Ramadan influences consumer habits, retail strategy
The ongoing fasting month brings traditional practices and modern shopping habits together, impacting market trends significantly in the Gulf region.
Business
Women playing key role in educational innovations
Arab women have significant impact in shaping educational practices by embracing technology and student-centered learning, says Aziza Ellozy of The...
Interview
Economy
TRENDS poll: GCC residents opt to be in Dubai for Eid vacation
Most of the participants, in the poll from as far away as Egypt and Lebanon, picked up Dubai to celebrate...
- Dubai has been attracting young travelers in droves, thanks to its infrastructure, cleanliness, beaches, and high levels of safety
- Qatar has seen an influx of tourists, with a record number already being registered in the first two months of the year
Economy
UAE, Saudi Arabia lead GCC in job outsourcing
The latest developments are generating substantial growth opportunities for both local and international service providers in the outsourcing market, a...
- The latest developments have generated substantial growth opportunities for both local and international service providers in the outsourcing market, a report points out
- The UAE's outsourcing market is expected to reach US$6.8 billion in 2023, while Saudi Arabia's outsourcing market is projected to reach US$5.7 billion in 2027, it adds
Economy
Economic crisis, Ukraine war impact Arab currencies
The currencies of six Arab nations faced significant decline during the first quarter of 2023 amidst global economic uncertainty, while...
- The currencies of six Arab nations faced significant decline during the first quarter of 2023 amidst global economic uncertainty, while another six experienced growth
- Economic challenges, the strengthening US dollar, and the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war have all played a role in the recent currency fluctuations
Economy
TRENDS Poll: Inflation takes biggest bite from Gulf household incomes during Ramadan
The poll discovers people struggling across the Middle East to cope with high cost of living in the holy month...
- Egypt has seen inflation vault to 32 percent in February with the government taking steps to mitigate its effect on low-income groups
- Lebanon is facing a more severe cost-of-living crisis, with inflation reaching up to 123 percent in January
Economy
Priorities set to spur Saudi digital transformation
Organizations across the Kingdom are witnessing major DX impact in customer satisfaction, cost efficiencies, and data-driven insights, an IDC executive...
- Organizations across the Kingdom are witnessing major DX impact in customer satisfaction, cost efficiencies, and data-driven insights, an IDC executive tells TRENDS
- More than 50 percent of chief information officers in Saudi Arabia are now focused on transitioning their existing business models to digital ones, says an IDC report
Economy
Regulatory clarity to help GCC region unlock full potential of Metaverse, cryptocurrency markets
Data privacy, security, consent management, safety, integrity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, affordability, and protection of virtual asset ownership remain key concerns.
- Data privacy, security, consent management, safety, integrity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, affordability, and protection of virtual asset ownership remain key concerns
- The two technologies provide an opportunity to KSA and UAE to enable and accelerate non-oil use cases in the region and become hubs in the region and beyond
Business
Rising rates boost GCC banking sector’s net margin
The region's banking sector thrives in Q4-2022 with NIMs at multi-year highs and strong lending growth despite global banking crisis,...
- The region's banking sector thrives in Q4-2022 with NIMs at multi-year highs and strong lending growth despite global banking crisis, highlights a report
- The ongoing banking sector crisis in the US and Europe has limited impact on the region as GCC banks' exposure to these parts of the world remains minimal
Economy
Foreign realty ownership to diversify KSA economy
The move is likely to help regulate supply, bridge the gap between supply and demand, and create more demand for...
- The move is likely to help regulate supply, bridge the gap between supply and demand, and create more demand for further development in the Kingdom, says an expert
- The real estate sector plays a crucial role in the country's long-term plan to shift its economy away from oil dependence, adds James Elliot-Square of PRO Partner Group
Business
UAE to spend $20bn on digital tech in three years
The UAE aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to the GDP from 9.7% to 19.4% within the...
- The UAE aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to the GDP from 9.7% to 19.4% within the next 10 years, and seeks to establish itself as an innovation hub
- Govts must prioritize investments in digital infrastructure and R&D into frontier technologies such as AI and robotics, to enhance the digital economy's total factor productivity
Economy
Luxury, safety, modernity keep UAE hospitality ahead
The hospitality industry's future looks bright, with the GCC emerging as a major hub for both international and domestic travel,...
- The hospitality industry's future looks bright, with the GCC emerging as a major hub for both international and domestic travel, Naim Maadad of Gates Hospitality tells TRENDS
- Dubai's hospitality industry is bouncing back from the pandemic with both leisure and business trips on the rise, and the industry anticipating a prosperous year ahead, he adds
Ramadan influences consumer habits, retail strategy
The ongoing fasting month brings traditional practices and modern shopping habits together, impacting market trends significantly in the Gulf region.
Business
Company News
Latest News
Q3 corporate earnings show mixed results in GCC
While the energy and commodity sectors faced declines due to falling prices, the banking and telecom sectors demonstrated remarkable resilience,...
Market Report
Global food-security crisis nudges GCC to look inward
Billions of dollars are being invested into ventures to grow food in the GCC to make the arid, hot region...
Geostrategy
Conflict hits regional gas supply and infrastructure
The Israel-Hamas conflict has halted gas production at the Tamar plant, significantly impacting the region's infrastructure and disrupting Israel's gas...
Business
Most Read
Economy
Rising temperatures worry MENA region
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces severe climate change challenges, including water scarcity and extreme temperatures, with...
- With diverse strategies from GCC to non-GCC nations, the battle against climate change underscores a delicate balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability.
- In the MENA region, resource-rich GCC countries are better equipped to tackle climate change challenges that threaten food security, water resources, and biodiversity.
Economy
MENA’s $2trn construction boom boosts sustainability
With innovative technologies and a focus on reducing emissions, this transformation could position the region as a global leader in...
- With innovative technologies and a focus on reducing emissions, this transformation could position the region as a global leader in sustainable urban development.
- The region sees a unique chance to pioneer sustainable technologies, potentially reducing lifecycle emissions by 50-60%, highlights Strategy& Middle East and Dar.
Economy
Gaza conflict casts shadow on Israel’s gas industry
War with Palestinians disrupts Israel's gas exports, causing economic losses and altering energy strategies.
- The accounting and consulting firm BDO Israel estimated the economic losses of the closure of the Tamar field at about US$ 201 million a month
- The gas field supplied 8.7 billion cubic meters of gas to the Israeli market in 2022 while exporting another 1.57 billion cubic meters to Egypt and Jordan