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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

TOPSHOT - A Saudi man talks on his mobile under the shade of solar panel at a solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, on March 29, 2018. On March 27, Saudi announced a deal with Japan's SoftBank to build the world's biggest solar plant. / AFP PHOTO / FAYEZ NURELDINE (Photo credit should read FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

The future of renewable energy generation in the Gulf

There is a global race to build clean energy infrastructure, and the Gulf states are excelling as key competitors in this race.

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy

Egypt state-owned

Egypt receives $1.9 billion from sale of state-owned companies

Egypt started selling state-owned entities in response to its economic crisis. Gulf states have hinted that they may not support Egypt as much as they have in the past.

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: Chief Operating Officer of the PGA Tour Ron Price arrives for a Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Investigations hearing examining the business deal between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia's LIV Golf on Capitol Hill July 11, 2023 in Washington, DC. In early June, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf announced plans for a framework agreement to create a new global golf entity, which will be heavily funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. (Photo by Dr

Congress grills PGA Tour on relationship with Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf

US Senator Richard Blumenthal, who led the hearing on the deal between the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the US golf circuit, told Al-Monitor that many questions remain unanswered.

Shopkeepers fix the price tags of rice at a market in Karachi on Jan. 6, 2023.

Pakistan thanks 'brotherly' Saudis for $2 billion ahead of IMF bailout decision

Pakistan received Saudi Arabia's $2 billion deposit a day before the International Monetary Fund is expected to approve a $3 billion bailout on Wednesday that the country desperately needs.

Patrick Baldwin #7 of Washington Wizards is defended by Ben Sheppard #26 of Indiana Pacers during the first quarter of a 2023 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 08, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

Qatar Investment Authority buys 5% of NBA's Washington Wizards owner

It is the first investment by a sovereign wealth fund in a US sport and the latest move by a Gulf state to increase its influence in sports.

This picture taken on September 12, 2021 shows a view of the company offices of "al-Gameya", a tech startup the runs an app to facilitate for strangers to create an informal money-pooling association to provide access for money in time of need, points a screen showing to the application's online portal at the company offices, in Egypts capital Cairo. - Cash-strapped Egyptians fearful of banks have long relied on a "gameya" to access money in time of need, but now tech startups are cashing in on the practice

Egypt’s startup ecosystem tests its resilience amid economic turbulence

Egypt’s startup scene has shown its resilience amid severe economic woes.

Marc Español

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (2R), Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi (L) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi (2L) arrive for a joint press conference following a meeting of Sergei Lavrov with his counterparts of the GCC member states in Moscow on July 10, 2023. (Photo by NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA / POOL / AFP) (Photo by NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

In Moscow, Russia's Lavrov welcomes Gulf states' rapprochement with Iran

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia and GCC countries will expand their cooperation together in areas of economic trade, defense, security, energy and politics.

exterior of the headquarters of the Bank of Israel, the country's central bank, in Kiryat Ben-Gurion in Jerusalem.

Israel pauses interest rate hikes, first time in a year

The Bank of Israel signaled it could raise rates in the future, as inflation remains above the target range.

Basra Oil Company's Director General Bassem Abdul Karim (R).

In Iraq and Algeria, TotalEnergies signs major deals

The deal between Iraq and TotalEnergies has been delayed for years and aims to help Iraq fix its longstanding power issues.

Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

UAE sees higher Chinese car sales as China faces decline at home

China relied on overseas markets to maintain 56% of its vehicle sales in June, and the Middle East is a hot spot.

United Arab Emirates

This picture taken on April 18, 2023 shows the Green Hydrogen Plant built by Spanish company Iberdrola in Puertollano.

Analysis

Morocco's agricultural independence to get boost from green ammonia plant

The project by the state-owned company in Tarfaya will help the North African country meet the domestic demand for the compound, which is a crucial ingredient in nitrate fertilizers.

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

A picture taken on October 13, 2021 shows Kuwait's largest oil refinery at the Al-Ahmadi complex, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of the capital Kuwait City. - A fire broke out on October 18, 2021 in Al-Ahmadi refinery, with no interruptions to site operations or petrol exports. The fire was reported at the site of Mina al-Ahmadi, located on the Gulf coast just opposite Iran, according to an AFP photojournalist. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait's gas dispute with Iran tests recent detente

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia consider the Durra gas field to be theirs, but Iran claims a part of it. The issue shows disagreements remain between Riyadh and Tehran following the resumption of diplomatic relations.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change