Building a secure future: Key takeaways from WEF’s Dubai meetings
The Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity, held jointly with the Global Future Councils, focused on strengthening global cooperation to enhance digital...
Geostrategy
Tech leaders unite to propel future-critical sectors at GITEX GLOBAL 2025
Dubai, UAE: With capabilities of AI advancing every year, its potential to address challenges once thought unsolvable is rapidly expanding,...
Business
Business
World’s longest diamond necklace set to break Guinness record at Sharjah show
Sharjah, UAE – Exhibitors at the 55th Watch and Jewelry Middle East Show, scheduled from May 28 to June 1,...
- The piece incorporates more than 600 lab-grown diamonds, precisely set in 18-karat rose gold, representing a fusion of luxury aesthetics and cutting-edge production techniques.
- The official Guinness assessment is set to take place on the first day of the 55th Watch and Jewelry Middle East Show.
Business
ADNOC’s listed companies post over $2.3 billion net profit in first quarter
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- ADNOC Group's publicly traded portfolio companies combined to deliver over $2.3 billion (AED8.4 billion) in first...
- ADNOC Distribution delivered first quarter net profit of $174 million (AEDAED639 million), up 16 percent year-on-year.
- Borouge reported strong Q1 2025 results with net profit of $281 million, driven by year-on-year increases of 10 percent for sales volumes and 7 percent for production volumes.
Economy
Massive GCC infrastructure investments set stage for rising foreign equity: Franklin Templeton
The Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Equity outlook emphasizes how GCC countries have reduced their dependence on oil and gas, opened...
- The FTEME outlook emphasizes how GCC countries have reduced their dependence on oil and gas, opened their capital markets, and diversified their economies
- The report highlights a striking decline in the equity risk premium (ERP) in the GCC — from 6.6% in 2016 to 2.4% by March 2025
Geostrategy
Two-State solution nearing point of no return: UN chief
He renewed calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and full humanitarian access. He...
- Guterres expressed deep concern over the worsening crisis in Gaza, where nearly 2,000 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire collapsed in March
- He renewed calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and full humanitarian access
Business
Etihad unveils new A321LR aircraft
A321LR features First Suite - a private, enclosed space with a sliding door.
- The airline highlighted the aircraft's enhanced guest experience, including a first-class offering typically found on larger planes.
- The aircraft features new First Suites with sliding doors and lie-flat beds, 14 lie-flat business-class seats with direct aisle access, and upgraded economy seating.
Business
SAIB reports $139 million Q1 net profit
its assets increased by 20.08 percent to $43.65bn.
- The profit growth was driven by a 4.7% year-on-year (YoY) hike in the first-quarter net special commission income, mainly due to higher returns from financing and investment
- Its clients' deposits were valued at SAR 101.66 billion, which is 14.96 percent higher than SAR 88.43 billion a year ago.
Business
Emirates Islamic Q1 profit $394m
The bank's profit crossed AED 1bn mark for the first time.
- Total income rose 8 percent year-on-year to AED1.45 billion ($394 million) in Q1 2025.
- Operating profit increased by 5 percent compared to Q1 2024, while the net profit margin remained robust at 3.85 percent.
Business
Bank credit to Saudi public and private sectors up by $105 billion: SAMA
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Total bank credit granted to the public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia reached its highest...
- Total bank credit recorded a monthly growth of 1.2%, increasing by SAR 37.035 billion compared to last Jan, when it stood at SAR 3.005 trillion.
- The bank credit granted to the public and private sectors was distributed across more than 17 diverse economic activities.
Travel and tourism sector contributes 11.4 percent to Gulf’s GDP
Muscat, Oman -- Travel and tourism sector's contribution to the Gulf's GDP by the end of 2024 reached approximately 11.4 percent,...
- The growth rate of the sector's contribution to the Gulf's GDP increased by approximately 31.9 percent compared to the figures recorded in 2019.
- Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf GCC-Stat said the sector's contribution to the global GDP in 2024 amounted to 2.2 percent.
Business
Ajman real estate transactions reach $560 million in March
Ajman, UAE -- Real estate transactions in Ajman reached AED 2.06 billion ($560 million) in March 2025, marking a significant...
- Omar bin Omair Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Ajman's Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation, said the emirate recorded 1,025 real estate transactions in March.
- Al Muhairi noted that Ajman's real estate market continues to show strong momentum, consistently achieving record figures.
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Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
Building a secure future: Key takeaways from WEF’s Dubai meetings
The Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity, held jointly with the Global Future Councils, focused on strengthening global cooperation to enhance digital...
Geostrategy
Company News
Latest News
TAQA H1 net income $1bn
Business
Buraidah date carnival boosts Saudi tourism and economy
Buraidah, Saudi Arabia -- The Buraidah Date Carnival witnessed growing economic and tourism activity, making it a key destination for...
Business
ATP and Saudi Arabia’s PIF launch new tennis tech platform
NEW YORK and RIYADH — The ATP Tour, in a landmark partnership with the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has unveiled...
Geostrategy
Austrian university develops technique to renew buildings without demolition
Vienna, Austria - A research team from Graz University of Technology in Austria has succeeded in developing an innovative fastening...
Science
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Geostrategy
Israel approves major West Bank settlement project, sparks international outcry
Israel has long had ambitions to build on the roughly 12-square-kilometre parcel known as E1 just east of Jerusalem, but...
- Critics say the settlement would effectively cut the West Bank in two, undermining hopes for a contiguous Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.
- UN chief Antonio Guterres warned last week that constructing Israeli homes in the E1 area would "put an end to" hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Economy
Gross national income of GCC countries hits $2.143 trillion
Muscat, Oman -- The latest data released by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of...
- The value of disposable national income (available for consumption and savings after deducting taxes and other transfers) amounted to US$1.989 trillion.
- The data indicate that the contribution of the non-oil sector to the GCC’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices rose to 71.5 percent by the end of 2023.
Business
TAQA H1 net income $1bn
The group's revenue reached $7.73 billion.
- This growth was led by higher pass-through costs in the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) segment.
- The group reduced its gross debt position to AED61.7 billion, enabled by scheduled repayments and the maturity of a corporate bond.