INSEAD Day 4 - 728x90

BYD logs record EV sales in 2025

It sold 2.26m EVs vs Tesla's 1.22 by Sept end.

Google to invest $6.4bn

The investment is its biggest-ever in Germany.

Pfizer poised to buy Metsera

The pharma giant improved its offer to $10bn.

Ozempic maker lowers outlook

The company posted tepid Q3 results.

Kimberly-Clark to buy Kenvue

The deal is valued at $48.7 billion.

The Gulf’s Capital Plumbing

Futuristic, lifestyle-changing entrepreneurial ideas are targeting liquid GCC markets, where hyperscalers and deep-pocketed sovereign and private investors and family offices fuel growth ambitions.

GCC as the bridge in a fragmented global ad tech market

S4 Capital founder Martin Sorrell tells TRENDS digital dominance, AI disruption and consolidation are reshaping global advertising, urging agile, tech-first players to implement change decisively.

Weaker dollar creates window for international property buyers in Dubai

For British buyers, the impact is substantial. A AED 5 million property that cost £1,098,901 in January 2025 now costs just £994,036—a saving of nearly £105,000, or 9.45%. Similar gains apply to buyers from the EU, Japan, China, and other regions with currencies that have strengthened against the dollar, writes Charles Philion, co-founder Pure Value

Dubai faces substantial supply headwinds that may absorb currency-driven demand without triggering significant price gains. Approximately 45,000-50,000 new residential units are expected in 2025-2026, with vacancy rates elevated in older secondary locations, he adds.

Gulf startup hubs: Converging strategies, diverging ambitions

Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally ambitious growth paths.

Gaming, esports GCC’s new growth play

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the gaming surge with world-class ecosystems and youth-driven expansion. Across the region, governments increasingly recognize gaming and esports as key drivers of future economies.

Sovereign tech: Building a regional stack, not rival silos

As Gulf states race to build sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure, the real opportunity lies in pooling capital, standards and...

Startups need more than funding: they need an ecosystem

Drew Propson, Head of Technology and Innovation in Financial Services at the World Economic Forum, explains how sustainable growth, AI innovation, and a strong regulatory and talent infrastructure are reshaping global and MENA startup ecosystems.

How Doha is Building a Knowledge Economy 

By pairing sovereign capital with frictionless regulation, Doha reversed the startup playbook, attracting investors and founders first, then letting an ecosystem form around them naturally

Embed AI in workflows so deep that it becomes invisible: Matt Cloke

Becoming AI-native starts with a shift in mindset. To harness its full potential, we need to see AI not as a product but as a partner. It’s less about which model you’re using and more about how you use it, writes Cloke, CTO Endava.

UAE is shifting from attracting talent to unleashing it: Sheraa vice-chairperson

With national campaigns such as The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World setting targets of training 10,000 Emiratis and creating 10 unicorns, the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) is emerging as a key engine driving this shift.

Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age

In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape — it’s how we make sense of everything around us, says Andy Climan, CEO of Entertainment Media Ventures.

The Gulf’s Capital Plumbing

Futuristic, lifestyle-changing entrepreneurial ideas are targeting liquid GCC markets, where hyperscalers and deep-pocketed sovereign and private investors and family offices...

GCC as the bridge in a fragmented global ad tech market

S4 Capital founder Martin Sorrell tells TRENDS digital dominance, AI disruption and consolidation are reshaping global advertising, urging agile, tech-first...

Latest News

US navy ramps up Middle East buildup, second carrier en route

According to a defense official, there are currently 10 warships and an aircraft carrier positioned within the Central Command area...

Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid measures to ‘annex’ more West Bank land

Palestinian officials described the Israeli parliament's decision related to West Bank land as a “serious escalation,” while armed groups and...

Citizen-consumers are redefining the global reputation of multinationals: Ipsos study

The report, Impacts of Multinational Corporations: What Citizen-Consumers Want from Foreign Companies Doing Business in Their Country, draws on a...

Governments must put creativity at the center of economic strategy: Report

Titled Creative Futures: The Springboard for Sustained Economic Growth and Diversification, the report argues that cultural and creative industries —...

