GCC-Indonesia economic ties deepen with Saudi MoUs, joint Qatar fund Trade between Indonesia and the Gulf is rising and negotiations are underway for a GCC-Indonesia free trade agreement. Saudi Arabia
Analysis UAE hedges against global economic volatility with EU trade agreement The UAE is doubling down on bilateral free trade agreements as it hedges against economic headwinds fueled by the United States' universal tariff policy. By Jennifer Gnana In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics
Egypt's Sisi visits Qatar, nabs $7.5B in investments: What to know President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s trip to Doha comes amid Egypt’s moves to improve ties with Turkey and tensions with the UAE over the Gaza war. Egypt
Analysis Saudi Arabia-PwC split signals shift to local consultancies: What to know The Saudization of the consultancy sector is not a compliance exercise but instead amounts to a strategic realignment that challenges the long-standing, but outdated, assumption that foreign expertise is inherently superior. By Amal Altwaijri In Washington, DC, reporting on Saudi Arabia
Analysis France recalibrates Turkey ties as east Med dynamics shift: What to know By Jonathan Fenton-Harvey In London, reporting on North Africa and Gulf politics
Netanyahu set to meet Trump amid differences over Iran, tariffs and Turkey: What to know United States
Italy and Saudi Arabia in talks for major deals as ties grow under Meloni The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which came into power in October 2022, has been working to deepen ties with energy- and cash-rich states in the Middle East and North Africa. Saudi Arabia
As Israel’s economy slows, investors ask how long will Hamas war go on Despite fears, previous periods of violence in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank showed the Israeli economy emerging stronger on the other side. Israel
Why is Turkey securing trade with Israel as Erdogan cheers on Hamas? The Turkish president may be the loudest leader speaking up for the Palestinians, but he has paid no heed to calls for sanctions that could really bite Israel. Turkey
Business & Tech Briefing: Dubai gears up for COP28 By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
What $6.9B China-Saudi currency swap means for Beijing’s efforts to globalize yuan China’s increasing economic influence and the high price of the US dollar, which has increased amid increasing interest rates to tame inflation, have led some economies to switch to cheaper yuan-denominated transactions. Saudi Arabia
Analysis How the Hamas war wreaked havoc on Israel’s economy Israel’s central bank said that the war with Hamas is a “major shock” to the economy and has been more expensive than initially estimated. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
What awaits Turkey's economy as its foreign exchange woes ease? After the March local polls, Ankara will be free of major domestic political concerns and is expected to enact a stern program to cool the economy and make real progress in fighting inflation. Turkey
Russia and China big participants at Dubai Airshow At this year's event, the UAE is balancing friendly relations with the United States as well as with China and Russia, including via the BRICS alliance. Gulf
In first, Bahrain asset manager targets up to $550 million in China yuan fund Gulf buyers have announced 13 acquisitions of public and private Chinese companies so far in 2023, compared to just one in the same period of last year, according to data compiled by LSEG. Bahrain
Turkey reports account surplus amid fiscal policy changes Turkish bonds may also become more attractive, according to a top bank, as Turkey’s new economic leaders raise interest rates and end unpopular policies. Turkey
Chevron resumes gas supplies from Israel’s Tamar field after Gaza war halt The US energy giant was ordered to shut down the field for security reasons after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Israel
What the Gulf states new unified visa means for Saudi, UAE, other citizens The new Schengen-like visa — allowing seamless travel between members Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — will be introduced during 2024-25. Gulf
