Oil prices ease as OPEC+ increases production, Hormuz traffic rebounds Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 0.15% to $71.87 a barrel as of 8:07 a.m. EDT after dropping as low as $71.09 earlier in the session, its lowest level since before the US-Israel-Iran war began on Feb. 28. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Can a UAE-backed Syria-Iraq corridor become Gulf's next trade route? On June 26, Emirati and Syrian officials discussed plans for a logistics corridor connecting Syrian ports to Gulf markets via Iraq. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Syria launches gas project with Saudi firm in latest Gulf energy partnership The project is the latest in a series of Gulf-backed investments aimed at rebuilding Syria's energy sector after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Syria
Oil falls below $71 as US-Iran talks continue, Gulf exports rebound Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an X post on Wednesday that Iran and the United States had made "positive progress." Iran
Newsletter: Business & Tech The race to restore Hormuz By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Israel’s energy minister talks Ukraine, global energy crisis in Paris Leading efforts for Israel to join the International Energy Agency, Energy Minister Karin Elharar is in Paris discussing ways to confront the challenges of the current global crisis. Israel
Israel, UAE to cooperate on clean hydroelectricity Israeli companies are eager to cooperate with Emirati partners for the development of clean, cheap and low-energy hydrogen production. Israel
Emirati and Turkish businesspeople discuss bilateral trade, investment The meeting between the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Turkey’s ULUSKON business federation occurred in the context of rapprochement between the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Turkey
Egypt institutes price controls for bread Bread prices in Egypt have increased considerably since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Egypt receives the majority of its wheat from the two Eastern European countries. Egypt
Lebanese turn to cryptocurrency as economy tanks Lebanon is bursting with crypto mining shops, traders and online mentors to fulfill the surging demand from people desperately looking to gain financial freedom and much-needed US dollars. Lebanon
Turkish tourism sector scrambles to minimize fallout of Ukraine war Bracing for a big loss of Russian and Ukrainian holidaymakers this summer, Turkey’s tourism industry is looking for replacements in Europe and the Middle East. But few are hopeful that the gap can be closed. Turkey
Egypt raises interest rates for first time since 2017 Inflation and bread prices have risen significantly in Egypt recently, and Saudi Arabia and Qatar have also raised their rates. Egypt
Analysis 'Hot money' singes Egypt’s economy Although capital outflows are no surprise, devaluation looks imminent to mitigate pressure on the pound. By Ahmed Elleithy
UAE continues to grow influence in Africa with Zimbabwe trade The Emirates has expanded its presence on the African continent in recent years via infrastructure investments, military bases and more. United Arab Emirates
Turkish minister’s pledge to foreign investors causes uproar at home As foreign investments decline, Nureddin Nebati's promise to "take the bureaucracy down" raises concerns at home and abroad about evading the rule of law. Turkey
Fitch downgrades Tunisia’s debt rating The assessment from the leading credit agency is based on the Tunisian government’s high deficit and the political instability brought on by the president power grab last year, among other things. Tunisia
Jihadi group raises prices in Syria’s Idlib as war rages in Ukraine While some believe the Russian war on Ukraine has upped prices in northwest Syria, others accuse Hayat Tahrir al-Sham of exploiting the crisis to make gains. Syria