Banking and Finance

A picture taken from a station of Dubai's Palm Monorail shows traffic on a road in Palm Jumeirah on Aug. 28, 2025.

Feature

Cheap oil, tighter finances, wars constrained Mid East economies in 2025

Low oil prices, tighter financial conditions and elevated geopolitical risk hampered growth across much of the Middle East and North Africa this year.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran Iranian 100 rial banknotes.

Analysis

Iran currency plunges to historic low amid factional blame game

As Iran's judiciary publicly rebukes the central bank over the rial's collapse, the currency crisis is no longer economic and is fast becoming a test of political accountability and regime stability.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Traffic moves on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai on March 24, 2025.

Analysis

Gulf finance hubs race to expand as hedge funds flock to Dubai, Abu Dhabi

The Gulf’s top financial hubs have posted another strong year in 2025, with the UAE spearheading a regional push to attract hedge funds, asset managers, crypto and fintech firms as regional neighbors target growth of their own.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

CASABLANCA, MOROCCO - AUGUST 20: In this handout image from Populous, digital renderings of the proposed Stade Hassan II stadium in Morocco, projected to be the largest football stadium in the world with 115,000 capacity are depicted on August 20, 2024 in Casablanca, Morocco. The stadium design is by Populous and Oulalou + Choi (Photo by Populous via Handout/Getty Images)

Morocco’s markets rise as World Cup spending fuels largest IPO in decades

Shares in SGTM jumped by 10% on Dec. 16 after the construction firm raised roughly $550 million from its IPO, underscoring demand in a market that has featured few new listings in recent years.

Latest News

Egypt secures Qatari investment boost, launches first SCZONE industrial deal

Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El Khatib speaking at the Egyptian-Qatari Investment Forum in Cairo, Egypt on Dec. 14, 2025 (State Information Service)

Mideast funds back Paramount's $108B Warner Bros. takeover bid

Multiple exposure photograph of the Netflix and Warner Bros logos in front of a television screen at Kerlouan in Brittany in France, on Dec. 5 2025.

What role is Jordan playing in Syria's reconstruction?

An aerial view shows the destruction across Yarmouk camp, Damascus, Syria, on Nov. 8, 2025.

Saudi PIF eyes $27B Japan portfolio as kingdom courts Asian investment

RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

A man monitors the board at the Stock Exchange Market (Tadawul) bourse in Riyadh, Dec. 12, 2019.

Saudi Arabia opens Nomu Parallel Market to new investors: What to know

Easing investing rules and deepening capital markets to diversify the Saudi economy are key to fulfilling Vision 2030.

His Excellency President CyrilRamaphosa welcomes G20 Heads of State and Government to the G20 Leaders’ Summit, hosted by South Africa at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Gauteng, on Nov. 22, 2025.

UAE showcases global AI ambitions with $1B Africa pledge at G20

The Gulf country is the world's top investor in Africa, with Emirati companies committing $100 billion to projects on the continent between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the Financial Times.

United Arab Emirates

an waves as they walk down the Colonnade on the way to the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on Nov. 18, 2025.

Live Updates

Trump gives MBS red-carpet welcome, touts F-35 deal, $1T Saudi investment

Trump is hosting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House in a high-profile visit aimed at resetting US-Saudi ties and securing major defense, nuclear and investment deals.

A yacht is pictured at the Dubai Marina in Dubai August 6, 2025. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Dubai, Abu Dhabi make world’s top 5 destinations for wealthy: What to know

In Savills’ Spotlight on Wealth Trends 2025 report, Dubai topped the charts while Abu Dhabi ranked fifth.

United Arab Emirates

Aoun Gorka

Gorka praises Lebanon's President Aoun, discusses money laundering

Gorka, who led the US Treasury Department delegation that met Aoun, referred to the president as a “friend” and "Christian leader" in a post on X and said he could help expand the Abraham Accords.

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Billion-dollar AI, clean energy deals headline Saudi 'Davos in the Desert'

Humain, an AI firm backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, the PIF, signed a $3 billion deal with AirTrunk, a company backed by US asset manager Blackstone, to build a data center campus in the kingdom.

Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yasser Barniyeh

Syria finance chief meets US, World Bank officials as Trump admin pushes more sanction relief

Less than two weeks ago, the US Senate approved a measure to repeal the 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act sanctions on Syria as part of its 2026 defense budget.

Khaled Alanani, the Bank of London & The Middle East's head of real estate and investments

Interview

Gulf real estate investors choose UK over US amid political instability

The London-based lender is seeing an increase in demand from Gulf investors in UK real estate as US markets have become less predictable.

Khaled Alanani

Head of real estate finance and investments, Bank of London and The Middle East

Banque Saudi Fransi - Head Office in Al Wizarat - stock photo

Singapore's DBS Group, Banque Saudi Fransi ink Asia-Gulf trade deal

Trade between Southeast Asia and the GCC reached about $130.7 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow by another $50 billion by 2027, according to the Singaporean lender.

Picture of a Libyan dinar banknote bearing a portrait of former leader Moammar Gadhafi is pictured in Tripoli, on Sept. 8, 2011.

Libyans rush banks amid cash crunch, government to print $11B in dinars to ease crisis

The Libyan Central Bank has been printing more money in response to cash shortages in the country, as falling oil prices and corruption take their toll.

Wadani party presidential candidate Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, also known as Irro, speaks during a press conference on November 10, 2024, ahead of the 2024 Somaliland presidential election.

Somaliland leader courts Ethiopia in recognition push: What to know

Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi visited Ethiopia for talks focused on security and economic cooperation as the Somali breakaway territory seeks global recognition.

Two Exchange Square in Central District. Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK) is located in the this building.

Hong Kong exchange expands Gulf presence with new Dubai commodities arm

The emirate has positioned itself as a global commodities trading hub, with the UAE ranking second globally after the US in last year’s Commodity Trade Index.

United Arab Emirates