Economy & Business - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Business and Economy Cover Image

Economy & Business

Crops of wheat and barley in Terbol village on May 10, 2022, in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon.

Analysis

MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers

Home to many of the world's largest wheat importers, the Middle East and North Africa face acute food security risks as the US-Israel-Iran war disrupts global fertilizer flows and pushes up prices.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Haitham AL-SHUKAIRI / AFP via Getty Images

Oman enters Gulf AI race with new special economic zone in Muscat

Oman will create an AI-focused special economic zone in Muscat governorate.

A pumpjack stands idle in the Huntington Beach oil field, with port cranes visible in the distance, on April 23, 2026, in Huntington Beach, California.

Oil surges past $120 to war-time high as Trump rejects Iran overture

Benchmark Brent crude surpassed $120 per barrel on Wednesday, reaching the highest levels yet seen during the US-Israel-Iran war.

An Iraqi money dealer counts Iranian rial banknotes bearing a portrait of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, at an exchange office in Baghdad on Feb. 3, 2012.

Iranian rial hits new record low as blockade, war take toll: What to know

The rial had another collapse in late 2025, triggering massive protests and riots in the country that were ended by a forceful government crackdown.

Latest News

Analysis

UAE’s OPEC exit rattles cartel as Gulf alliances shift

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Why UAE's decision to leave OPEC is major shift for cartel

MUMEN KHATIB/AFP via Getty Images

United Arab Emirates

First LNG tanker transits Strait of Hormuz since Iran war began

Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP via Getty Images

Pistachios reach highest prices in eight years amid Iran war

An Iranian grocer sells pistachios imported from Iran at a Persian products shop in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on July 10, 2019. (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP) (Photo credit should read KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

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

Syria Turkey

Syrians adapt to tumultuous Turkish environment

In the decade-old Turkish diaspora, thousands of Syrians have started businesses that fill niches in Turkey and open up new export markets — but economic and political challenges are rising.

Obsolete Turkish lira banknotes are seen in the window of an exchange office on May 05, 2022, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey’s runaway inflation soars to near 79%

The Turkish government’s continued failure to stabilize the battered lira raises the prospect of inflation topping 100% in the fall.

Saudi women wait in line in the "women's section" of a fast food restaurant in Faysalia mall, Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 26, 2011.

Saudi fast food giant ready to challenge KFC in Egyptian market

The introduction of Saudi fast food chain Albaik to Egypt is part of the $7.7 billion investment package announced during the recent visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Cairo.

ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

Expats to bring Lebanon relief in summer wave

Lebanon expects more than 18,000 visitors during the first part of the summer season as tourism shows signs of rebounding.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes revive Egypt's dream of reducing wheat imports

Expecting Ukraine war-induced wheat supply problems, Egypt is experimenting with using sweet potatoes in bread, amid hopes that the new measure will significantly reduce wheat imports.

egypt fintech

Egypt’s growing fintech ecosystem transforms country’s finances

A population of over 100 million, young, largely unbanked, with a high penetration of internet and mobile subscriptions paves the way for innovation in Egypt's fintech sector.

India port

Dubai’s DP World logistics firm strengthens connections with India

The UAE and India also signed a trade agreement recently, and appear to have moved past the controversy surrounding an Indian politician's criticism of Islam.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attend a welcome ceremony at Al-Watan presidential palace, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 14, 2019.

Abu Dhabi port operator acquires stake in Egyptian shipping firms

Gulf countries are interested in buying Egyptian assets as the country’s economy falters.

An employee walks on the Expedient regasification ship, anchored off the coast of Israel in the Mediterranean Sea on February 26, 2015, as natural gas began flowing from the vessel, hired by the Israel Electric Corporation, to its power stations. The ship, anchored about ten kilometres from the Hadera coast, was connected the previous week to the marine buoy and as of February 25, natural gas has begun flowing from the LNG (liquid natural gas) ship through an underwater pipeline directly to the company's po

New opportunities in gas production to define future of Middle East energy giants

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy

An aerial view of Khalifa Port is seen in Abu Dhabi April 10, 2014. State-owned Abu Dhabi Ports Co (ADPC) expects a surge in shipping traffic towards the end of this year as work on major infrastructure projects in the United Arab Emirates capital gathers pace, the company's chief executive said. Khalifa Port, built on a man-made island roughly half-way between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, came on stream in 2012 after Zayed Port, which had been serving Abu Dhabi for over 40 years, reached full capacity. Picture tak

Middle East container ports expand growth, investment opportunities

Afshin Molavi

A general view taken on May 29, 2019, shows the seafront promenade in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company headquarters (C).

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company sends ammonia to Japan

The UAE is making a push to boost its green technology sector and reduce dependence on oil.

Syria gas

Egypt ready to export gas to Lebanon once US grants waiver

Egypt plans to export the agreed-upon 650 million cubic meters of natural gas annually in order to alleviate Lebanon's energy shortage.