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
IMF tells Turkey to raise interest rates Inflation is rampant in Turkey, but Turkey's Central Bank stubbornly continues to cut interest rates under pressure from President Erdogan. Turkey
Turkish inflation hits 85.5% as doubts linger over official data Alternative surveys put Turkey’s inflation rate well above the official figure, nourishing suspicions that the statistics agency is tweaking market realities under government pressure. Turkey
Gulf banks raise interest rates in response to the Fed, Kuwait stays put Saudi Arabia could be in store for a liquidity crunch, according to a leading credit rating agency. Kuwait has a history of not following the trend on interest rates. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt reports increased trade with Arab states Saudi Arabia is Egypt's top trading partner in the region. Egypt
‘Stars aligned’ for Palestinian startups, Gulf investors say Entrepreneurs from the West Bank and Gaza recently visited Dubai to attend a conference on funding for new businesses. Palestine
Water stress to remain major driver of social instability, barrier to economic growth in Maghreb Francisco Serrano In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business
Saudi Arabia offers green bonds in push toward net zero While the move signals that the kingdom understands the global trends toward "green," its impact on climate action will require further steps. Legacy: Gulf
Can floating Egyptian pound kill foreign currency black market? Egypt's latest flotation of its currency may rein in its thriving foreign currency black market, but economists cannot see an end to this market in the near future. Egypt
Saudi Aramco continues to reap big profits The Saudi oil giant has been investing in futuristic technology as it benefits from high oil prices. Legacy: Gulf
Informal ties grow between Israel, Saudi Arabia With the current rift between Washington and Riyadh, every baby step in informal relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia counts. Israel
Israeli cryptocurrency market attempts to catch up with global pace An Israeli crypto firm becomes the first in the country to get a capital markets license. Israel