Turkey’s vulnerable lira plunges to record low after central bank sackings In a midnight decree, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rid the central bank of key bureaucrats who opposed his calls for lower interest rates ahead of next Thursday’s key meeting. Nazlan Ertan | Turkey | Oct 14, 2021 Customers wait in front of a currency exchange agency as a screen shows rates near the Grand Bazaar, in Istanbul, on March 22, 2021.
French court upholds conviction of Assad's uncle in money laundering case A French court last year sentenced Rifaat al-Assad to four years in prison and ordered the forfeiture of his French real estate assets. Al-Monitor Staff | Syria | Sep 9, 2021
Turkey’s record growth rate belies murky economic prospects Eager to woo back disgruntled voters, Erdogan appears bent on stimulating economic growth at the risk of stoking Turkey’s currency troubles. Mustafa Sonmez | Turkey | Sep 1, 2021
Ill-conceived borrowing scheme costs Turkey double The cost of Ankara’s domestic borrowing in hard currency and gold is estimated to have hit nearly 32% per annum amid the slump of the Turkish lira, more than doubling the cost of borrowing in liras. Mustafa Sonmez | Turkey | Aug 10, 2021
Saudi Aramco denies rumors it will produce bitcoins The Saudi state-owned oil company said reports it will engage in the process of creating cryptocurrency are "false." Al-Monitor Staff | Gulf Pulse | Aug 2, 2021
Lebanon implements ration card program as economic crisis worsens The Lebanese parliament approved a law to fund ration cards for the most vulnerable families, while ending subsidies. Dario Sabaghi | Lebanon | Jul 10, 2021
Egypt looks to Islamic bond market for foreign investment boost Egypt’s sovereign bonds bill paves the way for Egypt to join the Islamic finance market, allowing foreign investment in national projects such as the Suez Canal and Aswan Dam, which affects Egyptian national security. Khalid Hassan | Egypt | Jun 24, 2021
US weighs options as Lebanon’s allies move to assist military The Pentagon and State Department are exploring "creative ways" to help the Lebanese armed forces offset their costs amid financial crisis. Jared Szuba | Lebanon | Jun 21, 2021
Israel raids exchange companies for allegedly transferring funds to Hamas Israel continues to pursue exchange companies operating in the Palestinian territories under the rationale that they have been transferring funds to Hamas. Ahmad Melhem | Palestine | Jun 21, 2021
Iran's presidential hopefuls promise big on economy, but can they deliver? While candidates for the election this Friday have a long list of promises to fix the economy, inefficiencies in Iran's political structure limit the president's ability to make lasting change. Bijan Khajehpour | Iran | Jun 14, 2021
Turkish lira remains volatile after surprise dip in inflation data Turkey’s annual inflation unexpectedly dropped to 16.59% in May, according to data published Thursday. The news did not steady the nation’s currency, which slid on market concerns over an early interest rate cut. Diego Cupolo | Turkey | Jun 3, 2021
Turkey’s lira hits record low again The currency’s drop followed comments made by President Erdogan about lowering interest rates. Al-Monitor Staff | News Brief | Jun 2, 2021
Israel could get own digital coin Joining the global race, the Bank of Israel presented last week the model it recommends for the digital shekel coin. Danny Zaken | Israel | May 28, 2021
Rifts plague Libya’s central bank Although a new unity government was formed in Libya, ending years of division in state institutions, conflicts still plague some financial institutions that control the country's economy, namely the central bank. George Mikhail | Egypt | May 16, 2021
Turkey bans cryptocurrency payments The Turkish Central Bank said cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are too risky and forbade their use in the country. Al-Monitor Staff | News Brief | Apr 16, 2021
Intel: US lifts Iran-related sanctions, says no connection to nuclear deal Elizabeth Hagedorn | Iran | Oct 8, 2021
"The eighteen days of the revolution were the best days of my life," says Egyptian novelist Alaa Al Aswany
Customers wait in front of a currency exchange agency as a screen shows rates near the Grand Bazaar, in Istanbul, on March 22, 2021.
