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SAMA: E-payments share reached 70% of total payments in 2023
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announced on Monday that the share of retail consumer electronic payments - one of the Financial Sector Development Program’s KPIs - reached 70% of total retail payments in 2023, up from 62% in 2022. The achievement is attributed to the significant...
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Majid Al Futtaim net profit is $735m
The Group reported a 12% increase in EBITDA to $1.25 billion. -
Supply chain challenges hit Ramadan retail rush
Logistical adaptations, strategic planning, and forecasting essential for addressing the unique demands of increased consumption during Ramadan, says Aramex's Tarek Abi Yaghi. -
Jafza reports 28% year-on-year growth in 2023 of new Indian companies
DUBAI, UAE – Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is a major contributor to the growing trade between India and the UAE. There's been a significant increase in Indian businesses setting up there, with 28 percent more new companies in 2023 compared to the previous year. This resulted in over 190... -
Lloyds Group profit is $6.2bn
High interest rates benefitted the British lender and banking sector as a whole. -
S&P estimates UAE GDP to grow beyond 5% in 2024
According to Tatiana Leskova, Associate Director of Corporate Ratings at Standard and Poor's Global Ratings that the global economy while remaining subdued, operating at subpar growth levels, S&P estimates that UAE GDP expanded at over 3 percent in 2023, including close to 6 percent growth for the non-oil sector”. -
Madinah on list of top five regions for e-commerce records
Madinah, Saudi Arabia -- The number of existing electronic-commerce records in Madinah reached 1,834 during the 4th quarter of 2023, registering a slight increase of 2.6 percent from the 1,792 records for the third quarter, according to official figures. According to the business sector bulletin for the 4th quarter of... -
MBC IPO retail subscription begins
MBC Group runs a group of TV and radio channels. -
Black Friday is a $74bn opportunity for MENA retail. But is it losing sheen by ‘blindly copying’ the West?
The expected injection of billions of dollars into the retail business through sale of varied items can turn out to be a much-needed boost for a sector experiencing "sales fatigue." -
Black Friday is a $74bn opportunity for MENA retail. But is it losing sheen by ‘blindly copying’ the West?
The expected injection of billions of dollars into the retail business through sale of varied items can turn out to be a much-needed boost for a sector experiencing "sales fatigue." -
Stora Enso posts loss again
Stora Enso registered a loss of $272m euros in Q2 2023. -
FMCG sector drives global economic growth, innovation
"The growth of the FMCG industry is closely tied to population growth, urbanization, and rising disposable incomes. The sector is a crucial indicator of a country's overall economic health. A thriving FMCG sector is often a sign of strong consumer confidence and increased spending, which are essential for sustained economic... -
Goldman Sachs Q2 profits at $1.1bn
Profit fell due to anemic M&A market, weakness in trading. -
Middle East tackles AI hurdles, embraces opportunities
The region, rich in history and culture, is expected to accumulate substantial global AI benefits, reshaping its traditional sectors and driving innovation, reports suggest. -
Middle East tackles AI hurdles, embraces opportunities
The region, rich in history and culture, is expected to accumulate substantial global AI benefits, reshaping its traditional sectors and driving innovation, reports suggest. -
Abu Dhabi first quarter GDP up 3.9% on strong non-oil growth
Official data show a 6.1 percent growth in non-oil GDP during the first quarter of 2023, driven by strong performances in construction, wholesale and retail trade, transportation and storage, and financial and insurance services. The non-oil GDP (at constant prices) reached AED 146bn ($39.74bn) in Q1 compared to AED 137.7bn... -
Extended reality: XR tech transforms GCC businesses
XR technologies -- encompassing AR, VR, and MR -- are rapidly gaining traction across diverse sectors in the Gulf region, including academic, entertainment, and gaming. -
Walmart hikes 2023 profit forecast
Two thirds of Walmart sales originate from US. -
US retail sales, industrial production post April gains
Retail sales in the United States returned to growth in April fueled by a rebound in motor vehicle sales, data released showed, but not by as much as many expected. The US Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates 10 times in a row since last year in a bid to... -
Savola Group net profit up 45%
The company posted a net profit of $104 million for the quarter. -
UAE’s Al Ansari raises size of IPO retail tranche to 7.5%
The UAE-based exchange house said the number of ordinary shares has been increased from 37.50 million to 56.25 million. But the total size of the IPO— 750 million shares, equivalent to 10 percent of the Group’s issued share capital—remains unchanged. -
Majid Al Futtaim profit down 2%
The Group reported a 12 percent increase in revenue. -
What’s keeping CIOs across Middle East up at night?
