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Economy & Business

BAY ISMOYO / AFP via Getty Images

How are Iran-linked tankers still moving through Hormuz blockade?

At least 19 Iran-linked tankers have passed through the US blockade on the strait to exit the Gulf while at least 15 have entered, according to the cargo-tracking group Vortexa.

A picture shows the Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar's principal site for production of liquefied natural gas and gas-to-liquid, administrated by Qatar Petroleum, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the capital Doha, on Feb. 6, 2017.

Analysis

Gulf energy deals face Iran war stress test as global expansion meets oil shock

ADNOC, Aramco and QatarEnergy have aggressively expanded their international portfolios in recent years, a strategy facing new constraints as the US-Israel-Iran war impacts Gulf production and exposes structural risks.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Haruna Furuhashi /Getty Images

Could UAE tap US currency swap line as Iran war strains Gulf economies?

The Gulf country apparently wanted reassurances from Washington in case its economy is severely damaged by the Iran war.

United Arab Emirates

Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP via Getty Images

EU to restore Syria cooperation pact ahead of May talks: What to know

The European Union has proposed the full resumption of a decades-old cooperation agreement with Syria ahead of high-level talks next month.

Latest News

Oil rises, Gulf stocks slide after Iran ship seizure throws truce into doubt

A man walks past a screen displaying stock indices at the Dubai Financial Market stock exchange in Dubai, March 4, 2026.

What LIV Golf’s woes suggest about Saudi Arabia’s economic headwinds

Bryson DeChambeau of Crushers GC plays his shot from the 17th tee prior to LIV Golf Mexico City at Club de Golf Chapultepec on April 15, 2026, in Mexico City.

Eurozone's inflation jumps 2.6%, jet fuel shortages loom amid Iran war

A fuel truck CarbOil services an Easyjet aircraft at Milan's Malpensa Airport on April 13, 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

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a joint press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, on Feb. 13, 2025.

How US-India trade deal could impact Mideast energy, trade routes

The United States and India struck a trade agreement on Monday that eases months of tension between the two countries and could influence Gulf oil flows and economic integration.

A woman checks a window shop at a jewelry store in Dubai, on March 10, 2025.

Gulf markets recover after gold rout, buoyed by Iran de-escalation hopes

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index, TASI, rose 1.4%, a day after falling the most in nearly 10 months amid a broad sell-off in the commodities market.

United Arab Emirates

A general view of Saudi Aramco's Abqaiq oil processing plant on Sept. 20, 2019.

US-Iran tensions fan oil disruption fears as Gulf states confront retaliation risks

From blocking the Strait of Hormuz and seizing commercial shipping to striking energy infrastructure, Tehran’s retaliation playbook could rattle the region as Gulf states fear red lines have been crossed.

This picture shows a view of the Abu Dhabi skyline on May 14, 2025. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Abu Dhabi merges ADQ into new wealth fund L'IMAD: What to know

Under the new structure, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, will oversee a broader swath of the emirate’s investment holdings.

United Arab Emirates

Art of digital currency.

UAE Central Bank approves first US dollar-backed stablecoin: What to know

The approval marks a milestone in the UAE’s development of digital currency infrastructure and positions USDU as the Gulf country’s first USD-denominated currency for digital assets.

United Arab Emirates

Old chemical barrels.

Oil climbs above $70 a barrel, hitting five-month high on Iran tensions

At 9:30 a.m. ET, Brent crude futures reached $70.44, the highest level since Aug. 1, 2025.

Aerial view of Riyadh at night with illuminated modern skyscrapers and busy streets under a clear dark sky, Al Olaya street.

Analysis

Saudi Arabia downsizes megaprojects, chases cash amid AI push

After years of breakneck spending, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s flagship plan to diversify the oil-dependent economy — dubbed Vision 2030 — is facing a fresh round of delays and recalibration as softer oil prices squeeze public finances and force tougher choices.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel , Jack Dutton

A salesman arranges gold jewelry at Dubai Gold Souk, on Nov. 25, 2020, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Gold hits $5,300 as UAE market adjusts to record prices

Dubai is one of the world's major gold hubs, and higher bullion prices impact jewelry-buying habits.

United Arab Emirates

This aerial view taken from a Hellenic Air Force aircraft carrying medical aid supplies to Lebanon shows the skyline and port of Beirut during the landing approach towards Beirut International Airport on October 25, 2024. Israel expanded operations in Lebanon nearly a year after Hezbollah began exchanging fire in support of its ally, Hamas, following the Palestinian group's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. (Photo by ORESTIS PANAGIOTOU / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ORESTIS PANAGIOTOU/POOL/AFP via Getty

UAE firm’s $1.7B legal threat spotlights Gulf split on Lebanon as Qatar invests

Lebanon’s bid to lure Gulf investment into its crisis-stricken economy is facing turbulence as Dubai's Al Habtoor Group threatens legal action over more than $1.7 billion in losses, while Qatar is making an investment push.

Workers walk past the gas turbine and heat recovery system of Syria's largest power plant on June 12, 2025, in Deir Ali, Syria.

Syria leans on Jordan, regional gas deals to rebuild energy sector

The deal was signed at the Syrian Ministry of Energy between Syrian Petroleum Company and Jordan’s National Electric Power Company, SANA reported.

Naaman Abu Faisal, a worker at a filter station in the al-Omar oil field, in the Deir ez-Zor governorate, is seen on Jan. 22, 2026.

Analysis

Syria retakes SDF oil fields, but security concerns cloud investment hopes

For President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government, reclaiming the country’s oil fields is both a breakthrough and a test of state capacity as forecasts indicate that a rebound in energy production is possible in 2026.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Ships sail along Egypt's Suez Canal near Ismailia on April 16, 2025.

Egypt's economy can weather more Red Sea attacks, says finance minister

Egypt lost some $13 billion worth of Suez Canal fees over two years due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, according to estimates from Egyptian officials.