Bahrain
BERTRAND: ASEAN, GCC countries and China come together, forming the world’s largest economic bloc
China, the countries of South-East Asia (ASEAN) and the Arab states (GCC) just held a summit in Kuala Lumpur to forge what could become the world's largest economic bloc, covering everything from free trade agreements to de-dollarisation.
Gulf States, China dominate ASEAN Summit with a pledge to strengthen ties
Meeting in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, the GCC, China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations issued a joint declaration committing to “chart a unified and collective path towards a peaceful, prosperous and just future.
UK treasury chief says closer to signing trade deal with Gulf Arab states
The UK is closer to finalising a trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said on May 20.
COMMENT: Arabs Inc: The Gulf's grand economic gambit
A significant development has been taking shape: the emergence of an Arab economic bloc with ambitions extending far beyond traditional resource-based cooperation.
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HALLIGAN: Power struggle in OPEC+ is pulling oil prices down
The oil market has entered choppy waters once again. Crude prices fell by a dramatic 18% in April y/y – the sharpest monthly drop since November 2021 – partly due to a global slowdown, but more due to a power struggle within OPEC+.
BMI: New US tariffs set to reshape economic landscape across Middle East
The recently announced US tariffs threaten to redefine economic trajectories across the Middle East and North Africa region, with varying impacts likely across oil exporters and importers.
US deploys six B-2 bombers to Indian Ocean ahead of Iran standoff
Newly analysed satellite images show the deployment of at least six nuclear-capable B-2 bombers to Camp Thunder Bay on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
Arab League and UN condemns brutal Israeli airstrikes on Gaza
The Arab League's Ahmed Aboul Gheit has hit out at Israeli strikes on Gaza on March 18 in a sign of collapsing relations between the two sides.