Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade surplus $4.58 billion in Nov 2023
Doha, Qatar -- Qatar's foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus...
Business
Palestinian Monetary Authority condemns Israeli raids on exchange firms
Ramallah, Palestinian Territories -- The Palestinian Monetary Authority (PMA) said Thursday that the Israeli occupation army’s storming of six exchange...
Geostrategy
Business
Over-confidence leaves UAE consumers prone to online frauds: Visa study
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Over-confidence is leaving consumers in UAE open to becoming victims of fraud, according to Visa’s...
- Ninety-percent respondents likely to disregard the warning signs that suggest online criminal activity even though 61% claim to be savvy enough to sidestep scams.
- Just over one in two people (54 percent) in the UAE has been a victim of a scam at least once compared to the global average of 52 percent.
Business
Saudi Crown Prince launches urban plan of Qiddiya city
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Prime Minister and Chairman of the board of directors of the...
- Qiddiya city will become, in the near future, the foremost global destination in the fields of entertainment, sports, and culture, Argaam reported.
- Work on the project has already begun by pumping about SAR 10 billion into the construction projects. The first assets are expected to be inaugurated in the next two years.
Geostrategy
North-South Corridor, Palestine key agenda of Raisi-Putin talks in Moscow
Dubai, UAE – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, ahead of his visit to Moscow, has emphasized the importance of the North-South...
- Speaking at Tehran’s Mehrabad airport before departing for Russia, Raisi indicated that both Iran and Russia are eager to accelerate the construction of this transport project.
- The Kremlin press service confirmed that the discussions between Putin and Raisi will cover various subjects, including trade and economic cooperation
Business
ROSHN, Retal sign $99m deal
363 single-family villas will be constructed in Riyadh.
- SEDRA, spanning eight phases over 35 million square meters, integrates nature and local heritage, creating a unique living experience.
- The latest agreement with Retal underscores the commitment to delivering a modern, upscale, and sustainable urban community, ROSHN said.
Real estate deals in Bahrain decline marginally in third quarter: CBRE
Manama, Bahrain - Real estate transactions in Bahrain recorded a marginal 2.5 percent decline in Q3 2023, totaling 5,145 compared to the...
- Quoted apartment sales experienced a slight decrease of 1.7 percent, while apartment rents rose by 3.2 percent.
- Villa rents and sales, on the other hand, saw significant increases of 4.3 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively
Geostrategy
Ambitious agreements mark Saudi Crown Prince’s Qatar visit
Doha, Qatar – Following a landmark visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to Qatar,...
- The two countries expressed deep concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the need for a comprehensive and just resolution to the Palestinian question.
- Economic and trade discussions focused on enhancing economic partnerships, diversifying trade, and investing in opportunities within the framework of their transformative visions.
Economy
Saudi Arabia expects budget deficits in 2023 and 2024 as spending rises
The announcement comes one year after the Gulf kingdom, the world's biggest crude exporter and the Middle East's largest economy,...
- The deficit for 2023 is expected to amount to 82 billion Saudi riyals (roughly $21.8 billion), while in 2024 it is expected to total 79 billion Saudi riyals (roughly $21 billion)
- The projections broadly align with a pre-budget statement issued in October that indicated deficits would last through 2026.
Business
People-positive approach needed in clean power transition: WEF paper
Dubai, UAE -- Building massive infrastructure for clean power projects in pursuit of climate goals will need nearly $4.5 trillion in...
- The white paper calls for a dialogue between the industry and community groups and NGOs to define common standards for a people-positive energy transition.
- It also urges governments to not only focus on the lowest price but also the wider societal value creation in their transition plans.
Business
Mubadala invests in Zenobē
The investment is aimed at powering 4,000 electric vehicles.
- The collective investment aims to power 4,000 electric buses, trucks, and commercial vehicles, contributing to the global transition to cleaner transportation by 2026.
- London-based Zenobē, established in 2017, specializes in electric vehicle (EV) fleet solutions and large-scale battery storage.
Business
Riyad Bank Saudi PMI down to 57.5 points in November
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI), formerly S&P Global Saudi Arabia PMI,...
- The index continued to signal a rapid expansion in the non-oil private sector in November,
- Higher raw material prices led to a continuous increase in corporate sales prices, but demand remained strong.
Qatar’s foreign merchandise trade surplus $4.58 billion in Nov 2023
Doha, Qatar -- Qatar's foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus...
Business
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ESG buys majority stake in UIG
Business
SFD-financed Arkiz Agricultural Project in Mauritania inaugurated
Dubai, UAE -- The Arkiz Agricultural Project in Mauritania, which has been financed by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD)...
Geostrategy
$661m plot of land among weeklong real estate deals in Dubai
The emirate recorded a total of 3,785 real estate transactions worth AED 16.6bn ($4.51 billion) during the week ending 22...
Business
Russia won’t consider ratings while granting loans to countries
Previously, to be eligible for a loan from Moscow, a country could not be categorized in the sixth or lower...
Economy
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Geostrategy
Angola departure a blow for OPEC+ as cartel tensions rise
Despite slashing oil production for months on end and announcing new cuts in late November, the Organization of the Petroleum...
- Prices are sitting at their lowest level in nearly six months despite the cartel's announcement in November to further cut output.
- Angola is far from the first small country to quit the cartel. Indonesia left in 2009, Qatar in 2019 and Ecuador in 2020.
Economy
UAE consumer spending expected to rise by 5% in 2024: Mastercard report
Dubai, UAE -- Consumer spending in the UAE is expected to increase by 5 percent in 2024, while consumers and...
- Expansionary fiscal policy is set to continue to support growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the report said.
- GCC’s strong push to grow its tourism sector have made the region one of the world’s fastest-growing destinations.
Economy
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...
- The bank said that the UAE economy recorded a 3.8 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in the second quarter of the current year, compared to 8 percent recorded in Q2 2022.
- It mentioned that the non-oil GDP growth accelerated to 7.3 percent YoY in the second quarter of the current year, up from 4.5 percent YoY in the previous quarter.