• Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth

    But slashing greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible remains crucial to avoid even more devastating economic impacts after mid-century, researchers reported in the journal Nature. The study projects that -- absent climate impacts after 2020 -- global GDP would double by 2050 from $100 trillion in 2022.
  • Abu Dhabi targets 39.3 million visitors by 2030

    Emirate's new tourism strategy aims to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP from $13.34 billion in 2023 to $24 billion by 2030.
  • GCC tourism growth skyrockets as diversification drive gains momentum post-Covid

    GCC countries collaborate on comprehensive tourism strategy, leading global recovery post-pandemic with remarkable growth rates and ambitious plans for sustainable development.
  • UAE Central Bank forecasts GDP to grow by 4.2% in 2024, 5.2% in 2025

    Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) expects the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to grow by 4.2 percent in 2024, rising to 5.2 percent in 2025, while maintaining its estimate for a 3.1 percent growth in 2023. In its quarterly economic review report...
  • Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy expands 9.1%, real GDP up 3.1% in 2023

    The non-oil economy contributed more than 53 percent to the total GDP, with significant growth in construction, finance and insurance, transportation and storage activities. Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) said the results demonstrate the economy's ability to expand thanks to diversification efforts.
  • US stocks open mixed ahead post fresh economic data

    New York, US- Wall Street stocks saw a mixed start to Thursday, as traders digested the latest economic data ahead of the Good Friday holiday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.2 percent to 39,829.51. The broad-based S&P 500 Index was flat at 5,247.74, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index retreated...
  • Non-oil sectors contribute 50% to Saudi Arabia’s real GDP in 2023

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – Non-oil activities in the Kingdom have achieved a historic milestone, reaching a 50 percent share of the country's real GDP in 2023 – the highest level on record, according to an analysis of the General Authority for Statistics data by the Ministry of Economy and Planning....
  • MENA region could gain $385bn from women reentering workforce: survey

    Doha, Qatar - The women returning to the workforce following a career break have the potential to contribute nearly US$385bn to the GDP across nine countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. says a PwC Middle East’s survey. 82% of these women believe that they can progress...
  • Tunisian economic crisis mutes build-up to Ramadan

    Tunisians usually prepare for Ramadan -- when daytime fasting is followed by festive but often costly meals with family and friends -- by stocking up on large amounts of food. But this year things are different, with purchasing power greatly diminished because of soaring prices, a recession and rising unemployment.
  • Asian markets mostly down as China sets 5 percent growth goal

    Hong Kong, China - Asian markets largely fell on Tuesday after China set an ambitious five percent annual growth target and Wall Street shares dropped ahead of the release of key US economic indicators. Tokyo finished flat, a day after Japan's benchmark Nikkei index hit a record high, closing above 40,000...
  • 89% of Saudi CEOs hopeful of kingdom’s economic growth over next 12 months

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - About 89% of CEOs in Saudi Arabia are optimistic about the country's economic growth over the next 12 months, surpassing the global average of 44%, the Middle East average of 73%, and the GCC average of 81%, reveals the 27th Annual CEO Survey by the PwC...
  • EDB’s contribution to UAE’s industrial GDP in 2023 rises to US$1.1bn

    ABU DHABI, UAE – Emirates Development Bank (EDB) has unveiled its 2023 results, showcasing an extraordinary year of achievements and strategic milestones. EDB revealed a significant 80 percent surge in its contribution to the UAE’s industrial GDP, which has grown from US$653 million (AED2.4 billion) in 2022 to US$1.1 billion...
  • Gulf economies to outpace global forecast for 2024: FAB report

    Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The economies of the UAE and Gulf countries will outpace the global forecast for 2024, helped by the domestic multi-year investment cycle in the region, a report says. Despite recent geopolitical headwinds and muted global recovery, national and regional growth is expected to be driven by...
  • China cuts key mortgage rate to boost economy

    China last year recorded one of its worst annual growth rates since 1990, dampening hopes for a rapid economic recovery following the end of draconian Covid restrictions in late 2022. In January, consumer prices fell at their quickest rate in more than 14 years, piling pressure on the government to...
  • Gaza war effect: Israel’s GDP shrinks by 20% in the last quarter of 2023

    Overall, Israel's GDP grew by 2.0 percent in 2023, short of the 2.3 percent projection made by the Bank of Israel after the war's outbreak in October, the Central Bureau of Statistics figures showed.
  • China maintains basic balance in international payments in 2023

    Beijing, China--China maintained a basic balance in its international payments last year, with its current account surplus amounting to US$264.2 billion, the country's foreign exchange regulator said on Sunday. According to China Central Television, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) disclosed that the ratio of the current account surplus...
  • ATO partners with ISM to boost tourism in the Middle East

    Jeddah, UAE--The Arab Tourism Organization (ATO) has signed a partnership agreement with the International Strategic Management (ISM) company to achieve growth and innovation within the tourism sector in Arab countries. The agreement comes as an extension of the ATO’s efforts to develop and enhance the tourism industry in the Arab...
  • Israel’s AI-enabled tech usage in Gaza sparks new fears