Lack of relevant skills, constant innovation in a highly disruptive world while keeping in mind budget constraints and cybersecurity remain their key concerns, says an expert. -
Tourism, state spending spur real estate in KSA, UAE
Property markets benefit as an increased demand for tourists and the rise in government spending on infrastructure projects drive the post-pandemic recovery in the region. -
External players give tough race to UAE’s e-commerce
The external e-commerce players, projected to grow by 19.2 percent from 2022 to 2026, are expected to capture a share of 34 percent of the total online shopping in the UAE. -
Realty growth in Saudi Arabia, UAE to build on strong private sector and robust spending via govt initiatives
While 2022 saw record levels of demand for commercial office space as a result of ‘Programme HQ’, 2023 looks set to be dominated by the delivery of high quality residential-led mixed use schemes and a continued focus on tourism, leisure and entertainment projects, adds Burch, Partner and Head of Real... -
Increasing pressure from Saudi real estate projects to force Dubai to develop more distinctive offerings
At the moment, the market is solidly Dubai, which is recognised as the world leader in branded residential offerings with all eyes on the city’s upcoming openings. The slower approach of Abu Dhabi will be something to watch as it makes large-scale investments into the luxury sector, he adds. -
Funding gap, consumer apathy peter out sustainability in Middle East retail
There’s a critical mass of shoppers who talk of making a difference with their purchases. Consumers are willing to pay more for products with a positive environmental impact or health benefits. For younger people millennials in particular, sustainable shopping is a mainstream preoccupation, they add. -
Gulf retail sector turns to metaverse as consumers seek complete and immersive experience of products
Agile brands, especially luxury ones with sizeable marketing budgets, have readily tapped into the metaverse, creating exclusive NFTs and new revenue streams, says an expert. -
RIL posts Q3 profit of US$1.9b
Profit is 15 percent lower than in the same period last year -
E-commerce registers 200 percent growth in GCC
The sector gains meteoric traction, largely due to structural shift in consumer interests and partly because of the pandemic-induced accelerated digitalization, says an expert. -
Sustainable innovations to help Gulf industries reduce CO2 emissions, says report
Seven industries - advanced manufacturing services, retail, banking, energy, healthcare, consumer products, and automotive - are poised to be the key gainers, says a report. -
Businesses in Qatar post growth in December due to World Cup
Doha, Qatar-- Business activity in Qatar has accelerated in December as the FIFA World Cup went on through the month. The latest Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) survey data from Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) indicated further rapid growth of business activity in December. As was the case in November, wholesale, retail,... -
European Union to end two Amazon inquiries after agreement
Amazon, and its software, will be forbidden from analyzing non-public third-party seller data, and will treat all sellers equally when deciding which offer to put in the best screen location. Sellers will also be allowed to choose their own delivery firm, rather than being obliged to use the service chosen by... -
VOX Cinemas unveils debut slate of original Arabic films
Diverse line-up of movies features local stories from new and established storytellers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and UAE. -
US economy rose 2.9% in Q3, more than early report
The US economy grew more than initially reported in the third quarter this year, with government data released Wednesday reflecting upward revisions to retail spending and some forms of investment. GDP growth in the July to September period came in at 2.9 percent, annualized, better than the 2.6 percent figure... -
ADIB enables digital solutions to support UAE IPOs’ push
ABU DHABI, UAE - Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) announced that its retail customers were able to conveniently participate in the subscription of initial public offerings (IPOs) that were issued this year through its mobile app. ADIB said that 80 percent of clients subscribed IPOs that were issued in 2022... -
‘Ambush marketing’ may spoil the game as businesses across GCC get ready to gain from Qatar World Cup
As the world gears up for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, the positive ripple effect is being felt in the business fraternity across the Gulf region, especially in the UAE. -
Walmart posts Q3 loss of $1.8bn
Settlement on opioid cases hit earnings of the firm. -
Inflation set to shape holiday shopping season
Even as the retail industry is facing unprecedented challenges, the stars are aligning to deliver another "unprecedented" holiday season, a latest report points out. -
Firms in Middle East focus on sustainability innovation
Innovations poised to have an important impact on the sustainability of seven industries: advanced manufacturing services, retail, banking, energy, healthcare, consumer products and automotive. Banks, for example, continue to create new forms of greener, impact-driven products and services, he adds. -
Residential properties in UAE remain key attraction for international real estate investors
Experts attribute the main reasons for the increase in the real estate demand to the UAE government's numerous initiatives and the high income level of investors. -
Reliance Q2 net profit at $1.65bn
RIL's core oil-refining business hit overall profits. -
Dubai Metaverse Assembly takes delegates to Mars
Participants were taken on an immersive space journey to a detailed metaverse city on the Red Planet. -
Majid Al Futtaim H1 EBIDTA $517m
The EBITDA rose 18 percent from $435 million a year ago. -
Retail sector in Gulf region stares at slump in business
Market experts predict a hard summer for the GCC retail industry as rising costs keep shoppers away from malls and stores amid soaring inflation and high cost of fuel. -
What’s next for e-commerce in post-pandemic world?
Post pandemic, the logistics sector is best placed to support e-commerce businesses in tapping the unlocked potential of the large and still untapped market. The Middle East, which is continuing to experience rapid growth in e-commerce, may get an additional push from the logistics sector, she adds. -
Emaar to sell Namshi to Noon
The Dubai developer will sell its online retailer for $335.2m. -
Savola sells KEC stake for $122m
Savola wants to focus on core food and retail businesses. -
Mubadala to buy Canada Cartage
Canada Cartage provides national fleet solutions. -
Retaining customers rattles retailers as sales drop
From optimizing the purchasing ecosystem to driving personalization and developing schemes that help consumers with finance management, retailers must work harder.