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April 19, 2026

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Saudi stocks hit 2026 high, bucking global war-driven volatility

The kingdom's stock market climbed to its highest level of the year on Wednesday, with the kingdom’s equities now far outperforming the S&P 500 and other global and regional indices.

A man walks through the atrium during the 2026 IMF and World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images)

IMF slashes Mideast outlook by nearly 3 points as Iran war hits economies

The International Monetary Fund cut gross domestic product forecasts for the Middle East and North Africa, with the fallout from the conflict exposing stark divergences between the region’s energy exporters and importers.

Latest News

Analysis

How fast can Gulf energy production rebound after US-Iran ceasefire?

picture of Qatar Energy's operating facilities on March 3, 2026, in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

EIA hikes 2026 oil price forecasts 22% as Hormuz fuels long-term market fallout

Gas prices over $6.00 are displayed at a Shell station across from the Marathon Petroleum Corp's Los Angeles Refinery on April 02, 2026, in Carson, California.

AirAsia stays course on Bahrain hub as Iran war clouds aviation growth plans

AirAsia aircraft with two engines landing on Kota Kinabalu International airport runway, Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia, March 4, 2017.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Karen Young

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional energy

Reve Chaaban

In Doha reporting on culture

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Al-Shaibani met with Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in the Qatari capital, Doha, on June 3, 2025.

Syria courts Gulf investment with high-level Qatar visit amid $7B energy deal

Led by the country’s top diplomat, Syria’s ministers of energy, finance and tourism held a series of meetings in Qatar on Tuesday.

Syria electrical poles

Qatari-led consortium signs $7B deal with Syria for 5,000 MW of electricity

Syria’s electricity grid needs extensive expansion after 14 years of civil war.

This picture shows a Syrian Arab Airlines Airbus A320-200 aircraft and the control tower at Damascus international airport as the new Syrian authorities prepare to reopen it, on December 16, 2024.

Saudi Arabia's flyadeal joins growing list of airlines flying to Syria

Several regional airlines have resumed or plan to resume flights to Syria.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (L) greets Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud as he arrives for the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit after the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on May 27, 2025.

Gulf states court China, ASEAN at landmark Malaysia summit: What to know

The Gulf Cooperation Council’s summit with the Southeast Asia bloc was expanded to include China, bringing the emir of Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat to Malaysia.

US President Donald Trump and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (2nd R) attend a business forum in Abu Dhabi, May 16, 2025.

Analysis

What’s next for US-Gulf tech ties after Trump’s trillion-dollar tour?

Many agreements remain heavy on hype, light on detail, and trigger national security alarms, but if fruitful could remake the Gulf as a third AI center of power.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

A Qatari Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Beach International airport after US President Donald Trump toured the aircraft on Feb. 15, 2025.

Pentagon formally accepts Qatar’s luxury megajet for Trump: What to know

Qatar's offer to provide the US president with $400 million aircraft is likely to reinforce Democratic opposition to recently announced major arms sales to the Gulf kingdom.

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Qatar Airways reports highest-ever yearly profit of $1.7B

The Gulf airline said in a statement it was the strongest financial performance in its 27-year history.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (R) sits next to US President Donald Trump as he speaks to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg (L).

Analysis

Trump’s Gulf trip lifts embattled Boeing with Qatar, UAE deals

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

AI chips, drones, jets: A look at Trump's $3.2 trillion megadeals during Gulf trip

Amid photo ops and lavish receptions, President Donald Trump’s Gulf trip yielded $3.2 trillion in announced deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE — though some details remain vague.