    New defense technologies including artificial intelligence-powered gunsights and robotic drones form a bright spot in an otherwise dire period for Israel's tech industry. Over 150 countries in December backed a UN resolution identifying "serious challenges and concerns" in new military tech, including "artificial intelligence and autonomy in weapons systems."
  • UAE real GDP to grow 5.3 percent in 2024: S&P Global

    Abu Dhabi, UAE-- The UAE's real GDP will grow 5.3 percent in 2024, compared to 3.4 percent in 2023, according to S&P Global Ratings, the world's leading credit rating agency. The credit rating agency in a new report said that UAE banks reported exceptional profits for the full year 2023...
  • Egypt forms review team on restoring pyramid after outcry

    Cairo, Egypt - Egypt's antiquities ministry said on Saturday it was setting up a committee to review the restoration of Giza's Menkaure Pyramid after a public outcry over the project. A week ago, the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, posted a Facebook video showing workers setting blocks...
  • Clean energy largest driver of Chinese GDP growth in 2023: report

    China is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases driving climate change, but it is also the top producer of wind and solar energy. Faced with soaring energy consumption, the country has turbocharged its use of renewables -- but also in 2022 approved its largest expansion of coal-fired power plants...
  • Dubai GDP growth up 3.3 percent in nine months of 2023

    Real estate soared by 4 percent, while financial and insurance activities surged 2.7 percent. The knowledge economy improved with a 2.6 percent increase in education, while electricity, gas, water and waste management activities grew by 2.2 percent.
  • Money weighs on would-be Chinese parents as population falls

    Long alarmed by falling fertility, the government has relaxed its decades-long one-child policy in recent years to allow three children per family, while rolling out subsidies and calling on women to become homemakers. But the incentives and exhortations are doing little to change what demographers describe as an economic crisis...
  • World Economic Forum foresees ‘significant economic slowdown’

    Davos, Switzerland--A new World Economic Forum report titled the Future of Growth Report 2024 foresees a significant economic slowdown, estimated to fall to the lowest rate in three decades by 2030, amid ongoing economic and geopolitical shocks. The report released today, offers a re-evaluation of global economic growth, introducing a...
  • Women’s health gap costs US$1trn worldwide: report

    Women spend a quarter more of their lives suffering from poor health than men, a disparity that includes an unequal focus on men across medical research, diagnosis and treatment, the report said. Closing this gap would boost the global economy by $1trn annually by 2040, a 1.7% rise in per...
  • China’s economic recovery stalls as growth flags

    The country's national bureau of statistics said that GDP grew 5.2 percent to hit 126 trillion yuan ($17.6 trillion) as the country battled a crippling property crisis, sluggish consumption and global turmoil. Official GDP figures remain a key source of insight into the health of the world's second-largest economy.
  • Saudi, UAE report highest levels of gross debt

    Among the Arab countries, Egypt recorded the highest debt-to-GDP ratio of 92.7 percent while US and China are on an unsustainable fiscal path.
  • UAE economy likely to grow by 3.8 percent in 2025, says World Bank

    WASHINGTON, US - The World Bank expected the UAE's real GDP to grow by 3.4 percent in 2023, rising to 3.7 percent in 2024 and to 3.8 percent in 2025. According to the Global Economic Prospects report released on Tuesday, the World Bank forecast the growth in the Gulf Cooperation...
  • Jordan’s public debt rises to $46.1bn by Oct 2023 end: Ministry

    Dubai, UAE -- Jordan's public debt till the end of October 2023 has risen to $46.1 billion, 89.6 percent of the country's GDP. The Ministry of Finance said the government had borrowed $3.8 billion in the first ten months of 2023. In December, the government approved the 2024 budget with...
  • Saudi insurance sector shows 14.6 percent growth in Q3 of 2023

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA- The Insurance Authority (IA) has issued its first report on the performance of the sector in the Kingdom for the third quarter of 2023, highlighting the developments, financial results and its contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product (GDP). The report was issued to provide transparent, accurate...
  • Abu Dhabi’s non-oil economy expands 7.7 percent in Q3 2023

    ABU DHABI, UAE - The Statistics Center - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) has reported a substantial 7.7 percent growth in the real non-oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP) the Emirate during the third quarter of 2023, in comparison to the same period in 2022. This growth is attributed to the success of...
  • GDP of new expanded BRICS to exceed that of G7 countries: Russia

    Moscow, Russia - The aggregate GDP of the BRICS countries after the accession of its new members in 2024 will significantly exceed that of the Group of Seven (G7) countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Russian news...
  • Bahrain economy posts 2.45% growth in third quarter of 2023

    Manama, Bahrain--National accounts estimates issued by the Information eGovernment Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain showed that the real GDP of the Kingdom increased by 2.45% at constant prices and by 1.09% at current prices during the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Bahrain News...
  • Oman to expand production of green hydrogen to boost non-oil economy

    Hong Kong - The government of Oman’s targets to expand local green hydrogen production could support key credit metrics, such as GDP, fiscal revenue and the balance of payments, over the long term against the backdrop of the global energy transition, says Fitch Ratings. Uncertainty around potential outcomes remains high at...
  • UAE, Mauritius conclude CEPA talks, set to boost trade

