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

Business and Economy Cover Image

Economy & Business

Dock workers load and unload shipping containers in the Port of Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Canada, UAE sign trade pact as Ottawa seeks to diversify beyond US

The agreement is set to broadly lift tariffs on key products as Canadian officials hope to boost bilateral trade to $7 billion within a decade.

United Arab Emirates

BILAL QABALAN/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi oil infrastructure in crosshairs as Houthis claim Ras Tanura strike

Ras Tanura is home to the kingdom’s largest refinery and one of the world’s most important oil export terminals.

A man looks at a screen displaying the flight schedule at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, on Oct. 12, 2026, as Saudi Arabia-bound flights remain canceled a day after a Houthi strike at Riyadh's international airport.

Riyadh airport reopening faces turbulence as Houthis claim new strikes

A trickle of flights landed and departed from the Saudi capital on Monday as the Houthis continued to threaten aviation in the Gulf state.

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.

Latest News

Qatar locks in US LNG through 2054 as it looks beyond Hormuz

Qatar's Energy Minister and CEO of QatarEnergy Saad Sherida al-Kaabi speaks during a press conference in Doha, on June 22, 2026.

China-Saudi consortium wins $306M World Cup stadium deal: What to know

Saudi Arabia football supporters wave flags

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

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

Dubai expo

UAE explores economic cooperation with Cuba

The Abu Dhabi and the Cuban chambers of commerce met at the Expo 2020 Dubai event, and a Cuban minister visited an Emirati renewable energy company.

United Arab Emirates

Oman power

Gulf states plan to phase out below-cost electricity for their citizens

Subsidy reform is at the crux of state-led pushes to instill a change in thinking among citizens and a powerful tool to raise environmental awareness.

Serbia expo 2020

Emirati cloud firm G42 signs agreement with Serbia

The memorandum was signed at the Expo 2020 forum in Dubai.

United Arab Emirates

Turkey economy

Turkey's economy to be hit hard by Fed's expected interest rate hikes

Expected interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve to rein in inflation will deal further blows to Turkey’s economic turmoil.

Saudi tourism

Emirates airline to boost Saudi tourism

The Dubai-based carrier has signed an agreement with the Saudi Tourism Authority to bring international travelers to Saudi Arabia.

People hold up their electricity bills as they protest against high energy prices in Ankara on Feb. 9, 2022.

Turkey’s producers face tough choices after staggering energy hikes

Industrial enterprises in crisis-hit Turkey have faced energy price hikes of up to 400% over a year, atop other economic blows, and many might not survive the turmoil, experts warn.

A Palestinian boy waits for falafel at a vendor in Hebron in the West Bank, April 18, 2021.

Rise in price of falafel leaves Palestinians hangry

The price hike of a falafel sandwich, a popular street food once available to all, has stirred wide resentment amid the increase of prices of other foodstuffs.

Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier Duhail passes through the Suez Canal near the port city of Ismailia, Egypt, April 1, 2008.

Egypt breaks LNG export records with eye on Europe

The country recorded 10-year high sales in 2021 following a jump in global prices and resumption of production in its second liquefied gas facility, a flow local authorities hope to maintain as they try to become a regional hub and major player in the market.

Saudi bank

Digital bank backed by Saudi sovereign wealth fund gets approval

The D360 Bank, which aims to operate locally, will be the third digital bank in Saudi Arabia as the kingdom's diversification efforts continue.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

Intel HQ

Intel acquires Israeli tech firm

The Silicon Valley tech giant has a large presence in Israel, and has acquired several Israeli companies in recent years.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

A man counts Egyptian pounds at a currency exchange shop, Cairo, Egypt, Nov. 3, 2016.

Standard Chartered eyes churning out profits from Egypt

Egyptian authorities are betting on Standard Charter's expertise to boost online banking and stoke competitiveness.

LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images

How diamonds became Syrians' best friends

Syrians have been buying diamonds instead as the global prices of gold continue to increase.