Iran’s Khamenei likens protests to ‘coup’, warns of regional war

Iran's supreme leader on Sunday likened recent anti-government protests to a "coup", warning that any US attack on the Islamic...

INSEAD Day 1 -300x250
INSEAD Day 1 -300x250

Weaker dollar creates window for international property buyers in Dubai

Dubai faces substantial supply headwinds that may absorb currency-driven demand without triggering significant price gains. Approximately 45,000-50,000 new residential units are expected in 2025-2026, with vacancy rates...

Gulf startup hubs: Converging strategies, diverging ambitions

Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally...

EDITOR'S PICK

3 ways travel drives economic growth while enhancing global connections and sustainability

WTTC research shows that, having endured estimated losses of $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs...

EVs just the start, urban mobility needs a holistic approach

Cities must adopt EVs alongside shared transport, robust infrastructure, clean energy, and inclusivity, says Jamie...

Exclusive: Private military companies look at $366.8bn market as their demand, role in global conflicts rise

Rising security concerns, confrontational geopolitics, and chaotic global changes have fueled the demand for private...

TikTok under fire: Espionage claims, election influence campaigns and controversies

The platform faces accusations of espionage in the United States, while the European Union has...

Startups need more than funding: they need an ecosystem

Drew Propson, Head of Technology and Innovation in Financial Services at the World Economic Forum, explains how sustainable growth, AI...

Latest News

Iran’s Khamenei likens protests to ‘coup’, warns of regional war

Iran's supreme leader on Sunday likened recent anti-government protests to a "coup", warning that any US attack on the Islamic...

Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump’s Fed pick

Gold and silver prices dived Friday, European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street fell slightly with investors reassured...

Hamas tells AFP ready to transfer Gaza governance to Palestinian committee

"Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of...

Qatar announces $430 mn in support for Lebanon

A visiting Qatari official on Monday announced a multi-million dollar aid package for Lebanon, primarily to support the country's crumbling...

Gold tops $5,000 for first time on Trump policy unrest

While turbulence over Trump's ambitions for Greenland and pressure on the Federal Reserve have provided the most recent support for...

Gaming, esports GCC’s new growth play

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the gaming surge with world-class ecosystems and youth-driven expansion. Across the region, governments...

UAE is shifting from attracting talent to unleashing it: Sheraa vice-chairperson

With national campaigns such as The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World setting targets of training 10,000 Emiratis and...

Sovereign tech: Building a regional stack, not rival silos

As Gulf states race to build sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure, the real opportunity lies in pooling capital, standards and...

How Doha is Building a Knowledge Economy 

By pairing sovereign capital with frictionless regulation, Doha reversed the startup playbook, attracting investors and founders first, then letting an...

Embed AI in workflows so deep that it becomes invisible: Matt Cloke

Becoming AI-native starts with a shift in mindset. To harness its full potential, we need to see AI not as...

Beyond entertainment: How storytelling is shifting in the digital age

In a world where our screens shape how we think, feel, and connect, entertainment has become more than an escape...

Battle of the Tech Hubs

The GCC is competing to build world-class technology hubs, investing heavily in AI, infrastructure, and sovereign capital to drive digital...
  • The GCC smart cities and digital transformation market reached $145.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $907 billion by 2032.
  • Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, for instance, was the largest sovereign-owned investor globally in 2024, deploying $29 billion across 52 deals, a 67 percent increase from the previous year.

Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid measures to ‘annex’ more West Bank land

Palestinian officials described the Israeli parliament's decision related to West Bank land as a “serious escalation,” while armed groups and...
  • Several governments have renewed warnings that unilateral annexation or settlement expansion would violate international law and risk further destabilizing the region.
  • The latest Gaza killings also comes as indirect negotiations and mediation efforts have struggled to gain traction.

‘Innovation takes time—The Gulf’s economic transformation requires patience and persistence’

In an interview with TRENDS, Josh Lerner says Gulf economies pursuing diversification must recognize that transformation takes time, patience, and...
  • Innovation reforms take time, strong institutions, and market-aligned policies, Josh Lerner tells TRENDS
  • Funding alone is not enough; follow-on capital and a culture that rewards risk are essential, he adds