UAE tourism generates $12.24bn in hotel revenues in 2024: Minister
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Hotel revenues in the UAE reached approximately AED 45 billion ( $12.24 billion) in 2024, reflecting...
Business
‘Visa-free entry for GCC nationals will enhance business collaboration’
In an interview with TRENDS, CEO of ITCN Asia, Muhammad Umair Nizam highlights the expanding role of Pakistani IT firms...
- ITCN Asia offers a platform for stakeholders to collaborate, uniting government and industry leaders for discussions on key tech issues, CEO Muhammad Umair Nizam said
- Pakistan’s software services industry have stood out, with companies offering cybersecurity solutions, virtual reality for military and everyday use, he added
Economy
Central & Southern Asia and Oceania region leads the world in cryptocurrency adoption
The fifth annual Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index looks at both on- and off-chain data to determine which countries are...
- This year, crypto activity increased across countries of all income brackets
- Central & Southern Asia and Oceania accounted for over $750 billion in crypto asset inflows
Business
UAE banking sector assets exceed $1.16 trillion by the end of June
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) revealed that total banking assets, including bank acceptance certificates,...
- The assents registered a month-on-month increase of 0.5 percent, compared to AED 4.28 trillion in May 2024.
- The total foreign assets of the Central Bank of the UAE exceeded the AED 770 billion barrier at the end of June, for the first time in its history.
Economy
How Pakistan is becoming a top tech hub in the GCC
Pakistan's IT sector is thriving, with growing exports and recognition as a tech hub, driven by government support, skilled talent,...
- While Pakistan has been declared the "Tech Destination of the Year" at GITEX GLOBAL 2024, one of the key players driving this growth is the Pakistan Software Houses Association
- Across the GCC, Pakistani companies provide cybersecurity and AI driven solutions across various sectors, including banking and fintech industries
Qatar strikes new 15-year 3 mtpa LNG supply deal with Kuwait
Qatar agreed on Monday to supply Kuwait with 3 million tons per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for...
- Kuwait has been boosting its reliance on imported gas to meet power demand
- Qatar this year announced a further expansion of its North Field project
Business
China’s robot makers chase Tesla to deliver humanoid workers
Beijing, China - China dominates the market for electric vehicles. Now it's chasing in the race to build battery-powered humanoids...
- Annual global market for humanoid robots could reach $38 billion by 2035
- Tesla, reiterated it expected to move beyond prototypes to start producing Optimus in small volumes next year
Business
Anthropic hit with class-action lawsuit over copyright infringement
Anthropic, the Amazon-backed artificial intelligence startup, on Monday, was hit with a class-action lawsuit in California federal court over alleged...
- "An essential component of Anthropic’s business model is the larges scale theft of copyrighted works"
- This case follows another lawsuit brought against Anthropic last October by Universal Music
Saudi bid to host 2034 World Cup positions Kingdom as global center for top sports events
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the Kingdom’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. He said this...
- Saudi topped the UNs’ list for highest growth in international tourist numbers in 2023
- FIFA is set to confirm Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 event in December
Business
Dubai welcomes record 9.31m international overnight visitors in H1
Dubai, UAE -- Dubai welcomed 9.31 million international overnight visitors from January to June 2024, a 9 percent increase over...
- Dubai was named the No.1 global destination for an unprecedented third successive year in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards in January.
- Occupied room nights increased by 3 percent, with 21.35 million at the end of H1 2024, compared to 20.73 million in H1 2023.
Economy
Record high Gold prices amidst expected September FED rate cut
Gold prices continued to notch new records Wednesday, lifted by increasing conviction that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates...
- Gold rose 0.5% to $2,482.29 per ounce, hitting an all-time high
- Markets are fully pricing in a rate cut of at least 25 basis points
Company News
Meraas awards $544m contract
Business
Latest News
ADNOC L&S 2024 net profit $756m
Business
Salik 2024 net profit before taxes $348m
The toll operator's revenue increased by 6% to $626 million.
Business
Saudi Arabia’s inflation rate 2 percent in Jan, rental prices main driver
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's annual inflation rate in Jan 2025 reached 2 percent compared to January 2024, the...
Economy
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Business
ADNOC Distribution 2024 net profit down 7%
Minus UAE corporate tax, it would have grown by 2.4% to $725m
- The company achieved its highest-ever (EBITDA) of $1.05 billion (AED3.86 billion), an increase of 4.8 percent year-on-year.
- The company's Board of Directors has recommended a cash dividend of $350 million (AED1.285 billion) for H2 2024.
Economy
IMF projects 3.3% global growth for 2025, MENA to rebound to 3.6%
Dubai, UAE -- The International Monterey Fund (IMF) has projected global growth to remain at 3.3 percent this year and...
- IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said that growth in the Middle East and North Africa is expected to rebound to about 3.6 percent in 2025.
- She warned that global public debt is projected to hit 100 percent of global GDP by 2030.
Business
UAE non-oil foreign trade up by 14.6% in 2024 to reach $816bn
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- UAE's non-oil foreign trade increased by a record 14.6 percent in 2024, compared to 2023, reaching...
- He said that of all the positive indicators, the most encouraging is the increasing contribution of non-oil exports to UAE's foreign trade.
- Last year, they climbed 27.6 percent in to reach a record AED561.2 billion – nearly 70 percent of the AED800 billion target.