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inflation

QatarEnergy buys stake in Egypt blocks

It did not disclose the cost of the agreement.

TSMC’s April revenue up 60%

It capitalized on huge wave of demand for chips used in AI hardware.

Etihad reports record Q1 profit

Total revenue increased by $269 million in the same period.

Aramco Q1 profit down 14.5%

Despite lower profit, it will pay $31bn in dividends to Saudi government.

IHC Q1 net profit $2.17bn

The company launches Share Buyback Programme
  • Oil prices hit fresh five-month high on OPEC reduction output

    Oil prices rose around one percent, with Brent crude closing in on $90 per barrel, as OPEC experts met to discuss extending supply cuts. "Geo-political risks linked to conflict in the Middle East, OPEC supply cuts and better data out of China are helping to drive bullish sentiment currently," said...
  • Markets slump as US jobs data says labor market buoyant

    The focus has been on US Treasury bond yields that have surged to levels not seen in over a decade, suggesting doubts about prospects for growth and corporate earnings. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond has reached the highest level since 2007 -- the beginning of two years...
  • Yemen economy tanks as peace talks make no headway, say NGOs

    "While economic challenges are rife across the country, rising inflation and the deterioration of public services are making life unbearable," said a statement signed by 35 Yemeni groups and 13 international aid organizations including the Danish Refugee Council and Save the Children.
  • Turkey’s inflation hovers near 60% after policy U-turn

    The data suggest that Turkey's inflation rate is starting to peak after Erdogan signed off on a series of sharp interest rate hikes that have taken the policy rate to 30 percent from 8.5 percent in four months. "The small (by Turkey's recent standards) rise in inflation to 61.5 percent...
  • US manufacturing beats expectations, slumps less in September

    Washington, United States - US manufacturing activity contracted in September by the least since late 2022, beating analyst expectations despite weakness in new orders, survey data showed Monday. The Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) manufacturing index came in better than anticipated at 49 percent last month, up from 47.6 percent in...
  • Global economic concerns hit GCC equity performance

    Influenced by global inflation concerns and high rates, Gulf markets faced second consecutive monthly dip in September. Only Dubai and Qatari markets resisted the trend.
  • Global economic concerns hit GCC equity performance

    Influenced by global inflation concerns and high rates, Gulf markets faced second consecutive monthly dip in September. Only Dubai and Qatari markets resisted the trend.
  • Threats and violence as Turks feud over soaring rents

    The government has capped property rent increases at 25 percent for households, and aligned them with the official inflation rate for businesses. But experts say the measures have only heightened tensions, prompting many landlords to use any means -- including illegal ones -- to evict tenants and find new ones...
  • France warns Lebanon financial aid at risk over presidency deadlock

    French President Emmanuel Macron's special envoy urged Lebanese factions to find a "third way" for electing a new president, warning that France and its allies were losing patience after a year of deadlock. "The life of the Lebanese state itself is at risk," Jean-Yves Le Drian, a former foreign minister,...
  • Egypt to elect President in three-day election from Dec 10

    President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a former army chief, has ruled for nearly a decade in the Arab world's most populous country, which is now mired in a deep economic crisis. Experts had predicted Sisi would move forward the 2024 election, ahead of a possible switch to a flexible exchange rate...
  • Germany’s housing sector slumps into crisis

    Scholz's government had promised to build 400,000 homes a year to alleviate an endemic housing shortage made worse by burgeoning demand from an inflow of refugees and foreign workers. But building permits have nose-dived 25 percent between January and June compared to a year ago.
  • Stocks fall after Federal Reserve says it may hike interest rates

    Global stocks sank after the US Federal Reserve hinted it could hike interest rates again this year to tame inflation and other central banks warned they were not done either. London stocks bucked that trend, however, after the Bank of England held interest rates steady after 14 hikes.
  • Turkey expected to hike interest rate to 20-year high

    The mercurial Turkish leader performed one of his trademark policy reversals after winning a difficult re-election in May. The vote came during Turkey's worst economic crisis in decades -- one that analysts universally blamed on Erdogan's unorthodox conviction that high interest rates contribute to inflation.
  • Stocks diverge as oil hits 10-month high of above $95 per barrel

    Brent North Sea crude oil traded above $95 per barrel Tuesday for the first time since November last year, supported by tight supplies and robust demand. "When central banks are starting to see the light at the end of the inflation tunnel, $100-plus oil will be incredibly unwelcome and unhelpful,"...
  • Oman annual inflation inches up 0.82 percent in August

    Muscat, Oman--Annual inflation of Oman has shot up 0.82 percent in August as against 2.4 percent in the same month of last year, according to the country’s National Center for Statistics and Information.  But compared with the previous month, Oman’s inflation rate sunk to its lowest level in 28 months...
  • US Fed likely to pause rate hikes despite higher inflation