    The CEPA will cover trade in goods and services, investment facilitation amongst others. Once implemented, it will accelerate robust growth in non-oil bilateral trade between the UAE and Mauritius, which in H1 2023 stood at US$63.1 million, with opportunities strongest in chemicals, metals and petroleum products sectors.
  • UAE best performing economy in Arab region, says Arab Monetary Fund

    Abu Dhabi, UAE - The United Arab Emirates was named the most economically competitive nation in the Arab world, a report on Arab Economic Competitiveness Index released by the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF). UAE's sustained progress across crucial sectors, including its economy and investment environment are said to be the...
  • Lebanon economy to plunge into recession due to Gaza war

    The impact of the conflict had reversed a slight recovery for Lebanon, which has battled a deep economic crisis for years, the Washington-based bank said in a report. "Prior to October 2023, economic growth was projected -- for the first time since 2018 -- to slightly expand in 2023," by...
  • UAE central bank raises 2024 economic growth forecast to 5.7%

    The bank stated in a report released today that the overall GDP for the country is expected to grow by 3.1 percent in 2023. The report anticipates a non-oil GDP growth of 5.9 percent in 2023 and 4.7 percent in the following year, while estimating the oil GDP growth at...
  • EU agrees on 150-million financial aid for Tunisia

    A joint statement said the funds amounting to around $164.3 million "aims to support the efforts undertaken by the Tunisian government to promote the recovery of the economy" through "the improvement of the management of public finances". Tunisia, which devotes a good part of its resources to repaying a crippling...
  • UAE GDP set to double in 2024 from oil and non-oil boost: report

    Dubai, UAE - The UAE’s GDP is expected to double in 2024 to 4.8%, up from 2.4% year-on-year in 2023, according to the latest Economic Insight report commissioned by ICAEW and compiled by Oxford Economics. While near-term growth may face constraints due to OPEC+ production quotas, the UAE's higher reference...
  • World Bank to expand climate funding in MENA by $10 billion

    Brhane said the World Bank integrated climate into all its work across the MENA region and is on track to align 100 percent of new operations with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
  • Protecting nature may avert $2.7trn global economic losses: World Bank

    Dubai, UAE-- Protecting nature could avert global economic losses by 2030 of US$2.7 trillion per year, or 2.3 percent annually, according to Valerie Hickey, Global Director for Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy at the World Bank. Speaking to media at COP28, she said that low-income countries could lose around...
  • MENA region can create 10m jobs by 2050 via climate action, says ILO

    DUBAI, UAE - International Labor Organization (ILO) Deputy Regional Director for the Arab States Peter Rademaker has confirmed that the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region could create 10 million new jobs and accelerate GDP to 7.2 percent by 2050 via taking a serious approach to climate action. In...
  • Climate change already reducing global GDP: report

    Low- and middle-income countries have experienced a combined loss in capital and GDP totaling $21 trillion, about half of the total 2023 GDP of the developing world, in the last 30 years, the report said. The authors specify that losses are "conservative estimates" because the analysis does not account for...
  • UAE non-oil activities to continue to see robust growth in 2024: OPEC

    Vienna, Austria--The UAE's non-oil economic activities continued to see robust performance and are expected to extend healthy development into 2024, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said. In its OPEC Monthly Oil Market Report for November 2023, the organisation anticipated the upward trend in non-oil activities to continue...
  • IMF upgrades China growth forecast to 5.4 percent in 2023

    Beijing, China - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday raised its 2023 economic growth forecast for China, citing stronger consumption and recent policy measures announced by Beijing. After a tough year for the world's number-two economy, there have been flickers of life in recent weeks, with third-quarter expansion coming in more...
  • Saudi Arabia’s Q3 real GDP falls by 4.5% on decreased oil activities

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased by 4.5 percent in the third quarter of 2023, compared to the third quarter of 2022, flash estimates by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said. GASTAT attributed the fall to a decrease in oil activities by 17.3...
  • Saudi Arabia’s economy exceeds US$1trn mark

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The gross domestic product of the Kingdom exceeded US$1 trillion which displays strong progress towards meeting its Vision 2030 targets, a report revealed. Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector is leading in growth for 2023, having accelerated to 5.8 percent year-on-year (yoy) in Q2 2023 and is...
  • Esports scores big for Saudi economy, culture & jobs

    The Kingdom, with its passion for sports and tech, is set to reshape the competitive gaming landscape by hosting the world's premier Electronic Sports World Cup from 2024.
  • China’s GDP rises above forecasts, boosted by robust recovery efforts

    BEIJING, CHINA - China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.9 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, surpassing economists' predictions of 4.4 percent. This demonstrates the continuing momentum of China's economic recovery, spurred by the introduction of various macro-policies since July. According to a Global Times report, Chinese analysts emphasize...
  • Key events reinforce UAE’s position as business hub

    "Hosting global events serve as crucial platforms, uniting experts and specialists from diverse sectors. They offer opportunities for communication, opinion exchange, experience sharing, and showcasing the latest products and services. The major economic events hosted by the UAE play a pivotal role in bolstering various economic sectors," he adds.