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

21 September 2019, Egypt, Cairo: Protesters shout slogans during a rare anti-government protest in Downtown Cairo. (Best quality available) Photo: Oliver Weiken/dpa (Photo by Oliver Weiken/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Why Egypt’s economic reforms aren’t enough to win over the street

A new report shows significant progress in Egypt, but demonstrations are placing new pressures on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to do more to battle corruption.

Decision to ban e-cigarettes in Gaza sparks mockery on social media

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip issued a decision to ban e-cigarettes, claiming that they are bad for citizens' health, which sparked angry reactions.

What to expect from Putin's visit to Saudi Arabia

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Saudi Arabia on Oct. 14 with a set of economic and security issues on the agenda.

Cairo attempts to quell anger following spate of protests

In the wake of protests, the Egyptian government OKs some small price reductions and may allow a little greater press freedom.

A demonstrator stands on tires in front of Israeli forces during a protest to show solidarity with Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, near the Jewish settlement of Beit El in the Israeli-occupied West Bank October 1, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman - RC1E64FD2C50

Israel hampering Palestinian economy at its own risk

Under the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, the Palestinian economy, which was supposed to grow and bolster peace and security in the process, has become a source of utter despair for Palestinians.

Palestine no longer a safe environment for investments

Economic indicators show an increase in Palestinian investment outside Palestine, stirring fears about the Palestinian economy.

Syrian reconstruction expo draws Russian businesses

Russian companies continue to explore investments in Syria's reconstruction, which could be a boon to them given the Western sanctions against Russia.

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York City, New York, U.S., September 23, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC18F8550D40

What Sisi-Trump meeting means for US-Egyptian relations

US President Donald Trump met with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss bilateral relations and Egypt’s counterterrorism efforts in New York recently.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends a signature ceremony with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China September 23, 2019. Lintao Zhang/Pool via REUTERS *** Local Caption *** Li Keqiang; Adil Abdul-Mahdi - RC1DE0BB6230

Chinese investment in Iraq provides gains for Baghdad, Beijing

Iraqi prime minister trip to China has paved the ground for China to invest in Iraq.

Airport rehabilitation project raising eyebrows in Egypt

Egypt has already opened two new airports this year, which has people wondering if spending $62.4 million to renovate one in a remote desert area is necessary.

Will Lebanese wait hours in gas lines as fuel crisis bites?

Lebanese citizens are living day by day the repercussions of the dollar scarcity crisis, as the fuel sector threatens an open strike next week if the government fails to find a proper solution.

Uptick in Turkish exports, tourism comes at a price

Increased export and tourism revenues have helped limit the Turkish economy’s contraction in the second quarter, but the improved numbers have come at the expense of price cutting, economic data show.