Saudi Arabia Supports 18 Brands to Expand in Global Marketshttps://english.aawsat.com/business/4921796-saudi-arabia-supports-18-brands-expand-global-markets
Saudi Arabia Supports 18 Brands to Expand in Global Markets
The Monsha’at pavilion at the Franchise Expo Paris (Asharq Al-Aswsat)
Saudi Arabia has encouraged 18 national brands to spread in global markets, through their participation in the Franchise Expo Paris, which was held in the French capital on March 16-18.
The exhibition is considered one of the most prominent international events in the field of commercial franchising, as it offers promising opportunities for entrepreneurs from various parts of the world.
This edition saw the participation of around 570 exhibitors, as well as a number of experts, specialists, and investors, who explored franchise opportunities and means to enhance investments between entrepreneurs and international companies.
The Saudi Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at), represented by the Franchise Center, aimed to enable participant brands and enterprises to grow and expand into global markets, by enhancing their businesses’ sustainability and attracting investors, in addition to creating communication channels between local enterprises and international investors.
A number of successful Saudi brands participated in the exhibition, including: Yelo, the largest car rental company in the Kingdom and the Gulf region, BlueAge, a distinguished firm in the field of fashion retail in the Middle East, Delta Medical Laboratories and Dr.s’ Lounge. Other companies included 3 Days for sports and fitness, Barn’s, which specializes in the coffee industry, Al-Dakheel Oud, and others.
In October 2019, the Saudi government approved the Commercial Franchise System, which opens new horizons for small investors and male and female entrepreneurs to expand and develop their businesses externally.
Monsha’at works to facilitate the access of local enterprises to the global market and open channels of communication with international investors, in addition to introducing the business community participating in the exhibition to the great opportunities in the Kingdom in the field of commercial franchising.
JMMC Holds 65th Meeting via Videoconference, Discusses Energy Security and Market Stabilityhttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5259042-jmmc-holds-65th-meeting-videoconference-discusses-energy-security-and-market
JMMC Holds 65th Meeting via Videoconference, Discusses Energy Security and Market Stability
General view of Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah
The Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC), comprising Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Algeria and Venezuela holds its 65th Meeting via videoconference.
The JMMC reviewed current market conditions and emphasized the essential role of the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) in supporting the stability of global energy markets, according to SPA.
In this context, the committee highlighted the critical importance of safeguarding international maritime routes to ensure the uninterrupted flow of energy.
It also expressed concern regarding attacks on energy infrastructure, noting that restoring damaged energy assets to full capacity is both costly and takes a long time, thereby affecting overall supply availability.
Accordingly, the committee stressed that any actions undermining energy supply security, whether through attacks on infrastructure or disruption of international maritime routes, increase market volatility and weaken the collective efforts under the DoC to support market stability for the benefit of producers, consumers, and the global economy.
In this regard, the committee commended the DoC countries that took the initiative to ensure the continued availability of supplies, particularly through the use of alternative export routes, which have contributed to reducing market volatility.
The JMMC will continue to closely monitor market conditions and retains the authority to convene additional meetings or request an OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting, as established at the 38th ONOMM held on December 5 2024.
The next meeting of the JMMC (66th) is scheduled for June 7, 2026.
Saudi Market Edges Higher on Insurance and Basic Materials Supporthttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5259028-saudi-market-edges-higher-insurance-and-basic-materials-support
Saudi Market Edges Higher on Insurance and Basic Materials Support
An investor monitors stock prices on a screen at the Saudi stock market in Riyadh (AFP)
Saudi Arabia’s benchmark Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) edged up 0.03 percent to 11,272 points on Sunday, supported by insurance and basic materials stocks. Total traded value reached SAR 4.27 billion ($1.1 billion).
Shares of Petro Rabigh and The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) rose 1 percent and 1.5 percent to SAR 10.9 and SAR 32.6, respectively.
Saudi Arabian Amiantit Co. (Amiantit) led gainers, rising 10 percent to SAR 15.63. In the materials sector, SABIC and Maaden advanced 0.84 percent and 0.46 percent to SAR 60.05 and SAR 65.7, respectively.
In insurance, The Company for Cooperative Insurance (Tawuniya) and Bupa Arabia climbed 1 percent and 2 percent to SAR 127.3 and SAR 174.1, respectively. Almarai rose 1.2 percent to SAR 44.48 after reporting its Q1 2029 results.
On the downside, Saudi Aramco—the index heavyweight—declined 0.22 percent to SAR 27.54.
