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. Qatar
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. Saudi Arabia
Newsletter: Business & Tech Saudi economic ambitions under strain Saudi Arabia postponed its flagship investment conference, known as “Davos in the Desert,” on Monday as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels continued attacks on the kingdom. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
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. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis As Iran’s oil lifeline runs dry, can it outlast Trump's economic siege? By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Egypt’s exports to China up more than 20% in 2022 China is making inroads in the Middle East, including by strengthening economic ties to Egypt. Egypt
Lebanon’s bank chief Salameh in hot seat as French judge arrives in Beirut The French judge will question Riad Salameh over the central bank governor’s alleged involvement in financial crimes. Lebanon
Silicon Valley Bank collapse reverberates in Israel, Gulf Israeli startups had a lot of money in Silicon Valley Bank and may need the government’s help. Israel
Saudi’s new Riyadh Air set to compete with Emirates, Qatar Airways The airline is expected to better connect travelers to Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions, create more than 200,000 jobs and add $20 billion to non-oil gross domestic product. Legacy: Gulf
Major bitcoin fraud case rattles Egypt Hundreds of Egyptians were swindled by an international crypto mining company, raising controversy over the digital currency that has grown in popularity in cash-strapped Egypt. Egypt
Saudi Arabia’s 2022 GDP breaks record, exceeds $1 trillion Saudi Arabia’s government report states that it achieved its highest gross domestic product growth rate in over a decade in 2022 at 8.7% and broke its total amount record of more than $1 trillion last year. Legacy: Gulf
UK Islamic bank: Soccer boosting Gulf property investments Andrew Ball, the CEO of the Bank of London and The Middle East (BLME), spoke to Al-Monitor about how soccer is fueling a rise in Gulf investment in northern England. Legacy: Gulf
Inflation in Egypt at 32.9% in latest spike The Egyptian government’s inflation statistics in February could prompt an interest rate increase when the central bank next meets. Egypt
What businesses can expect from PDPL, Saudi Arabia's incoming data law Saudi Arabia’s new personal data protection law, which goes into effect next week, could significantly impact the cost of doing business for multinationals in the kingdom. Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Egypt seeks to attract Islamic investors with debut sukuk, EGX Sharia index While the move to allow Islamic bond sales will diversify the government's funding sources, Islamic finance is still a relatively small part of the Egyptian economy. Egypt
Moody’s issues warning about Israel’s judicial reform The credit agency is one of several institutions to warn the controversial reform could hurt the Israeli economy. Israel
Saudi Arabia's New Murabba project to lure global investors, but at what cost? Ambitious project announcements are becoming an increasingly common feature of Saudi Arabia’s developmental aspirations. Robert Mogielnicki