Economy and trade

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tarik pose during a meeting with business leaders in Paris on June 29, 2026.

Oman's sultan meets Macron in first France visit since 1989: What to know

French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing against any form of toll for the Strait of Hormuz.

AFP via Getty Images

Traffic plummets through Strait of Hormuz after Iran, US trade fire

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had recovered somewhat before renewed fighting between Iran and the United States saw traffic drop sharply over the weekend.

A student attends a training seminar at the Tourism Ministry Training center in the city of Riyadh on August 30, 2022.

Interview

Saudi labor localization will take ‘generation or two': Armada CEO

Around 70% of Saudi Arabia's population is 35 years old or younger, according to the kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics, providing ample opportunity for an educated and technology-savvy national workforce in the coming decades.

Olivier Badard

CEO of Armada Holding

A tourist boat passes near crude oil tankers, bulk carriers, and other vessels anchored off Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat, Oman, June 19, 2026.

Analysis

Why the Hormuz oil shock never became an energy catastrophe

The US-Israel-Iran war produced a historic oil supply shock but not a severe global economic crisis, due to ample prewar supplies, China's energy pivot and strategic reserve releases.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Latest News

Oil falls below $74 as Hormuz traffic recovers after Iran war

Elke Scholiers/Getty Images

Explainer

Lebanon advances controversial $500K golden visa law: What to know

A picture shows the four seasons hotel in Beirut with the snow covered mountain of Sannine in the background on March 8, 2019.

Explainer

Qatar blast underscores challenges in race to restart Gulf energy flows

Qatar's Energy Minister and CEO of QatarEnergy Saad Sherida al-Kaabi speaks during a press conference in Doha on June 22, 2026.

Interview

US-Egypt fund makes case for economic statecraft in hard power era

A worker counts banknotes after filling up the tank of a vehicle at a petrol station in Giza on March 10, 2026.

Cornelius Queen

Cornelius Queen

Senior Vice President of the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund

Members of the Abi Haidar family depart from Beirut International Airport on their way to Cyprus, Lebanon, Sept. 2, 2021.

Lebanese opt for new emigration destinations amid crises

Lebanon is witnessing one of the biggest waves of emigration in its history as the country faces its worst socio-economic conditions amid a worsening political crisis; Turkey, Armenia and Georgia have become new destinations.

JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images

Lebanon's elderly population devastated by crash

As one of the 16 countries in the world that don’t offer social security, older people in Lebanon are spending their last years struggling and depending on aid groups to survive.

Dubai skyline

Sweeping legal reforms aim to maintain UAE's competitive edge

The new amendments will add more flexibility to a wide range of economic sectors and industries, reaffirming the UAE’s standing as a leading business hub.

rugs

How feasible is Raisi’s economic roadmap for Iran?

The ministry of finance's new set of economic goals and timelines outlines lofty ambitions but ignores the current limits that sanctions place on Iran's international trade.

An undated image of new Turkish Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati.

Erdogan appoints champion of low interest rates as new finance minister

Nureddin Nebati, who has fiercely defended the president’s low rate policies, has replaced Lutfi Elvan as Turkey's finance minister.

A man walks past a currency exchange agency near Grand Bazaar in Istanbul on Nov. 24, 2021, in Istanbul.

Turkish Central Bank intervenes to curb 'unhealthy' lira losses

Amid a sharp slide in the nation’s currency, the Turkish Central Bank announced it would intervene in markets and sell foreign exchange reserves Wednesday to stem volatility in the Turkish lira.

US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm speaks during the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference.

The Takeaway: Iran nuclear talks resume next week — What you need to know

Turkish lira crisis hits Syria; Saudi, Syrian intel chiefs talk; Netflix drama evokes memories for Izmir’s Jews; Oman bets on logistics; Egypt, Tanzania deepen ties; Gaza’s women skateboarders — all in less than 1,500 words.

Andrew Parasiliti

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Joe Snell

By Andrew Parasiliti , Elizabeth Hagedorn , Joe Snell

Children on Nov. 20, 2021, carry a bucket of water, in the Bardaqli camp for displaced people in the town of Dana in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, as winter approaches.

Deteriorating Turkish lira hurts residents in Syria's Idlib

The depreciation of the Turkish lira against the US dollar has resulted in worsening living conditions in Idlib and increased the people’s resentment against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Salvation Government, which they hold primarily responsible for the economic crisis.

An Israeli air force mechanic inspects an F-16 fighter during the Blue Flag multinational air defense exercise.

Israel-UAE trade reaches $700 million

Israel’s representative in Dubai said there is going to be a “surge” of business between Israel and the Emirates.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Food price hikes feared in Turkey after currency slump

Turkish social media swirled with rumors Monday of possible bread price hikes following a record slide in the nation’s currency, and economist say the anxiety could add to inflationary pressures.

A Saudi woman consults a plastic surgeon during a bridal expo in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 11, 2017.

Saudi Arabia grants citizenship to prominent doctors, scholars

The official Saudi Press Agency said the kingdom will grant citizenship to “experts and exceptional global talents."

Visitors stand in front of a display at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion of Expo 2020, in Dubai on Oct. 4, 2021.

Saudi Arabia welcomes multinationals to Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's move to license 44 companies to open headquarters has put the kingdom in competition with the United Arab Emirates regional business hub.