Economy and trade

Egypt's Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly (L) welcomes China's Premier Li Qiang upon his arrival at Cairo International Airport in Egypt's capital, on July 9, 2025.

China’s premier makes first visit to Egypt as ties grow: What we know

Egypt and China have significantly deepened their ties in recent years across various sectors such as trade, defense, technology and the economy.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto pose for a family photo.

Egypt urges BRICS to deepen financial ties after Trump threatens tariffs

Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly said that due to the global decline in multilateralism and crises engulfing the world, members of the bloc of developing nations should bolster their financial and economic ties.

Hisham Ezz Al Arab CIB CEO

Interview

How Red Sea attacks prepared Egypt’s economy for future shocks

The CEO of Egypt's third-largest bank tells Al-Monitor why he is hopeful about the country's economic recovery.

General view of the opening session of the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum at the Federal Senate in Brazil, taken on June 4, 2025.

Analysis

At Brazil summit, BRICS welcomes new Middle East members as divisions continue

A year after formally joining at the Kazan summit, Iran, Egypt and the UAE attend their first BRICS summit hosted outside Russia — as Saudi Arabia continues to weigh whether to join.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Latest News

Analysis

Gulf bets on LNG boom power ahead amid regional energy shifts, war risks

This photo shows 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, Qatar, Feb. 6, 2017.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Iran’s rial falls by 3% as Tehran grapples with war aftermath

Iranian rial banknotes bearing a portrait of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, sit on the stand of an Iraqi money dealer on June 19, 2014, in Arbil, Iraq.

Saudi PIF reports 60% profit drop as inflation, low oil prices bite

CORRECTION / A picture taken in Riyadh shows the sign in Arabic of an Aramco gas station on the outskirts of the Saudi capital Riyadh on November 5, 2024. Energy giant Saudi Aramco reported a 15 percent year-on-year drop in third quarter profit on November 5, 2024, citing low oil prices. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Fayez Nureldine has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: changing the second phrase to refer to Saudi

Analysis

Kuwait's heatwaves, high demand strain fragile power grid: What to know

The sun sets behind overhead power lines in Kuwait City as the Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity requested that citizens ration their electricity usage at peak times due to outages, on June 19, 2024.

Sebastian Castelier

By Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

A woman looks at an instructional sticker on a bank door, showing how to distinguish genuine yuan banknotes from counterfeits, in Beijing on Aug. 16, 2019.

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.

Israeli volunteers pack crates of mangoes.

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.

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

Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek (C) addresses a statement to the journalists at the party's group meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) on June 21, 2023. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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.

Aermacchi MB-339 trainer aircraft of the Fursan al-Emarat (UAE Knights) aerobatics team release smoke as they fly over during the Dubai Airshow at Dubai World Central, Al-Maktoum International Airport, Nov. 14, 2023.

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.

A general view shows the headquarters of Bahrain-domiciled asset manager Investcorp in the capital Manama on April 18, 2022. (Photo by Mazen Mahdi / AFP) (Photo by MAZEN MAHDI/AFP via Getty Images)

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.

This photograph taken on June 9, 2023, shows the Central Bank of Turkey, in Ankara.

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.

Tamar platform

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.

Tourists and locals visit the Dubai Mall aquarium in downtown Dubai, January 2, 2019.

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.

Excess hydrocarbons being burned off at the Nahr Bin Omar natural gas field, north of the southern Iraqi port of Basra, January 22, 2018.

Iraq and Turkmenistan make progress toward deal to transport gas via Iran

Iraq, currently dependent on Iran for gas and electricity, is seeking to develop its own gas supply as well as import gas from Turkmenistan.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey returns to dollar bond market as Erdogan shifts approach

The Turkish government has made several fiscal policy changes since the president's reelection in May in an effort to win back investors and address economic problems.

Israeli soldiers are seen in the Palestinian village of Dayr Sharaf, in the West Bank located about seven kilometres (four miles) from the Jewish Einav settlement after an Israeli man was killed leading to dozens of Jewish settlers storming the village on November 2, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Three Palestinians were killed on November 2, 2023, by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, and an Israeli

Breaking | Last Updated: November 2, 2023, 7:03 pm

Israel approves transfer of tax revenues to Palestinian Authority

The Israeli cabinet approved the transfer to pay the Palestinian security apparatus, despite objection by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia arrives at the formal welcome ceremony to mark the beginning of the G20 Summit on November 15, 2022 in Nusa Dua, Indonesia. The G20 meetings are being held in Bali from November 15-16. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images,)

Saudi's GCC-ASEAN summit: Toward an Asia minus China collective strategy

The GCC and ASEAN nations find themselves sharing more strategic commonalities amid the current era of deglobalization, geopolitical instability and economic uncertainties.