    The Fed has raised interest rates 11 times over the last 18 months, lifting its key lending rate to a level not seen for 22 years as it tackles inflation still stubbornly above its long-term target of two percent. Goldman Sachs cut their forecast for a recession in the US...
  • Inflation surges in US for second successive month

    Washington, United States - Consumer inflation in the United States picked up in August for a second straight month, according to government data released Wednesday, putting the heat on policymakers as they work to lower prices. The consumer price index (CPI), a key inflation gauge, jumped 3.7 percent from a year...
  • Inflation in Egypt hits record high of nearly 40 percent, says government

    Annual inflation in Egypt hit 39.7 percent in August, official figures showed, an all-time high for the country as it grapples with a punishing economic crisis. It comes after an unrelenting economic crisis that has seen the currency shed half its value against the US dollar since early last year.
  • US interest rates in ‘good place,’ for now: Fed officials

    The comments from three regional Fed presidents with a vote on setting interest rates will likely solidify expectations that the US central bank intends to hold rates steady later this month amid growing signs of weaker labor market conditions. The Fed has raised its benchmark lending rate 11 times over...
  • Saudi Arabia’s economy and fiscal position strong due to Vision 2030: IMF

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- Saudi Arabia's economy is in a state of prosperity and growth, and that the kingdom's fiscal position is strong, primarily driven by Vision 2030 which has been steadily diversifying the economy since its launch in 2016, according to the International Monetary Fund.   The IMF said in a statement...
  • Turkey’s inflation nears 60%, piling pressure on new team

    campaign pledges and a massive reconstruction effort launched after a major earthquake claimed more than 50,000 lives in Turkey's southeast. Official data showed transportation prices rising by 70.2 percent and those of restaurants and hotels by 89.3 percent.
  • New initiatives to enhance Saudi market infrastructure

    "This quarter, we focused on enhancing our market infrastructure and introduced several initiatives, including changes to the debt market; negotiated deals; introduction of drop copy; cancel on disconnect orders; request for quotes; and normal trade removal for the main market," he adds.
  • Eurozone inflation unchanged at 5.3% in Aug as energy prices drop

    Brussels, Belgium - The annual rate of inflation in the eurozone remained unchanged in August as there was a smaller drop in energy prices, the EU's official statistics agency said Thursday. Consumer prices reached 5.3 percent in August, although there was also a slowdown in the rise of food and drinks...
  • Second quarter GDP growth in US 2.1%, weaker than earlier estimates

    Washington, United States - Economic growth in the United States was weaker than first estimated for the April to June period, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, noting downward revisions in business investment. GDP growth in the world's biggest economy came in at 2.1 percent for the second quarter, down from the...
  • GCC shows economic resilience as inflation hits globe

    GCC countries consistently maintain inflation rates below the global average, with the Food and Beverages CPI subcategory showing moderate growth across the region.
  • US Federal Reserve prepared to raise interest rates further

    The US Federal Reserve is prepared to raise interest rates higher - and hold them there - to bring down above-target inflation, chairman Jerome Powell said. "We are prepared to raise rates …. until we are confident that inflation is moving sustainably down toward our objective," he told the Jackson...
  • Markets surge as traders await Powell speech, Nvidia results

    A rally in Nvidia helped propel gains in global markets earlier this week, though traders could not keep up the buying owing to ongoing rate worries.
  • Syrians rally against poor economic conditions in government-held areas

    Beirut, Lebanon - Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets again on Monday in Syria's southern city of Sweida, local media and an activist reported, as dire living conditions stoke discontent in regime-held areas. Days of rare protests have erupted in the south after the government lifted fuel subsidies last week,...
  • European stocks rise, China rate cut fails to ease worries

    European stocks rebounded but Asian markets ended mixed after a Chinese rate cut failed to reassure investors. At midday, Paris stocks were up by more than one percent, with both Frankfurt and London also pushing higher. Market sentiment has taken a hammering this month by a string of weak data...
  • China cuts key interest rate to support economy

    The measures, which run counter to rising interest rates around the world as other major economies work to curb inflation, will indirectly support economic activity as China's growth flags. The long-awaited post-Covid recovery following the lifting of health restrictions at the end of 2022 has run out of steam in...
  • Stocks dragged further by US rate worry, China gloom

    Expectations of another Fed hike have pushed 10-year Treasury yields -- a gauge of future rates -- close to their highest levels since the global financial crisis. Data on Thursday did little to dissuade investors, with unemployment benefit applications falling the most since last month, indicating the labour market remains...
  • Oil price, COVID-19 spur Arab world’s public finance

    Central banks are prioritizing fiscal and monetary policy coordination to boost macroeconomic stability, cut inflationary pressures, and support long-term growth.
  • Abu Dhabi, Dubai realty resilient despite surging inflation, interest rates

