Managing risk as telecom operators expand into digital finance
But now, as telecom operators expand into digital finance, service continuity and transaction reliability carry even bigger stakes, writes Donald...
Opinion
Mashreq prices Dim Sum bond
Business
Aldar buys Sharjah homes
Business
Sharjah real estate transactions reach $12.74 billion
Sharjah recorded AED 46.8 billion ($ 12.74 billion) in real estate transactions during the first nine months of 2026, up...
Business
Business
Saudi Arabia Railways orders 10 more Stadler intercity trains
Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has ordered 10 more intercity trains from Swiss manufacturer Stadler, doubling its fleet of custom-built trains...
- The contract is worth more than 300 million Swiss francs ($360 million) and includes an extension of the existing maintenance agreement to cover the additional trains.
- SAR exercised an option in a contract signed in 2024, which was valued at around 600 million francs and covered 10 trains, maintenance and spare parts, Stadler said.
Business
Almarai plans more than $4 billion investment through 2031
Saudi food producer Almarai plans to invest more than $4 billion through 2031, expanding manufacturing capacity, entering new product categories...
- Almarai will focus on foodservice, e-commerce and selected new product categories to capture opportunities in changing consumer markets.
- - CEO Fawaz Aljasser said the investment would strengthen local manufacturing, broaden consumer choice and improve supply chain resilience.
Business
Saudi construction growth eases to four-month low in September
Saudi Arabia’s construction sector continued to expand in September, although growth slowed to its weakest pace in four months as...
- Saudi Construction Index eased to 54.4 in September, yet activity expanded for a fifth consecutive month across subsectors.
- Infrastructure activity reached 55.8, second-highest reading, while 34% of firms expected growth over the next three months ahead.
Business
UAE outward investment reaches $63.4 billion as global footprint expands
The country's sovereign funds and companies expanded investments across six continents in energy, logistics, technology, healthcare and other sectors, as...
- Mubadala allocates 44% of its portfolio to North America, with 80 direct investments and $170 billion under management.
- AD Ports Group has offices in 50 countries and commercial presence in 158, underscoring the UAE's logistics footprint.
Business
GCC outward workers’ remittances reach $161 billion in 2025
Gulf Cooperation Council countries collectively recorded the world’s highest value of outward workers’ remittances in 2025, totaling approximately $161 billion,...
- GCC remittances rose 13.6 percent from 2024, increasing by approximately $19 billion to reach their highest level.
- Remittances accounted for 6.6 percent of GCC GDP in 2025, compared with 6.0 percent recorded in 2024.
Business
Google restricts free access to Gemini AI models
Google will restrict free access to some of its Gemini artificial intelligence models under changes taking effect this month. Starting...
- Google AI Plus users will retain access to Flash-Lite and Flash but lose access to Pro under changes.
- AI Pro and Ultra subscribers will continue accessing Flash-Lite, Flash and Pro, plus Deep Think.
Business
MENA sovereign investors reach $6.1 trillion in assets
Mubadala led regional sovereign investors with $26.2 billion in investments, followed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Abu Dhabi Investment...
- 2026 MENA Playbook released by Global SWF said Iran war could lead to withdrawals and a greater domestic focus among sovereign wealth funds, depending on the individual investor.
- Gulf sovereign investors employ more than 12,000 staff, while GCC exchanges have recorded just eight IPOs so far in 2026.
Analysis
Can the Middle East become a bigger driver of Accenture’s growth?
“The question for investors is," says Nagham Hassan, Market Analyst at etoro MENA, "whether AI will expand Accenture’s business or...
- The Middle East remains a relatively small part of Accenture’s global business, but recent disruption has highlighted its exposure to regional uncertainty.
- In its third-quarter earnings call, the company reported an approximately $100 million revenue impact relative to expectations from the regional conflict.
Business
AI market could need $6 trillion annual revenue by 2031, report says
Much of the value is expected to come from new innovation beyond employee productivity, Bain & Company said in its...
- Hardware and semiconductor market capitalization grew 24% from 2020 to 2026, compared with 6% for software.
- Bain says AI has compressed cyberattacks to 18 hours, requiring changes across code, agent discovery, detection and governance.
Business
Aldar, Arada sign $4bn Abu Dhabi development partnership
Dubai, UAE -- Aldar and Arada have agreed a strategic partnership covering development opportunities on Yas Island and at Seih...
- Aldar and Arada will jointly develop a 1.5 million square metre mixed-use community at Seih Sdeirah on Abu Dhabi’s border.
- Arada acquired three Yas Island plots exceeding 27,500 square metres, marking its first development projects in Abu Dhabi.
Managing risk as telecom operators expand into digital finance
But now, as telecom operators expand into digital finance, service continuity and transaction reliability carry even bigger stakes, writes Donald...
Opinion
Company News
Mashreq prices Dim Sum bond
Business
Aldar buys Sharjah homes
Business
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Saudi construction growth eases to four-month low in September
Saudi Arabia’s construction sector continued to expand in September, although growth slowed to its weakest pace in four months as...
Business
UAE outward investment reaches $63.4 billion as global footprint expands
The country's sovereign funds and companies expanded investments across six continents in energy, logistics, technology, healthcare and other sectors, as...
Business
GCC outward workers’ remittances reach $161 billion in 2025
Gulf Cooperation Council countries collectively recorded the world’s highest value of outward workers’ remittances in 2025, totaling approximately $161 billion,...
Business
Most Read
Business
MENA sovereign investors reach $6.1 trillion in assets
Mubadala led regional sovereign investors with $26.2 billion in investments, followed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Abu Dhabi Investment...
- 2026 MENA Playbook released by Global SWF said Iran war could lead to withdrawals and a greater domestic focus among sovereign wealth funds, depending on the individual investor.
- Gulf sovereign investors employ more than 12,000 staff, while GCC exchanges have recorded just eight IPOs so far in 2026.
Analysis
Can the Middle East become a bigger driver of Accenture’s growth?
“The question for investors is," says Nagham Hassan, Market Analyst at etoro MENA, "whether AI will expand Accenture’s business or...
- The Middle East remains a relatively small part of Accenture’s global business, but recent disruption has highlighted its exposure to regional uncertainty.
- In its third-quarter earnings call, the company reported an approximately $100 million revenue impact relative to expectations from the regional conflict.
Business
AI market could need $6 trillion annual revenue by 2031, report says
Much of the value is expected to come from new innovation beyond employee productivity, Bain & Company said in its...
- Hardware and semiconductor market capitalization grew 24% from 2020 to 2026, compared with 6% for software.
- Bain says AI has compressed cyberattacks to 18 hours, requiring changes across code, agent discovery, detection and governance.