

The credit rating agency Moody’s has affirmed Saudi Arabia’s credit rating at “Aa3” with a “stable” outlook. The agency said Friday that the affirmation at…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business A farmer works in his wheat field in the Sebt Meghchouch region of Morocco, on April 28, 2026. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)

Morocco Farmers Saw Hope in Rain, but Mideast War Inflates Production Costs

Like many Moroccan farmers, Mehdi el-Maazi was hopeful that rare heavy rains would yield an abundant harvest this year -- but those hopes were quickly…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business US dollar banknotes (Reuters)

Dollar Nears Six-week High; Mixed Signals on US-Iran Deal Feed Uncertainty

The dollar traded near six-week highs on Friday, after conflicting signals over a US-Iran peace deal whipped up volatility across financial markets, though…