Economy & Business - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Economy & Business

Pictured in this undated image is the Al-Thawra oil field in Raqqa governorate, as rehabilitation works continue to restore production capacity.

Syria restores Raqqa oil field in former ISIS stronghold: What to know

Before Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, national oil production stood at between 400,000 and 500,00 barrels per day before falling to under 100,000 bpd during the conflict.

Guests stand at the Aramco booth during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 3, 2025.

Aramco profits jump 26% as Hormuz disruption chokes supply

Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said the market has already lost around 1 billion barrels of oil supply since the US-Israel-Iran war erupted on Feb. 28.

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

Kaja Kallas

EU restores economic pact to pursue fuller trade ties with Syria

The move marks a major economic step for Syria's recovery after its 13-year civil war and the fall of the Assad regime.

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China’s overland trade routes offer Iran wartime economic lifeline: What to know

CN-STR / AFP via Getty Images

What to know about Iran's 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority' to control Hormuz traffic

In this picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency on May 4, 2026, the Iran-flagged tugboat Basim sails near a ship anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

Egypt ramps up energy investments amid war-driven price pressures

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly speaks in Beirut on Dec. 19, 2025.

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

Iranian men monitor the stock market at Tehran Stock Exchange on July 1, 2019. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Tehran's stock exchange set to decline further amid ongoing unrest 

Bijan Khajehpour

Bijan Khajehpour

In Vienna, reporting on Iranian politics

Israeli new shekels.

Israel to work with France against money laundering, terror financing

The memorandum of understanding signed last week between Israel and France is just part of the very extensive battle championed by Israel’s Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority against criminal money laundering and financing of terror activities.

Cancer drugs are seen at a pharmacy, Beirut, Lebanon, Oct. 7, 2022.

Lebanon’s worsening health sector leaves patients suffering

Lebanon's health-care sector is fighting for survival amid an economic collapse, with the lives of patients at risk as critical care facilities have been falling apart and for the majority of the population affording essential medicine has become a luxury.

The Egyptian pound, British pound sterling and US dollar banknotes are seen in this photo, Aug. 25, 2022.

Egyptian pound plummets after interest rate hike, exchange rate change

Egypt is contending with high inflation as the central bank continues to look for a way out of the current crisis.

Mobileye Global, Inc. founder and CEO Amnon Shashua and Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger clap.

Israeli autonomous driving firm goes public

Mobileye’s stock rose on its first day trading on Nasdaq.

Egyptian farmers harvest wheat in Bamha village near al-Ayyat town, Giza province, Egypt, May 17, 2022.

Egypt seeks new agriculture, food security cooperation with Africa

The Russian war on Ukraine opened a new door for cooperation between Egypt and African countries, especially in the field of agriculture and food security.

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia criticizes Biden over oil reserve release

The US president recently announced that he would sell some emergency oil reserves in response to the Saudi-backed oil supply cut.

Vehicles queue to refuel at a petrol station in Dubai on June 30, 2022. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Inflation in the GCC not going away soon

Robert Mogielnicki

Robert Mogielnicki

Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Tarek el-Molla (C) speaks during the opening session of the 24th ministerial meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 25, 2022.

Gas forum kicks off in Cairo

Qatar and Russia may be looking to cooperate more on energy matters.

MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi sovereign wealth fund to create decarbonization company

Saudi entities have also announced green hydrogen projects in recent weeks.

An Egyptian woman walks past an exchange store in Cairo on Jan. 6, 2013.

Egyptian Central Bank plans to establish new index of gold, foreign currencies

The Egyptian pound is performing poorly against the US dollar but faring better compared to other currencies.

This aerial photograph shows high-rise buildings in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Sept. 16, 2022.

How startups are contributing to Libya’s economic recovery

Digital business in the war-torn country is slowly starting to take seed.