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Economy & Business

Qatar's Energy Minister and CEO of QatarEnergy Saad Sherida al-Kaabi speaks during a press conference in Doha, on June 22, 2026.

Qatar locks in US LNG through 2054 as it looks beyond Hormuz

The Gulf state agreed to buy up to 4 million tons of US liquefied natural gas annually through 2054.

Saudi Arabia football supporters wave flags

China-Saudi consortium wins $306M World Cup stadium deal: What to know

The project is a vote of confidence to Saudi Arabia's ambitious Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the economy away from oil, despite an uptick in attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on the kingdom in recent weeks.

The Chinese-flagged container shipping vessel Hui Fa transits the Gulf of Oman off the coast of Khor Fakkan in the emirate of Sharjah east of the UAE, on Oct. 13, 2026.

Gulf oil exports surpass prewar levels despite escalating tanker attacks

According to data from Kpler, oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and alternative routes across the Middle East averaged more than 24 million barrels a day last week, surpassing prewar levels of 23.3 million.

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

Latest News

Macron secures Gulf diesel supplies as France grapples with fuel costs, unrest

Benoit Tessier / AFP via Getty Images

Explainer

Indonesia first foreign country to own property in Saudi Arabia's Mecca

Vehicles move along a main street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on Sept. 16, 2026.

Saudi Arabia postpones 'Davos in the Desert' until 2027 amid Houthi attacks

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

As Iran’s oil lifeline runs dry, can it outlast Trump's economic siege?

shoppers walking through the Tajrish Bazaar, a traditional market in Tehran

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Karen Young event

The Economic Statecraft of the Gulf Arab States: A book talk with Karen Young

Register now for this in-person event in Washington, DC on Monday, April 3.

Cairo peddler

Egypt raises interest rates again as inflation continues to creep up

The Central Bank of Egypt’s rate hikes have so far been unable to curb inflation.

AFP via Getty Images

China settles first LNG trade in yuan with UAE deal

China has held several discussions with countries in the Middle East and North Africa about conducting trade using its local currency.

ALI AL-SAADI/AFP via Getty Images

International oil firms stop operations as Iraqi-Kurdish oil dispute continues

A Kurdish official told Al-Monitor that the Kurdistan Regional Government disagrees with an Iraqi government proposal to resolve the issue, as the stoppage of oil exports to Turkey threatens the autonomous region's economy.

The national flags of Saudi Arabia (R) and China are displayed from a road lamp at Tiananmen square in Beijing on February 21, 2019. - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is on a visit to China from February 21 to 22. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) (Photo by WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudis joining Shanghai Cooperation Organization as China bromance blossoms

Russia, China and a number of former Soviet states in Central Asia created the SCO in 2001 to counter US hegemony in the region.

Egyptian man looks at Qatari LNG carrier

Analysis

North Africa diesel exports to Europe surge as Russia digs deeper into Ukraine

Europe has been looking for alternative sources of oil and gas in light of Western sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war.

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

AI middle east

Is the Middle East ready for its AI breakthrough?

Many Middle East governments see AI as an essential catalyst for growth and diversification, but the region’s aspirations have yet to materialize. This new Pro Trend Report takes a deep dive into the feasibility of regional AI strategies.

A general view of the Dubai skyline on November 30, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

UAE’s ‘Second Salary’ savings plan offers its expat majority passive income

The savings plan is the first step in establishing a long-term retirement plan structure by the savings and investment company, amid low rates of retirement savings in the region.

A picture shows the headquarters of UAE's state oil company ADNOC in Dubai on July 27, 2022.

UAE-Israel ties strengthen further with offer for NewMed Energy

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and British Petroleum are seeking a 50% stake in the firm. The news follows the activation of the Israel-UAE free trade agreement and another Emirati firm buying a stake in Israel's gas fields.

A customs agreement between Israel and the UAE is signed in the presence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on March 26, 2023.

Israel, UAE sign customs agreement as Emirati president hosts Naftali Bennett

Economic cooperation between the the UAE and Israel remains strong and they have now activated their free trade deal, despite heightened Emirati criticism on the Palestinian issue.

Saudi National Bank chairman resigns after Credit Suisse loss

Current CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Ghamdi will take over as the new chairman on March 27, with deputy CEO Talal Ahmed Al Khereiji filling his place.

Asian labourers work at the construction site of Saudi Aramco's (the national oil company) Al-Khurais central oil processing facility in the Saudi Arabian desert, 160 kms east of the capital Riyadh, on June 23, 2008. Deep in the Saudi desert, 28,000 Asian workers are racing to get a giant oil processing complex ready to help King Abdullah keep a vow to meet world demand for crude. AFP PHOTO/MARWAN NAAMANI (Photo by MARWAN NAAMANI / AFP) (Photo by MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP via Getty Images)

Why global energy giants are increasing their presence in the Middle East and North Africa

Global energy companies have all made the strategic assumption that they will be able to invest in exploration and production in the Middle East for several decades to come.

Gerald Kepes

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy trends