Banking and Finance

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

World Bank ups Middle East 2025 economic outlook as oil, tourism rebound

The lender expects gross domestic product growth in the region to average 2.8% this year, up from its April forecast of 2.6%.

People walk past a branch of Turkish bank HalkBank on Dec. 1, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Supreme Court clears path for Turkey’s Halkbank trial over Iran sanctions

The Turkish president personally raised the Halkbank case with US President Donald Trump at the White House, as Ankara pushes for a settlement to avoid a drawn-out legal battle.

Installation view of CONVERGE in Seven Contours, One Collection at MACAAL © Ayoub El Bardii.

Culture

Marrakech's African Contemporary Art Museum reinvents itself two years after quake

Marking the two-year anniversary of the 2023 earthquake, Marrakech’s Museum of African Contemporary Art highlights the city’s recovery and its growing role as a hub for African art.

PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images

Blackstone, Abu Dhabi's Lunate set up $5B GCC logistics investment platform

The new platform will capitalize on the growing logistics sector in the Gulf.

United Arab Emirates

Latest News

PayPal, UAE's DP World sign MoU to speed digital payments

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

United Arab Emirates

UAE wealth fund ADIA scoops into $18B Haagen-Dazs owner Froneri

United Arab Emirates

What’s next for Saudi Arabia’s budget balancing act as deficit doubles?

A Riyadh Metro train makes its way along a track in the middle of a road in Riyadh on December 3, 2024.

Iran rial hits record low 1.13M to dollar as UN snapback sanctions resume: What to know

Iranians drive next to a billboard displaying pictures of nuclear scientists, centrifuges and a sentence reading in Farsi, "Science is the power," at the Enqelab Square in Tehran, on Aug. 29, 2025.

A general view of the Dubai skyline on November 30, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

UAE’s ‘Second Salary’ savings plan offers its expat majority passive income

The savings plan is the first step in establishing a long-term retirement plan structure by the savings and investment company, amid low rates of retirement savings in the region.

Saudi National Bank chairman resigns after Credit Suisse loss

Current CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Ghamdi will take over as the new chairman on March 27, with deputy CEO Talal Ahmed Al Khereiji filling his place.

A stock market ticker displays financial information and world time zones in the lobby of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

Israeli shekel, stocks rally as Netanyahu pauses judicial reform

The right-wing Israeli government’s controversial judicial reform plans have divided Israeli society and led to concerns among the Israeli tech sector and global financial institutions.

A man walks past a sign of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in Mumbai on August 5, 2022. - India's central bank on August 5 hiked interest rates for the third time in four months, as Asia's third-largest economy contends with a widening trade deficit and weakening currency. (Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP) (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)

UAE, India to boost cooperation via digital currency

The Emirati Central Bank has begun implementing its digital dirham strategy following a financial cooperation agreement with India and the UAE's cryptocurrency push.

The safety car drives in front of Red Bull Racing's Mexican driver Sergio Perez (L) during the Saudi Arabia Formula One Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah on March 19, 2023. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia inks 14 deals at Jeddah Grand Prix in boost to sports industry

The agreements were part of a comprehensive sponsorship program hosted by Invest Saudi, the kingdom’s investment promotion entity. The value of the deals was not disclosed.

Vehicles drive in Amman on February 22, 2023. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP) (Photo by KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Jordan economic rating shows upswing, but problems remain

Jordanians in the private sector are praising their government's ambitious economic strategies, but still see systemic inefficiencies as a barrier to making them a reality.

By Salim A. Essaid

A worker in an oil field developed by Almetyevneft, an oil and gas production board (NGDU) of Tatneft.

Oil sinks below $75 a barrel, lowest price in more than a year

The news follows the Saudi National Bank declining to inject more money into the struggling Credit Suisse, as well as Silicon Valley Bank’s failure.

People walk past the headquarters of ByteDance, the parent company of video sharing app TikTok, in Beijing on September 16, 2020. - Silicon Valley tech giant Oracle is "very close" to sealing a deal to become the US partner to Chinese-owned video app TikTok to avert a ban in the United States, President Donald Trump said on September 15. (Photo by GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images)

UAE’s G42 buys $100 million share in China's ByteDance, parent of TikTok

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has seen its value fluctuate, predominantly due to investor uncertainty caused by a possible ban on TikTok in the United States.

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) during morning trading on March 15, 2023, in New York City.

Saudi National Bank will not increase stake in Credit Suisse after shares drop

Credit Suisse’s financial struggles follow the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and could likewise have ramifications for the Middle East.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Silicon Valley Bank collapse reverberates in Israel, Gulf

Israeli startups had a lot of money in Silicon Valley Bank and may need the government’s help.

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

Major bitcoin fraud case rattles Egypt

Hundreds of Egyptians were swindled by an international crypto mining company, raising controversy over the digital currency that has grown in popularity in cash-strapped Egypt.

A stock market broker works at the Egyptian Stock Exchange, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 6, 2013.

Egypt seeks to attract Islamic investors with debut sukuk, EGX Sharia index

While the move to allow Islamic bond sales will diversify the government's funding sources, Islamic finance is still a relatively small part of the Egyptian economy.