    Abu Dhabi, UAE – Real estate markets of UAE capital Abu Dhabi and Dubai demonstrated resilience in the face of rising interest rates and inflation in the second quarter, with Dubai realty market outperforming many if its peers worldwide, a report said. The report by Asteco, a full-service Real Estate...
  • Stock markets drop over fears of more interest-rate hikes

    In Asian stock market trading, Hong Kong extended the week's losses Friday, even as e-commerce titan Alibaba surged on a forecast-busting rise in revenue.
  • Oman annual inflation inches up to 0.69 percent in June

    Muscat, Oman--Oman annual inflation rate reached 0.69 percent by the end of June 2023, according to the monthly consumer price survey data issued by the Oman's National Center for Statistics and Information. The inflation rate was driven by the increase in most of the main groups that make up the...
  • Interest rate raise ‘likely’ to curb inflation, says Fed official

    A US central bank official said that more interest rate hikes "will likely be needed" to bring inflation down further, shortly after policymakers lifted rates to the highest level since 2001. Federal Reserve governor Michelle Bowman said she supported the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee's decision for a rate hike...
  • Central Bank of Egypt raises interest rate to 100 bps to combat inflation

    Cairo, Egypt – In a surprising move, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) announced on Thursday that it has raised interest rates by 100 basis points to contain the rising inflationary pressures. The lending rate was increased to 20.25 percent, and the deposit rate to 19.25 percent, while the credit...
  • Turkish inflation surges in July at 47.83 percent

    The new figure comes as Turkey radically shifts its policies since the May election that includes an end to more than a two-year era of ultra-low interest rates. Last week, the central bank revised its year-end inflation forecast to 58 percent from 22.3 percent after years of doubts from independent...
  • HSBC reports bumper profits

    Revenue jumped $12.3 billion to $36.9 billion.
  • Toyota posts bumper Q1 net profit

    The automaker's profit surged 78 percent to US$9.1 billion.
  • Federal Reserve open to alter interest rates, says official

    Washington, US - A Federal Reserve official left open the possibility on Monday of pausing or stopping interest rate hikes at the central bank's next policy meeting in September, saying "there's nothing off the table." "Thus far we're on the golden path and we've got to walk that line," Chicago Fed...
  • Oman inflation spikes 2.8% in 2022, pushing up food prices

    Muscat, Oman-- Oman's inflation rate increased by 2.8 percent in 2022 as the consumers price index (CPI) registered 109.7 points compared to 106.7 points in 2021. According to the data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), there was a rise in the prices of main groups...
  • Qatar National Bank foresees recession in US economy

    Doha, Qatar--Qatar National Bank (QNB) Group foresees a recession in the US economy during the upcoming 12 months, pointing out that the US economy continues to demonstrate its resilience despite significant headwinds from high inflation, tighter financial conditions, and an uncertain global environment. In its weekly commentary, QNB added that...
  • US Federal Reserve’s united fight against inflation enters new phase

    Analysts are divided ahead of the Fed's next decision in September, with the so-called "hawks" predicting additional rate hikes in the face of strong economic data, and "doves" expecting an end to the current hiking cycle given recent inflation data.
  • GCC central banks follow Fed in raising key rates

    The decision by the central banks, in the US and most of the Middle East, to hike interest rates are designed to fight off inflationary pressures and maintain economic stability.
  • US Federal Reserve likely to lift interest rates to 22-year high

    The Fed last month halted its aggressive campaign of monetary tightening after 10 consecutive rate increases to give policymakers more time to assess the health of the world's largest economy. At the June meeting, members of the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) nevertheless indicated they see possibly two additional...
  • General Motors Q2 profits up

    Revenues were recorded at $44.7 billion, up 25 percent.
  • IMF upgrades growth projection for 2023 on resilient service sector

    The IMF said the global inflation picture has improved somewhat, with consumer prices now forecast to increase by 6.8 percent this year, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous forecast in April.
  • US Federal Reserve meets to consider raising rates to 22-year high

    After a pause in June, the Fed is widely expected to push ahead with what would be its 11th interest rate hike since it started a campaign of monetary tightening in response to soaring inflation in March of last year. But despite an aggressive cycle of hikes, inflation remains above...
  • Eurozone witnesses steepest downturn in eight months in July

    The painful PMI data comes as the European Central Bank is eyeing a further rate hike this week in its quest to tame inflation.
  • US Fed likely to hike interest rates to 22-year high

    The Fed paused its aggressive campaign of monetary tightening last month to give policymakers more time to assess the health of the US economy, and the impact of recent banking stresses on lending conditions. In the weeks since, positive upgrades to economic growth and cooler inflation data have reinforced the...