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Middle East

The Middle East is a transcontinental region spanning Western Asia and parts of North Africa, characterised by its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. The region encompasses countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and sometimes Egypt and Turkey, though definitions vary. It is home to an estimated 400-million people and holds immense geopolitical and economic significance owing to its vast hydrocarbon reserves, which account for a substantial share of global oil and natural gas production and exports. The Middle East's energy resources have shaped global markets for decades, with key chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz serving as critical arteries for international oil shipments. Beyond energy, the region's economy encompasses finance, trade, construction, tourism and increasingly diversified sectors as several Gulf states pursue economic transformation agendas. Major cities such as Dubai, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Tehran, Tel Aviv and Cairo function as commercial, financial and cultural hubs. The region is also the birthplace of three major world religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam—and contains sites of profound historical and cultural importance. Political dynamics in the Middle East are complex, marked by a mix of monarchies, republics and theocracies, ongoing conflicts, regional rivalries and shifting alliances. In recent years, several Middle Eastern nations have announced ambitious renewable energy and nuclear programmes as part of efforts to diversify energy supply and reduce reliance on fossil fuel exports. The region's strategic importance to global energy security, trade routes and geopolitical stability ensures it remains a focal point in international business and policy discussions.

Middle East News


Oil rig
Global 2026 oil supply shortfall to deepen as Hormuz reopening remains elusive, IEA says
13th August 2026 By: Reuters

Global oil supply will fall by 4.3-million barrels per day (bpd), or around 4%, this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday, as renewed hostilities in the Middle East disrupt... 


Barrick Rest of World CEO Sebastiaan Bock
Barrick tasks Sebastiaan Bock to steer global operations outside of North America
11th August 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

TSX- and NYSE-listed Barrick Mining Corporation has appointed Sebastiaan Bock as CEO of "Rest of World" operations effective immediately. Bock will lead Barrick's gold and copper operations... 


Canadian Natural Resources' Kirby oil sands operation
Canadian Natural Resources beats quarterly profit estimates
6th August 2026 By: Reuters

Canada's largest oil and gas producer Canadian Natural Resources surpassed expectations for second-quarter profit on Thursday, benefiting from higher oil and natural gas production. Canadian oil... 


TSX building
TSX hits record high as mining and technology shares jump
5th August 2026 By: Reuters

Canada's main stock index rose to a record high on Tuesday, led by gains for technology and metal mining shares, as hopes rose for a reduction in Middle East tensions. The Toronto Stock Exchange's... 


Critical minerals
Mining sector not as badly affected by Middle East conflict as first thought, but risks remain
4th August 2026 By: Lumkile Nkomfe

Following the release of its mid-year review, global energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie (WoodMac) has highlighted how contained the damage has been in the global mining and metals markets amid... 


The above image depicts Valvulas Fevisa's Trunnion Mounted Ball Valve
Valve demand set to grow – manufacturer
31st July 2026

The mining sector’s steady recovery from Covid-19 pandemic-related slowdowns, combined with rising commodity prices and accelerating investments in mineral processing and power supply... 


Ampol refinery in Australia
Australia plans first domestic oil refinery in 60 years to boost fuel security
28th July 2026 By: Reuters

Australia will consider building its first new oil refinery in more than 60 years, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday, as war in the Middle East squeezes supplies from overseas and... 


A map indicating the global distribution and regional exposure profile of baseline water stress for mining and metals facilities
Competition for water resources a risk to the global energy transition, warns ICMM
22nd July 2026 By: Chanel de Bruyn

Mining and metals advocacy group the ICMM warns that water availability could, in many regions, act as a constraint on the development of new mines and related facilities, particularly for the... 


An image of the Komet Irrigation Trigon irrigation system at a mining operation
Reliable suppression systems improve operationality, efficiency
17th July 2026

Mining activity across the Middle East and North Africa is entering a period of significant growth, owing to economic diversification initiatives and increased investment in domestic mineral... 


Fossil generation ‘substituted’ by renewables in 2025  amid electricity tipping point
Fossil generation ‘substituted’ by renewables in 2025 amid electricity tipping point
17th July 2026 By: Terence Creamer

Record global electricity demand last year was met entirely by low-carbon sources, resulting in fossil fuels generation being substituted rather than supplemented, the Energy Institute’s... 


Minerals Council South Africa economist André Lourens
South Africa's mine production weakens as commodity price support starts to fade – council
16th July 2026 By: Creamer Media Reporter

Minerals Council South Africa economist André Lourens notes that the country's mining output contracted the first time in five months in May, which "proved particularly challenging on two fronts".... 


Oil
Global oil output to return to pre-Iran war level by year's end, US EIA says
8th July 2026 By: Reuters

Global oil output and trade flows should rebound fully by the end of this year from the disruptions caused by the Iran war, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Tuesday. Global... 


Aluminium
Japan Q3 aluminium premiums soar to highest since 2015 on Mideast supply squeeze
8th July 2026 By: Reuters

Japanese aluminium buyers agreed to pay premiums of $395 a ton for shipments between July and September, the highest since 2015, as the US-Israeli war on Iran squeezed supply, five sources involved... 


LNG vessel
Global LNG trade hit record in 2025, but Middle East conflict clouds outlook, IGU says
7th July 2026 By: Reuters

Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade hit a record last year as strong US exports and rising European imports offset weaker Asian purchases, the International Gas Union (IGU) said in a report on... 


Mining cost pressures accelerated in May as energy shock took hold
Mining cost pressures accelerated in May as energy shock took hold
3rd July 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

Minerals Council South Africa has reported that mining input cost pressures accelerated sharply in May, reflecting the transmission of higher global energy prices into the South African economy... 


Coal plant
Japan cuts gas in favour of coal as Hormuz disruption chokes LNG
3rd July 2026 By: Bloomberg

Japan sharply reduced natural gas-fired power generation last month, instead relying more on coal, as disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz tightened supplies of the cleaner-burning fuel. The... 


Spinach
Agribusiness confidence slips to two-year low on cost and climate pressures
3rd July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Following an 18-point decline in the first quarter, the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and Industrial Development Corporation’s Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) fell... 


Gold bar
Australia runs surprise trade deficit with widest gap since 2015
2nd July 2026 By: Bloomberg

Australia fell into a surprise trade deficit in May as exports dropped the most all year, with imports extending a streak of gains caused in part by high fuel prices and data center demand.... 


Thungela maintains interim export guidance despite volatile coal markets
Thungela maintains interim export guidance despite volatile coal markets
30th June 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

JSE-listed Thungela Resources says it continues to monitor the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on its employees and the broader operating environment, noting that, to date, the... 


Fossil generation ‘substituted’ by renewables in 2025 amid electricity tipping point
Fossil generation ‘substituted’ by renewables in 2025 amid electricity tipping point
30th June 2026 By: Terence Creamer

Record global electricity demand last year was met entirely by low-carbon sources, resulting in fossil fuels generation being substituted rather than supplemented, the Energy Institute’s... 


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