Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt amid easing Houthi threat A ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas in October has prompted some shipping companies to consider resuming services, but security concerns persist. Yemen
Egypt lands $572M UAE-backed solar deal, expanding Gulf's clean-energy footprint Gulf companies have been increasing their investments in North African renewable energy. Egypt
Newsletter: Business & Tech World Cup spending boosts Morocco stocks This week, Morocco’s stock market surged on 2030 World Cup hype, Egypt secured its first Qatari industrial investment in sustainable aviation fuel, Yemen’s oil-rich south saw renewed conflict, and AI-driven robots are helping the UAE meet construction demands. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Morocco’s markets rise as World Cup spending fuels largest IPO in decades Shares in SGTM jumped by 10% on Dec. 16 after the construction firm raised roughly $550 million from its IPO, underscoring demand in a market that has featured few new listings in recent years. Morocco
Analysis Yemen’s oil heartland fuels new conflict as STC seeks new political power By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Iran says ‘enemy conspiracy’ behind outage at 70% of gas stations The Oil Ministry’s Shana news agency reported that operations will be running again as normal within “a few hours” and until then fuel is being distributed offline. Iran
Saudi Arabia’s multinational HQ deadline nears amid uncertainty for companies and Gulf competition Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Middle East transparency on carbon emissions lags behind rest of world Turkey and the UAE led the pack for most transparent countries in the region regarding greenhouse gas emissions. United Arab Emirates
Britain hits Iran and its foreign proxies with fresh sanctions The measures, coordinated with the United States, also target Iran's shipping sector and drone exports. Iran
World Bank ups Middle East climate financing to $10B by 2025 The global lender provided $6.3 billion in climate financing for the MENA region between 2021 and 2023, much of it focused on mitigation and adaptation. Legacy: Gulf
COP28: historic deal agreed for world to ‘transition away’ from fossil fuels The summit stretched into prolonged negotiations over the terminology of the final text, after the “phase out” of fossil fuels was omitted from the draft a day before the scheduled end of the event. United Arab Emirates
China-Saudi Investment Conference begins in Beijing China is Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner and biggest customer of its primary commodity: crude oil. Saudi Arabia
Bahrain's Investcorp buys 50% of Corsair's $4.8B infrastructure business The new entity, Investcorp Corsair, will continue to grow with a particular focus on transportation, logistics and related subsectors, a statement from the two companies said. Bahrain
First commercial brewery to open in United Arab Emirates Previously, the only way a vendor or business could sell beer in the UAE would be if it was manufactured overseas. United Arab Emirates
Analysis What does Jon Rahm’s move to Saudi-funded LIV Golf mean for PGA Tour merger? The star golfer’s move could spur the PGA Tour to move faster in the merger talks with its Saudi-backed rival ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
With 32% trade boost, Turkey eyes Saudi investments amid domestic downturn Trade between the two countries reached $5.86 billion in 2022, a 32.6% increase over the previous year. Turkey
Saudi PIF ups investment in China’s Alibaba-backed tech fund eWTP Arabia Capital invests in energy and technology start-ups across the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. Saudi Arabia