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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

Turkey economy

Turkey's economy to be hit hard by Fed's expected interest rate hikes

Expected interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve to rein in inflation will deal further blows to Turkey’s economic turmoil.

Saudi tourism

Emirates airline to boost Saudi tourism

The Dubai-based carrier has signed an agreement with the Saudi Tourism Authority to bring international travelers to Saudi Arabia.

People hold up their electricity bills as they protest against high energy prices in Ankara on Feb. 9, 2022.

Turkey’s producers face tough choices after staggering energy hikes

Industrial enterprises in crisis-hit Turkey have faced energy price hikes of up to 400% over a year, atop other economic blows, and many might not survive the turmoil, experts warn.

A Palestinian boy waits for falafel at a vendor in Hebron in the West Bank, April 18, 2021.

Rise in price of falafel leaves Palestinians hangry

The price hike of a falafel sandwich, a popular street food once available to all, has stirred wide resentment amid the increase of prices of other foodstuffs.

Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier Duhail passes through the Suez Canal near the port city of Ismailia, Egypt, April 1, 2008.

Egypt breaks LNG export records with eye on Europe

The country recorded 10-year high sales in 2021 following a jump in global prices and resumption of production in its second liquefied gas facility, a flow local authorities hope to maintain as they try to become a regional hub and major player in the market.

Saudi bank

Digital bank backed by Saudi sovereign wealth fund gets approval

The D360 Bank, which aims to operate locally, will be the third digital bank in Saudi Arabia as the kingdom's diversification efforts continue.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

Intel HQ

Intel acquires Israeli tech firm

The Silicon Valley tech giant has a large presence in Israel, and has acquired several Israeli companies in recent years.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

A man counts Egyptian pounds at a currency exchange shop, Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 3, 2016.

Standard Chartered eyes churning out profits from Egypt

Egyptian authorities are betting on Standard Charter's expertise to boost online banking and stoke competitiveness.

LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images

How diamonds became Syrians' best friends

Syrians have been buying diamonds instead as the global prices of gold continue to increase.

Air Arabia airlplane.

Emirati budget airline Air Arabia reports record profits after loss in 2020

The Sharjah-based carrier said profits went up due to relaxed coronavirus-related restrictions.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

A picture taken on Sept. 3, 2019, shows freshly painted blue roads in Doha, an experiment to cool the tarmac surface and reduce the temperature of surrounding areas.

Qatar National Bank launches environmentally friendly finance project

The Doha-based bank will loan cash to the British bank HSBC to be used for green transportation investments.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

People queue outside Megasis, the first Iranian supermarket in Venezuela, in Caracas on July 31, 2020.

Direct Iran-Venezuela flights to begin next month

A Venezuelan official said the South American country wants to attract Iranian tourists.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff