Israel-Gaza conflict creates global economic ripples
As Israel grapples with the surprise Hamas action and global community gauges economic ramifications, the future of Israel's relations with...
Analysis
UAE set to lead GCC’s e-commerce markets next year
“E-commerce sales via marketplaces will continue to grow in double-digit percentages in 2023, driven by a higher proportion of cross-border...
YEARBOOK 2023
Interview
GCC luxury market grows despite supply chain woes
The GCC personal luxury market will continue to be on a ‘strong growth trajectory,’ Chalhoub Group Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)...
- High-end jewelry is expected to continue to record strong growth in the region
- Meanwhile, online shopping has doubled in the Middle East in the last two years
Analysis
Europe energy market: Will Qatar replace Russia?
The United States has asked Qatar to supply gas to Europe if Russian supplies were disrupted due to Moscow's military...
- Qatar gas exports account for about 106 billion cubic meters, with 80 percent going to Asia and 20 percent to Europe
- Qatar could cover around 13 percent of Russian gas imports to the European Union and the United Kingdom
Analysis
Policy eyed as Mideast bears brunt of climate change
Disasters caused by climate change since 2000 have killed approximately 2,600 people, affected seven million others, and caused $2 billion...
- Temperatures in the region have risen by 1.5°C over the last three decades, twice the global increase of 0.7°C
- According to the IMF, disasters caused by climate change have killed approximately 2,600 people since 2000
Analysis
GCC exchanges recoup their losses
From the UAE to Saudi Arabia, the main indexes made up for their losses as the week came to a...
- The Abu Dhabi index fell 1.3 percent on Thursday, its biggest daily fall in more than a month
- The Dubai index on Monday climbed 1.3 percent to its highest in the previous two weeks
Opinion
Why few brands lag behind in sustainability game?
The best brands take a cross-functional approach, embedding sustainability within divisions and business units while linking incentives to sustainability targets....
- Winning brands decide which specific sustainability topics they want to use to actively engage with consumers
- To bring sustainability messages authentically to consumers, the best brands develop a sensitive consumer-engagement strategy
Interview
Inspiring people is ‘a good legacy’: Sheikha Lubna
Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, the first woman to be an Emirati cabinet minister, opens up to TRENDS about...
- In the UAE, every generation witnesses significant changes, but one constant is the government’s support towards and confidence in youth, said the Sheikha
- Empowering women and giving them the right opportunities is not new; it had already started since the foundation of the UAE, she added
Analysis
Global projects to fuel Aramco 2022 growth
The Saudi Arabian Oil Company has outlined a clear strategy to continue to invest in both upstream and downstream segments,...
- In March, Saudi Aramco said its net income increased 124 percent to $110 billion in 2021, compared to $49 billion in 2020
- This was the result of higher oil prices, stronger refining and chemicals margins, and SABIC’s consolidation of full-year results
Analysis
GCC keeps pace with global solar, wind trends
Countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman appear on track to take giant strides in diversifying their portfolios when...
- Across the greater MENA region, Yemen, Jordan, Turkey, and Morocco have generated more than 10 percent of their power from solar and wind
- However, things appear poised to change very soon, with several projects that may improve the region’s overall renewable outlook
Business
UAE free zones set to gain from corporate tax relief
Around 40 free zones in the UAE are likely to attract more investors and FDI after they were declared exempt...
- The 9-percent corporate tax will be levied on companies with profits above AED375,000 (approximately $102,090)
- Announced on January 31 by the UAE’s Ministry of Finance, the tax regime will be implemented from June 1, 2023
Economy
Gulf countries warm up to waste-to-fuel plans
Here’s a broader look at how the region has prioritized solid-waste recycling and the production of alternative fuels to deal...
- Solid waste management is one of the most critical challenges facing all GCC countries
- Construction waste accounts for 53% of the total solid waste generated in the Gulf countries
Israel-Gaza conflict creates global economic ripples
As Israel grapples with the surprise Hamas action and global community gauges economic ramifications, the future of Israel's relations with...
Analysis
Company News
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“US lives in solipsistic fantasies”
Geostrategy
“US lives in solipsistic fantasies”
Diminished leverage in the Gulf region makes Washington a less compelling partner than it once was, says Chas W Freeman,...
Geostrategy
‘Mobile-first mindset’ rules companies in Middle East
With an average of 40 percent of sales taking place via mobile, a growing number of enterprise-sized brands see mobile...
Business
Crises put Gulf investments in Sri Lanka at stake
The region has invested billions of dollars across sectors in the South Asian nation as recent past witnessed an expansion...
Analysis
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Geostrategy
Biden’s Arab trip lukewarm, at best
The US president could not dispel the view that the Washington is no longer a reliable ally and he also...
- The US president could not dispel the view that the US is no longer a reliable partner and he also failed to connect at a personal level with the young GCC leaders, say experts
- He publicly invited UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed for a state visit to Washington. 'Why did he not extend the same thing to Mohammed bin Salman?' a professor asks
Analysis
Investors stay away as oil fuels tension in Iraq
The long-simmering dispute came to a head in February when the federal supreme court ordered Kurdistan to hand over oil...
- Iraq, the second largest OPEC producer, sits on enormous oil reserves, and revenues from the sector feed 90 percent of the federal government budget.
- The country exports an average of 3.3 million barrels of crude oil per day (bpd), while production in Kurdistan amounts to just over 450,000 bpd.
Analysis
More deals in sight as UAE-France ties strengthen
The past years witnessed the signing of dozens of agreements and memoranda of understanding between the two countries in various...
- Relations between the UAE and France date back to establishment of the UAE Federation when some French firms such as 'Total' helped UAE explore oil
- The past years witnessed dozens of agreements and MoUs between the two countries in various economic, cultural, military and environmental fields