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Economy & Business

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UAE steps in to support banks as war pressure builds: What to know

The United Arab Emirates' banks have seen their stocks plummet since the war erupted on Feb. 28.

United Arab Emirates

The city skyline is pictued in Dubai on March 11, 2026. The oil-rich Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran's attacks in response to US-Israeli strikes that sparked the Middle East war, with Tehran targeting US assets but also civilian infrastructure. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Iran war tests Gulf dealmaking as foreign investors assess risks

A multibillion-dollar pipeline sale in Kuwait has emerged as one of the early signs that the Gulf’s dealmaking machine is taking a hit from the US-Israel-Iran war.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

The city skyline is pictured in Dubai on March 11, 2026.

Analysis

How long can markets hold their bet on Gulf resilience as war drags on?

A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz and continued assaults on Gulf energy infrastructure are likely to lead to regionwide credit deterioration, experts say.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Latest News

Iran war hits Gulf aluminum exports, risking nearly 10% of global supplies

Aluminum ingots in the Aluminium Dunkerque plant of the American Industrial Partner group on Jan. 13, 2022, in Loon-Plage, near Dunkirk, France.

IEA's Asian members begin deploying emergency oil reserves

A fuel pump is seen while refuelling a car at a gas station on March 13, 2026 in Kobe, Japan. Japan will release oil reserves to address the rise in gasoline and other petroleum products prices starting next Monday, said Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. The International Energy Agency (IEA) stated that its member countries agreed to release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history, responding to the disruption in energy markets caused by the Middle East War. (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/G

Analysis

How Russia stands to win, lose as Iran war squeezes Gulf oil exports

Lukoil

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

Alternative supply routes emerge as Iran war tests Gulf food security

Saudis shop for fresh products at a market in Riyadh on Feb. 18, 2026, on the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

Qatar Airways Cargo

Qatar Airways becomes first Middle East airline with cargo hub in Africa

The Qatar Airways Group, which owns Qatar Airways Cargo, already owns a 49% stake in RwandAir, Rwanda's national carrier.

Federal Reserve

Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia raise interest rates after US Federal Reserve

The Fed’s controversial and aggressive rate hikes to combat inflation could be coming to an end, and this will have ramifications for fiscal policy in the Gulf. Qatar initially said it would not raise rates, but later announced a rate hike.

Iranian employees of Saipa auto plant assemble a Tiba (Gazelle) car in the central city of Kashan on May 9, 2010. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the largest automobile factory in the Middle East with a capacity of producing 150,000 cars a year, creating 4,000 jobs directly and 20,000 indirectly in the region. The Saipa factory will produce a new small car called Tiba costing between 80 and 90 million Rials (8,000 to 9,000 USD) for lower-middle class population. AFP PHOTO/ISNA/ALIREZA SOTA

Iran's SAIPA signs $497 million car deal with Russia, Belarus

Iranian carmaker SAIPA will export vehicles to Belarus and Russia following a similar agreement with Venezuela.

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/05/turkeys-erdogan-indicates-refusal-hand-over-power-event-election-loss

Cristiano Ronaldo world’s highest paid athlete at $136 million

Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes’ 2023 list of the highest grossing athletes playing soccer in Saudi Arabia, which also gave tens of millions of dollars in upfront guarantees to top earners Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey inflation drops below 50% 11 days before elections

Though inflation has dipped, Turkey’s monthly consumer prices continue to rise amid a cost-of-living crisis.

Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers in China

Should the US worry about China's expanding influence in the Gulf?

China's hosting of a diplomatic breakthrough between Iran and Saudi Arabia signals a different kind of Chinese interest in the Persian Gulf.

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy

Marcus Rashford of Manchester United controls the ball during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford on April 30, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Qatari royal to invest $1bn more in Manchester United bid: report

Despite the sweetened offer from the Qatari banker, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is understood to be the favorite to buy the English soccer club, according to reports.

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

UAE airports record 56.3% bump in traffic as Saudi Arabia tries to compete

Saudi Arabia recently launched Riyadh Air in an effort to boost its air travel industry.

BEIJING, CHINA - MARCH 17: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd-L) meets with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (2nd-R) at Great Hall of the People on March 17, 2017 in Beijing, China. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, King Salman Bin Abdul-Aaziz Al-Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will pay a state visit to China from March 15 to 18, 2017. (Photo by Lintao Zhang - Pool/Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia and China’s Baosteel to establish steel complex

Saudi entities, including oil giant Aramco, have made a number of agreements with Chinese entities in the past year as Sino-Saudi ties continue to gain momentum.

Careem’s $400M deal signals Middle East telecoms becoming go-to tech investors

Careem's latest mega-deal for $400 million points to a growing investment role for leading telecom companies in the region.

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Turkey's Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman and Presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu speaks on the stage during a rally in Kocaeli, on April 28, 2023. - A sea of umbrellas and hoods at his feet, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the Turkish opposition candidate who will challenge Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the polls on 14 May, smilingly promises "the return of spring". (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP) (Photo by YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey election pledges foretell bigger budget deficit

A review of economic programs and a supplementary budget appear inevitable for the winner of Turkey’s May 14 elections.

Israel desalination

Morocco uses ties with Israel to improve water, food security

As Morocco battles water and food insecurity, Israel is becoming a strategic partner, with a number of sustainable solutions reflected in recent deals.