Lebanon, UAE ink deals, deepen economic ties on Emirati Beirut visit An Emirati business delegation signed the agreements in Beirut and met with President Joseph Aoun, indicating the UAE's interest in deepening economic ties with Lebanon. Lebanon
Sharaa taps Visa as Syria reconnects to global finance: What to know Visa and Mastercard announced Wednesday that their networks can now be used to make international card payments in Syria. Syria
Newsletter: Business & Tech Iran keeps Hormuz reopening on hold Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remained low, with only five commodity vessels transiting the waterway on Tuesday, according to data from maritime tracking firm Kpler. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Eni presses ahead with Egypt gas projects as war raises investment risks Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi on Tuesday, with the Italian energy giant revealing it could make a crucial investment decision in coming months. Egypt
Brent crude falls nearly 10%, OPEC basket drops slightly Saudi Arabia has acted to keep prices high recently against the wishes of the US. Saudi Arabia
War in Ukraine tests Algeria’s wheat reserves amid inflation, drought Wheat supplies should be sufficient for the rest of 2022. But the country will eventually be compelled to secure additional quantities at higher prices Algeria
Fundraising by Israeli startups expected to decline during 2022 A survey of Israeli startup companies shows a significant drop in fundraising. Israel
UAE investments boost Egyptian economy The United Arab Emirates is seeking profits by investing $2 billion in Egyptian state-held stakes in some companies. Egypt
Abu Dhabi, South Korea pledge to boost economic relations South Korean entities have signed major deals with Egypt and Saudi Arabia recently. United Arab Emirates
Fitch gives Egypt ‘stable’ debt rating, citing reforms Egypt is pursuing deregulation and tax reforms to some success, but the war in Ukraine has severely hurt the country’s economy. Egypt
Russian invasion of Ukraine slams Turkey’s transportation industry Traffic at the Turkish border crossings have come to a grinding halt after trucks en route to Russia, Belarus and Central Asia diverted routes to Turkey and Georgia following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Turkey
Oman on cusp of introducing personal income tax Income tax is now in the pipeline in Oman, and other nations in the Gulf, one of the world’s largest bastions of tax-free wages, are watching with interest. Legacy: Gulf
Saudi Arabia sends $50 million to Jordan for budget as economy falters The Jordanian government is working to close tax loopholes and increase its revenue collection amid its economic struggle. Jordan
UAE-India economic agreement to lower tariffs, duties in bid to boost trade India is one of the UAE’s largest trading partners, with oil, jewelry and textiles forming a bulk of the trade. United Arab Emirates
Tel Aviv Stock Exchange continues to reach historic highs The TA 125 index’s growth is being led by banks and not Israel’s large tech sector. Israel