Saudi Arabia
Riyadh-led OPEC+ raises quotas as region teeters on escalation
Saudi Arabia, Russia and five other OPEC+ members meeting online Sunday agreed to raise oil production quotas for September, even as war rages across the Middle East.
The Israeli economy is expected to take a hit from the Trump administration’s proposed global tariff plan, with the Finance Ministry estimating a potential annual GDP loss of less than 0.5%, or under NIS 10 billion.
Tel Aviv, Israel © Mena Today
The Israeli economy is expected to take a hit from the Trump administration’s proposed global tariff plan, with the Finance Ministry estimating a potential annual GDP loss of less than 0.5%, or under NIS 10 billion.
Despite the uncertainty around the final tariff rates, the ministry considers the expected impact moderate compared to forecasts for other countries, including the U.S. itself.
The Ministry of Finance had already been planning to revise its 2025 growth forecast downward due to better-than-expected GDP results for 2024. Initial estimates predicted 4.3% growth, but recent figures show 2024 growth at 1%, slightly above previous projections.
While the final revision will be announced by late May or early June, the tariff issue has made a reduction in the growth forecast inevitable.
The Bank of Israel has already adjusted its 2025 forecast from 4% to 3.5%, while the IMF now predicts Israel’s economy will grow by 3.2%, an improvement from its earlier 2.7% forecast.
Saudi Arabia, Russia and five other OPEC+ members meeting online Sunday agreed to raise oil production quotas for September, even as war rages across the Middle East.
Maronite Patriarch Béchara Raï reiterated his support Sunday for the US-brokered framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel in late June, describing it during his Sunday homily as a "national path to resolving outstanding issues, consolidating a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, and preserving the state's sovereignty over its entire territory."
US embassies in Jerusalem, Baghdad and Amman issued security alerts Saturday urging American citizens to exercise "heightened vigilance," as tensions flare between Iran and the United States. Americans were also told to "consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation."
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