Middle East
Sovereign wealth, energy transition, and geopolitical fault lines converge here in ways that ripple far past the region itself. The economies built on oil are racing to build what comes after it.
-
May- 2026 -25 MaySociety
Saudi Arabia manages haj pilgrimage amid Iran war ceasefire and extreme heat
The 2026 haj pilgrimage began with over 1.5 million pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia, posing a logistical and geopolitical stress test amid a fragile Iran war ceasefire and extreme temperatures.…
-
25 MayCapital
Saudi Arabia’s $24.7 billion oil revenue masks market share loss in Asia
Saudi Arabia earned $24.7 billion from oil exports in April 2026, its highest monthly revenue in over three years, as Brent crude traded near $86 per barrel. However, Saudi crude…
-
24 MayPower
Rubio signals Hormuz de-escalation progress as India seeks trade deal, worker visas
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi, citing progress on a framework to de-escalate tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical…
-
24 MayCapital
China’s $620 billion US debt sale reshapes global reserve system, avoids market crash
China has reduced its officially reported U.S. Treasury holdings from a peak of $1.316 trillion in November 2013 to $693.3 billion by February 2026 — a liquidation of more than…
-
24 MayCapital
Hormuz blockade drives Japan, South Korea naphtha prices to record highs, threatening plastics supply
A three-month blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has driven Japan's benchmark naphtha spot price to $910 per metric ton, a 26% increase. This surge is forcing Japan and South…
-
24 MayCapital
South Korea’s Middle East crude imports fall 37% as US supply nears parity
South Korea's crude oil imports from the Middle East fell 37.3 percent year-on-year in April 2026 to 4.49 million tons, reducing the Gulf's share of Korea's total import mix from…
-
23 MayPower
Pakistan seeks China’s backing to mediate US-Iran tensions, Afghanistan border dispute
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in Beijing for a four-day state visit, seeking Chinese backing to mediate between the United States and Iran, and for support with Afghanistan. The…
-
22 MayEarth
Malaysia’s Maharani Gateway emerges as new energy hub amid Middle East rerouting
Malaysia's MYR 2.5 billion (USD 530 million) Maharani Energy Gateway, a 3,487-acre freeport project in Muar, Johor, awarded to KAJ Development Sdn Bhd under a concession signed on March 23,…
-
21 MayPower
China and Russia deepen strategic ties with 20+ agreements, challenging Western sanctions
On May 16–17, 2026, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin signed two joint statements and over 20 bilateral cooperation documents in Beijing, deepening their strategic partnership. China–Russia bilateral trade reached a…
-
21 MayCapital
Thailand becomes key Russian gateway to Southeast Asia, raising sanctions circumvention risk
Russian businesses are systematically repositioning Thailand as a logistics and financial gateway into Southeast Asian markets, with Russia–ASEAN bilateral trade rising from C$19.8 billion in 2020 to C$25.4 billion in…
