Business - TRENDS MENA

UAE and Middle East investors remain supported by stable oil markets, easing geopolitical risk premiums and strong liquidity, the bank...
Bank forecasts S&P 500 reaching 7,950 and gold rising to $5,100 by mid-2027.
Global equities have gained more than 12% this year, supported by earnings and AI optimism.
Dubai, UAE -- Saudi Arabia's tourism authority has launched a digital platform bringing together travel offers and tourism packages from...
Platform combines accommodation, flights, events and entertainment offers.
Packages available for Riyadh, Jeddah, Asir, Red Sea, Taif and Al-Baha.
Domestic travel helped sustain Saudi Arabia's tourism sector in the first quarter, with total visitor numbers rising to 37.2 million...
International visitors generated SAR48 billion, nearly 60% of total tourism spending despite representing just one-fifth of travelers.
More than 105,000 hotel rooms are scheduled for delivery by 2030 as Saudi Arabia expands tourism infrastructure.
Brent crude futures rose 24 cents, or 0.38%, to $78.15 a barrel by 0026 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate...
The gains followed a selloff of more than 3% on Monday, when oil prices fell after signs of progress in negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Spot gold was down 1.1% at $4,142.61 an ounce as of 0414 GMT, while U.S. gold futures for August delivery fell 1% to $4,160.20.
New economic licences issued in Abu Dhabi rose 21% in the first quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, reflecting...
New licences rose 58% in Al Ain and 28% in Al Dhafra, outpacing growth in Abu Dhabi city.
Thirty-four industrial facilities entered production during the quarter, supporting local manufacturing capacity and supply-chain development goals.
State-backed investors are expanding beyond traditional investment models, increasing exposure to alternatives, AI and direct deals while balancing returns with...
Top 10 sovereign wealth funds hold more than 75% of global assets.
Sovereign wealth funds reached about $15 trillion in assets under management in 2025.
Dubai, UAE -- Saudi Arabia reduced its holdings of U.S. Treasury securities by $9.5 billion in April to $140.1 billion,...
The decline followed a sharp increase earlier this year that had lifted Saudi holdings to a six-year high of $160.4 billion in February.
Since then, the kingdom has pared back its exposure, largely through reductions in Treasury bills and other short-dated securities.
The growth was driven primarily by domestic travel, which reached 93.3 million tourists, up 8.3% from 2024, while inbound visitor...
Leisure and holiday travel attracted 7 million visitors, while visits to friends and relatives totaled 4.4 million. Business travel rose 14% to 2.3 million visitors.
Hospitality capacity expanded sharply, with licensed rooms rising 25.4% as tourism's contribution to GDP edged higher.
Dubai, UAE -- AD Ports Group has launched an integrated logistics service linking the UAE's Khalifa Port with Iraq's Umm...
Weekly shipping link targets growing container and Ro-Ro traffic moving between Iraq, the UAE and neighbouring markets.
Enhanced logistics capabilities at both ports aim to improve cargo handling efficiency and long-term supply chain resilience.
The emirate was ranked in the #41-50 category globally, improving from the #51-60 range a year earlier and marking one...
The report highlighted the role of Hub71 in supporting founders and technology companies as Abu Dhabi seeks to strengthen its position as a global innovation hub.
The report, unveiled at the VivaTech conference in Paris, analyzed data from more than 5.5 million companies across over 350 entrepreneurial ecosystems worldwide.