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Economy & Business

France's President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shake hands

France, Saudi Arabia announce more than $10B in deals on MBS visit

Among the deals included a 6 billion euro ($7 billion) pledge from the Public Investment Fund in three manga-themed amusement parks on the outskirts of Paris.

Leon Neal/Getty Images

Oil falls 1.8% as traders await 'toughest' sanctions on Iran

Traders are awaiting details about new US measures sure to further disrupt Iranian oil flows.

Khor Fakkan Container Terminal

Analysis

UAE-Iran trade relationship becomes key test of Trump’s wartime strategy

The Gulf state suspended trade with Iran after new attacks in August. Experts point to risks for both sides as the Trump administration seeks to squeeze Tehran economically.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian holds a press conference on Aug. 19, 2026.

China slams Trump over economic war on Iran: What to know

China’s once significant oil imports from Iran have been impacted by the war in the region and increasing US sanctions.

Latest News

Trump’s Iran ‘economic D-Day’ threat sends oil prices above $94

Iranians drive past an anti-US billboard at Enghelab Square in central Tehran, Aug. 3, 2026.

Explainer

Iraq seeks special Hormuz access from Iran in scramble to keep oil flowing

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP via Getty Images

Turkey looks to expand Syria energy footprint into oil, gas

President Ahmad al-Sharaa meets Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar at the People’s Palace in Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 19, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

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

Erdogan rally

Turkey’s economic growth loses steam as elections near

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has persistently prioritized economic growth but might face the risk of stagnation ahead of Turkey's crucial elections next year.

Gulf finance

Gulf central banks raise interest rates after Fed move

Many Gulf nations have mirrored the US Federal Reserve’s decisions on interest rates all year. Israel and Egypt have also raised rates, but Turkey has been cutting — despite skyrocketing inflation.

A man walks past the World Bank building in Washington on April 21, 2022.

World Bank says debt increasing in Middle East countries

Egypt, Iran and Turkey’s debt rose significantly last year.

Two firms from the United Arab Emirates have signed a $6 billion deal with Sudan to construct a new port on the Red Sea coast.

UAE's Ports Group expands footprint in Sudan

The agreement allows the Abu Dhabi-based logistics giant to operate ports in Sudan and will contribute to the UAE’s growing influence on the African continent.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks during a press conference with his Sudanese and Ethiopian counterparts, on the sidelines of meetings to announce they had reached an agreement on the sharing of Nile waters and Ethiopia's dam project, Khartoum, Sudan, March 6, 2015.

Egypt’s trade with Nile Basin countries jumps amid Ethiopia dam crisis

Cairo’s exports and imports with the region increased substantially in 2021, but they still represent a small portion of the total and growth remains uneven.

A nurse shows a vial of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus at a hospital at the start of a vaccination program, Tunis, Tunisia, March 13, 2021.

Drug shortage adds to Tunisia’s woes

In light of the successive crises facing Tunisians, pharmacies across the country are suffering drug shortages, which the authorities are unable to resolve.

A picture shows a view of the SEAEAGLE, a vessel which reportedly left Ukraine with a cargo of wheat, anchored in Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, on September 9, 2022. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

UAE-Ukraine trade deal would shore up Middle East food security

The goal is to ultimately secure "all aspects of the international food production supply chain."

MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images

Egypt’s non-oil private sector records two years of contraction

The last time the Purchasing Managers Index, which offers insight into the private sector, recorded expansion in Egypt's economy was back in November 2020.

US investment Middle East

How the US invests in the Middle East

In our latest PRO Trend Report, we take a deep-dive into American investment in the region and opportunities to expand it.

The German Navy corvette FGS Erfurt (F262) patrols as part of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) off Lebanon's southern town of Naqura close to the border with Israel on October 27, 2022 (Photo by MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images)

TotalEnergies proceeds with gas exploration plans in Lebanon

Lebanon has been eagerly working with the French energy giant since reaching a historic maritime border agreement with Israel in October.

A general view dated 01 June 2004 of an oil installation in Saudi Arabia's northeastern Gulf port of Jubail. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will increase oil output this month by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) over its OPEC quota to help ease record prices, Oil Minister Obeid bin Saif al-Nassiri announced 02 June 2004. Nassiri spoke before departing for Beirut where the oil cartel holds a formal meeting tomorrow. Crude oil futures in New York surged 01 June to a record closing price of 42.33 dollars a barrel

Luberef, Aramco set tone for hot 2023 IPO listings in Gulf

Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi GDP growth continues on back of high oil prices

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy is also growing, boding well for its ambitious economic diversification projects.