ACWA Power fell about 1 percent to SAR 168 after announcing last week a temporary curtailment of power output at two of its solar projects. Emaar The Economic City (Emaar EC) was the biggest decliner, falling 7.6 percent to SAR 10.88.
Saudi Airports Serve as Safety Valve for Regional Air Traffic as ‘Hormuz Fallout’ Hits Global Aviationhttps://english.aawsat.com/business/5259004-saudi-airports-serve-safety-valve-regional-air-traffic-%E2%80%98hormuz-fallout%E2%80%99-hits
Saudi Airports Serve as Safety Valve for Regional Air Traffic as ‘Hormuz Fallout’ Hits Global Aviation
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (SPA)
Conflicts in the region are no longer confined to the geography of battlefields; their fallout has reached one of the world’s most vital and sensitive industries: aviation. Today, travelers and airlines alike face a harsh reality driven by record surges in jet fuel prices and a steep spike in insurance costs, pressures that have pushed ticket prices higher, threatening a severe economic squeeze that could derail global tourism plans and reshape travel patterns long taken for granted.
The surge in aviation costs cannot be separated from the turmoil in global energy markets. The link between crude oil and jet fuel prices peaked in early April 2026. As market confidence wavered amid US military threats, crude prices jumped to record levels due to the direct risk to supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, setting off an immediate spike in jet fuel prices. Given that jet fuel is among the most valuable refined products from a barrel of oil, these unprecedented crude levels pushed aviation fuel to nearly double its 2025 levels.
Compound pressures and a tourism slowdown
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, aviation and airport management expert AlMotaz Al-Mirah said the current tensions, in an industry already operating on thin margins, are quickly reflected in both pricing and demand across the tourism sector.
“The rise in ticket prices today is not driven by a single factor,” he said, “but by a combination of pressures: higher fuel consumption, longer routes, elevated insurance costs, and reduced operational efficiency.”
The World Travel & Tourism Council confirmed that “the escalating conflict in Iran is already impacting travel and tourism across the Middle East by no less than $600 million per day in international visitor spending, as disruptions to air travel, traveler confidence, and regional connectivity weigh on demand.”
According to council data released in March, the Middle East plays a critical role in global travel, accounting for 5 percent of international arrivals and 14 percent of global transit traffic. Any disruption reverberates worldwide, affecting airports, airlines, hotels, car rental firms, and cruise lines.
The family travel bill
On leisure travel, Al-Mirah said fare increases have ranged from 15 percent to 70 percent across many routes- higher still on long-haul flights.
“A ticket that used to cost $500 now ranges between $800 and $1,000,” he noted, “meaning an increase of up to $2,000 for a family of four.” This is forcing many travelers to delay trips or opt for closer destinations, reshaping demand across regional markets.
He detailed the price surge since the crisis began in late February: jet fuel rose from around $85–90 per barrel to between $150 and $200. This has driven the cost per flight hour for long-haul aircraft from an average of $10,000 to more than $18,000 in some cases. A flight carrying 180 passengers could see total additional costs of about $15,000, forcing airlines to add roughly $80 per ticket just to break even.
Globally, Brazil’s Petrobras raised jet fuel prices by about 55 percent in early April, while the Philippines warned that some aircraft could be grounded due to fuel shortages, and Taiwanese carriers are preparing to increase international fuel surcharges by 157 percent.
Longer routes, heavier maintenance burdens
Al-Mirah explained that longer flight times to avoid unstable airspace carry steep financial costs, with each additional hour adding between $5,000 and $7,500. Route changes extending flight durations by one to two hours have increased fuel consumption by up to 30 percent. More time in the air also accelerates engine wear.
The strain goes beyond fuel. Increased flight hours speed up the deterioration of engines and components, bringing forward maintenance schedules and raising annual servicing costs- ultimately reducing fleet efficiency.
Airlines are also grappling with sharply higher war-risk insurance premiums. While such costs typically account for no more than 1 percent of total operating expenses, they have surged by between 50 percent and 500 percent in the current crisis, according to a March 2026 report by Lockton.
This buildup of fuel and insurance costs threatens to turn profitable routes into loss-making ones, potentially forcing cash-strapped or low-cost carriers to suspend some routes temporarily to preserve financial stability.
An aircraft from Riyadh Air at Le Bourget Airport (Reuters)
Saudi airports support regional air traffic
Amid these complexities, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has deployed its capabilities to activate regional support protocols. Gulf airlines have shifted logistical operations to Saudi airports to keep regional air traffic safe and moving.
The authority announced that the Kingdom received more than 120 flights from neighboring countries’ carriers between February 28 and March 16, including Qatar Airways, Iraqi Airways, Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, and Gulf Air.
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