Economy and trade

A worker counts banknotes after filling up the tank of a vehicle at a petrol station in Giza on March 10, 2026.

Interview

US-Egypt fund makes case for economic statecraft in hard power era

As Washington focuses on war and deterrence, the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund argues private-sector investment can advance US strategic interests.

Cornelius Queen

Cornelius Queen

Senior Vice President of the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund

MUSCAT, OMAN - JUNE 21: Oil tankers and cargo vessels remain anchored off Port Sultan Qaboos around Qaboos Port on June 21, 2026 in Muscat, Oman. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for the region's oil and gas, was effectively blockaded since the outbreak of war between the United States and Iran in late February. This week's provisional peace deal between the countries was meant to reopen the waterway to shipping traffic, but the pace of that reopening is unclear amid continued fighting in Lebano

Oil falls more than 3% after Iran, US signal progress in talks

International benchmark Brent crude fell to $78.68 as of 7:06 a.m. EDT.

A woman walks past a billboard displaying Iran's national flag at Enghelab Square in Tehran on June 14, 2026.

Analysis

US-Iran deal delivers $300 billion controversy, reconstruction questions

Under the US-Iran agreement signed on June 17, Tehran stands to receive sweeping sanctions relief, renewed oil sales, access to frozen assets abroad and perhaps the most controversial incentive of all: a proposed $300 billion investment fund.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

French Trade & Invest Commissioner for United Arab Emirates and Middle East and Business France's regional director for the Middle East Axel Baroux. — Business France

Interview

Franco-Gulf investment holds firm despite Iran war, French official says

French investors are reallocating capital toward strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence and technology rather than pulling out of the region altogether.

Axel Baroux

France’s trade and investment commissioner for the UAE and Middle East

Latest News

Gulf investment to turn inward to rebuild postwar infrastructure: QNB

A picture taken on June 5, 2017, shows a man walking past the Qatar National Bank branch in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Saudi Aramco's VC arm sees boom in emerging technologies, retail

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Oil falls below $80 as markets rally on Iran-US peace deal: What to know

Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Gulf aluminum pursues global deals as Hormuz crisis accelerates shift

Aluminum from Dubai sits in the BMW Landshut factory on Oct. 25, 2024 in Ergolding, Germany.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi sovereign wealth fund invests in US mixed martial arts league

The new area of sports investment follows major Saudi investments in golf and soccer.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Radhid Al-Maktoum 1

UAE’s non-oil trade hits record $340B in first half of 2023

Trade is set to increase after the BRICS bloc of major developing economies announced last week that the United Arab Emirates was among the list of countries invited to join the group.

United Arab Emirates

Flags of (L to R) South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India and China during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, August 24, 2023.

Will BRICS throw a lifeline to dollar-strapped Egypt?

Economists believe BRICS membership will give Egypt a chance to ease pressure on the dollar, but is not a quick remedy for the country’s economic woes

BRICS summit 2023

Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE to join BRICS

The Shanghai-headquartered New Development Bank, or so-called “BRICS bank”, had already admitted the UAE and Egypt as shareholders.

A general view shows office buildings at al-Raidah Digital City of the Saudi capital Riaydh on February 28, 2022.

Analysis

Saudi holdings of US Treasuries hit record low, signaling push to diversify from dollar

Saudi Arabia's stockpile of US Treasuries fell to $108.1 billion in June, the lowest point since December 2016.

By Salim A. Essaid

A child watches as Jasmine (not pictured) paints amidst the rubble in the city of Jindires on Feb. 28, 2023, near Aleppo, Syria.

Protests in southern Syria as economy worsens

Syria’s economy is in tatters, and the removal of subsidies has led to relatively rare protests in government territory.

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Israel’s inflation drops to 3.3%, beating expectations

Inflation in Israel has dropped to 3.3% from 4.2% in June, even as analysts predicted it would rise in July.

A gold worker holds a 1 KG gold bullion at Istanbul Gold Refinery (IGR) on January 13, 2015 in Istanbul.

Why did Turkey restrict gold imports as it rolled new economic measures?

Observers believe Turkey’s new economic leadership is unlikely to take strong measures to curb inflation before Erdogan gets through local elections in March 2024.

This picture taken on March 7, 2021 shows an Israeli El Al Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.

In radical shift, Israel's El Al airline in talks to buy Airbus planes

El Al is in "serious" talks with Airbus to purchase new planes but continues to negotiate with Boeing as well.

An injured migrant who fled violence in Sfax to the militarised buffer zone between Tunisia and Libya rests.

Tunisia, Libya strike deal on stranded sub-Saharan African migrants

Anti-migrant sentiment in Tunisia has led to a crisis on the border with Libya, adding to Tunisia’s political and economic woes.

Egypt food market

Egypt’s headline inflation hits all-time high of 38.2% in July

Surging food prices helped July’s headline inflation numbers break the record of 36.8% in June.

The sun sets behind road lamps along a highway in El-Shorouk.

Egypt’s power cuts persist amid heat, declining natural gas production

Egypt wants to export more natural gas, including in cooperation with neighboring Israel, but domestic production is declining amid the government’s efforts to reduce consumption.