Economy and trade

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with King of Jordan Abdullah II during a signing ceremony at The Great Hall Of The People on Sept. 9, 2015, in Beijing, China.

Jordan's King Abdullah heads to China in first visit since 2015: What to know

Ahead of the visit, King Abdullah said that Jordan hopes to expand cooperation with China in green energy, tourism and aviation.

The Al-Riqqa oil tanker (L) and Al-Yarmouk oil tankers sail in the Arabian Gulf waters, off the coast of Kuwait City on June 27, 2026.

Kuwait's LNG imports climb to highest level since start of Iran war

The country's domestic gas production has fallen drastically since the beginning of the US-Israel-Iran war in February.

Building construction at the Red Sea in Egypt.

Explainer

UAE-Egypt ties keep growing as Cairo navigates shifting Gulf landscape

An Emirati investor could soon strike a $2.7 billion deal to develop another tourism project on Egypt's North Coast, the latest in a string of UAE-linked pacts that have continued advancing despite turmoil from the US-Iran war.

US President Donald Trump (R) meets with Jordanian King Abdullah II in the Oval Office of the White House, Washington, DC, Feb. 11, 2025.

Analysis

Jordan shores up US lifelines as Iran targets Amman’s reliance on Washington

Already a leading recipient of US aid, Jordan has secured fresh funds from the United States as the Iran war tests Amman and Washington's partnerships.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Latest News

US stock markets soar to new records amid Hormuz deal hopes

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Explainer

Iran-Oman Hormuz route talks near 'completion': What to know

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L), Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (2nd L) and Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi (R) attend a meeting in Muscat, Oman, on June 22, 2026.

Lebanon’s Riad Salameh hospitalized as arrest roils Beirut: What to know

JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia's economy shrinks by 4.8% amid Iran war: What to know

Fayez Nureldine / AFP via Getty Images

Loading docks at the port of Libya's northwestern city of Misrata during a ceremony marking the completion of the first phase of the Misrata Free Zone project, on June 25, 2022.

Qatari, Swiss firms to invest $2.7B in Libya's Misrata port: What to know

Libya is seeking to increase its non-oil shipping capacity amid rising oil production and signs of both economic progress and turmoil.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan walks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while on an official visit in New Delhi, India, on Jan. 19, 2026.

UAE, India agree on formalizing defense pact, $200B trade deal: What to know

During an official visit to India, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing of several memorandums of understanding and letters of intent across multiple sectors, including defense and space.

United Arab Emirates

A shop owner counts Iranian banknotes at a store in the capital Tehran on Jan. 7, 2026.

Analysis

Iran’s economic failure leaves regime exposed as new shocks promise turmoil

From the June war with Israel to UN sanctions, a string of shocks in 2025 paved the way for protests to ignite in Iran, as a broad coalition of ordinary citizens rose up in response to an economy in free fall.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Security forces are seen during a pro-government rally on January 12, 2026, in Tehran, Iran.

Can Iran’s promised economic reforms quell unrest?

The Iranian government has made several economic pledges to protesters, though some carry risk of increasing inflation further.

Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen gives a press conference in Larnaca on December 20, 2023 talking about a humanitarian aid corridor from the Mediterranean island to war-torn Gaza. (Photo by Elisa AMOURET / AFP) (Photo by ELISA AMOURET/AFP via Getty Images)

Interview

Gaza calm could revive East Med Forum, Israel-Jordan projects: Cohen

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Israeli Energy Minister Cohen estimated that the mega gas deal between Israel and Egypt would reinforce the peace treaty and pave the way for stronger security cooperation in combating Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated groups and Hamas.

Eli Cohen

Eli Cohen

Israeli Energy Minister

The close-up of a phone tapping a POS at the coffee shop highlights the ease of contactless transactions.

Saudi Arabia, UAE accelerate cashless payment push in 2026: What to know

Dubai is targeting 90% cashless transactions by the end of 2026, while Saudi Arabia is now set to enforce an e-payments rule for domestic workers.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is greeting Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Shara, left, during his arrival on Sunday at the royal palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Syria's Sharaa, Saudi crown prince discuss economic ties as SDF clashes flare

Syria is facing a number of security challenges amid sectarian tensions as it rebuilds its economy.

Burning debris lies next to an overturned dumpster in the middle of a street during unrest amid demonstrations in Hamedan, Iran, on January 1, 2026. The demonstrations erupted after shopkeepers in Tehran's Grand Bazaar shut their businesses to protest the sharp fall of Iran's currency and worsening economic conditions, with clashes reported in several provinces and Iranian media and rights groups saying multiple people were killed in the violence, marking the largest protests to hit the Islamic Republic in

Iran protests enter second week as Ghalibaf warns of 'foreign' actors

Senior Iranian officials have begun pointing to foreign actors to explain the ongoing nationwide protests.

This photograph taken on April 26, 2023 shows the construction of the Russian-built Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Mersin Province. - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will try to offset his absence from the campaign trail weeks before crucial elections by unveiling the nuclear plant by video link. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Mideast nuclear energy goals tested as Turkey, Saudi Arabia eye breakthroughs

Though the region’s nuclear energy boom was supposed to be in full swing by 2025, key projects have all fallen behind schedule or fizzled entirely — but new momentum could be emerging.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Railroad tracks by a quarry at the Jubail Industrial City, north of Dammam, in Saudi Arabia's Eastern province, overlooking the Gulf, Dec. 11, 2019.

Saudi Arabia awards record number of mining licenses in Vision 2030 push

Riyadh estimates the country’s mineral resources to be worth $2.51 trillion.

Guests stand at the booth of Saudi AI company Humain during the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh on Oct. 29, 2025.

Analysis

Middle East adapts to Trump’s tech agenda as Gulf AI gamble grows in 2025

This year saw a wave of dealmaking across data centers, chips, critical minerals and AI collaboration as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE eagerly aligned with President Trump’s tech agenda amid sharp swings in US foreign policy.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A picture taken at the port of Dilovasi, outside Istanbul, on June 20, 2019, shows the drilling ship Yavuz scheduled to search for oil and gas off Cyprus.

Turkey eyes offshore energy pact with Syria in 2026 amid East Med isolation

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has offered up details on a deal with Syria that could unsettle regional rivals in the gas-rich Eastern Mediterranean.