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

Business and Economy Cover Image

Economy & Business

a large billboard featuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

What Netanyahu win or loss could mean for Israel’s economy

Economic concerns have taken a back seat to security as voters weigh Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s future — but rising deficits, cost of living and politically charged issues will be a challenge for whoever eventually prevails.

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.

Latest News

Gulf oil exports surpass prewar levels despite escalating tanker attacks

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.

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

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

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

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

Bank of Israel may raise interest rates soon

Media reports indicate that Israel’s central bank will soon raise rates to counter rising inflation.

A Saudi Arabian airlines Saudia plane is pictured on the tarmac of the Ataturk Airport on April 4, 2019, in Istanbul.

Saudi Arabia resumes visa on arrival for US, EU visa holders

The kingdom greatly relaxed its visa rules before the pandemic in an effort to boost tourism.

Saudi economy

Saudi Arabian export stats show mixed results in non-oil commerce

Saudi Arabia is working to diversify its economy, but figures from January show it remains dependent on foreign oil sales.

Egyptian men work in a bakery at a market in Cairo, Egypt, March 17, 2022.

Egypt seeks to contain price hikes caused by Ukraine crisis

Egypt is dealing with soaring prices of bread and food products.

AFP via Getty Images

How Russia demanding gas payment in rubles will affect the Middle East

Germany is considering buying gas from Qatar amid the war in Ukraine and the United States has been pushing the Gulf state to send more gas to Europe.

IEA ministerial meeting in Paris

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.

Oil storage containers of the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company (EAPC).

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.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan walks alongside UAE's Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al-Nahyan (R).

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.

Egyptian men work in a bakery at a market in Cairo, on March 17, 2022.

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.

A visual representation of the digital cryptocurrency bitcoin, at the Bitcoin Change shop.

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.

Prepared sunbeds sit empty at a luxury hotel on March 9, 2022, in Antalya, Turkey.

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.

KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images

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.