Saudi public investment funds assets rise 20 percent in Q1 to $61 billion
Dubai, UAE -- Assets of Saudi Arabia's public investment funds rose 20 percent year-on-year to SAR231.7 billion ($61.8 billion) in...
Business
EDGE to acquire 100% stake in Brazilian firm AKAER
Dubai, UAE -- UAE defense and advanced technology group EDGE has agreed to acquire a 100 percent stake in Brazilian...
Business
Interview
GCC startups will surprise the world by building culture-first tech
Snap’s regional chief Hussein Freijeh outlines growth plans across MENA and APAC in an interview with TRENDS, highlighting startups, creators...
- Snap expects future growth in MENA and APAC to come from deeper community engagement and rising advertiser demand.
- Startups in the GCC use Snapchat to reach local audiences quickly through mobile-first storytelling and creator partnerships.
Business
Dubai targets $87 trillion wealth pool as investors rethink portfolios
Dubai, UAE -- Dubai is positioning itself as a global hub for private wealth as high-net-worth individuals rethink where and...
- Women, who account for more than one-tenth of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, are expected to receive 95 percent of an estimated $54 trillion in inter-spousal wealth transfers.
- Henley & Partners estimates the United Arab Emirates attracted about 9,800 new millionaires in 2025 — most settling in Dubai.
Business
UAE launches first 7-year Islamic Treasury Sukuk worth $150 million
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE Ministry of Finance said on Sunday it had launched its first-ever seven-year tranche of...
- The new tranche attracted strong demand amounting to approximately 3.1 billion dirhams, nearly six times the issuance size.
- Total bids reached 5.88 billion dirhams, representing an oversubscription ratio of 5.3 times.
Business
Abu Dhabi records real estate deals worth $38.7 billion in 2025
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Abu Dhabi’s real estate market recorded transactions worth a record AED 142 billion ($38.7 billion) in...
- Sales and purchase transactions totalled $27.1 billion from 25,604 deals, while mortgage activity accounted for $11.6 billion across 17,210 transactions.
- Foreign direct investment in Abu Dhabi’s real estate sector reached $2.2 billion in 2025, up 13 percent from the previous year.
Interview
Startups need more than funding: they need an ecosystem
Drew Propson, Head of Technology and Innovation in Financial Services at the World Economic Forum, explains how sustainable growth, AI...
- The UAE’s Vision 2031 and Saudi Vision 2030 are clear calls to action that outline not just ambition, but execution.
- The third quarter 2025 marked the fourth consecutive quarter with over $90 billion in funding, something not seen since early 2022.
Interview
Gulf startup hubs: Converging strategies, diverging ambitions
Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally...
- Shared infrastructure, capital flows, and policy choices bind these ecosystems together more than they divide them.
- The critical question for Gulf ecosystems is not whether they have capital or talent, but whether both are organized toward genuinely global ambition.
Interview
Professional events are becoming West Africa’s new innovation engine
Innovation doesn’t happen by decree. It happens when people collide, when ideas rub up against each other, when unlikely conversations...
- What happens after the expo is just as important as what happens on stage.
- These gatherings give birth to cross-border communities of engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers.
Geostrategy
Citizen-consumers are redefining the global reputation of multinationals: Ipsos study
The report, Impacts of Multinational Corporations: What Citizen-Consumers Want from Foreign Companies Doing Business in Their Country, draws on a...
- Despite regional differences, one expectation stands out globally: people want multinational corporations to contribute to local economies.
- This economic focus was particularly pronounced in developing and emerging markets, including many countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America.
Economy
Gaming, esports GCC’s new growth play
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the gaming surge with world-class ecosystems and youth-driven expansion. Across the region, governments...
- Flagship events such as the Dubai Esports Festival and the BLAST Premier World Final, hosted by AD Gaming, have elevated the UAE’s global standing.
- With nearly 71 percent of the population under the age of 35, Saudi Arabia’s youth form the foundation of its gaming transformation.
Business
From awareness to action: How Amazon Ads is helping GCC startups scale smarter
Amazon Ads is evolving from a marketing channel into a business-building engine, helping GCC startups use full-funnel advertising, retail media...
- Amazon Ads is positioning itself as a platform for GCC startups, helping them link brand building with measurable growth across the full funnel, Rayan Karaky told TRENDS
- MENA startups can leapfrog legacy markets by adopting AI-driven Retail Media 3.0 from the outset, using commerce data to scale smarter and faster, he adds
Most Read
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
Saudi public investment funds assets rise 20 percent in Q1 to $61 billion
Dubai, UAE -- Assets of Saudi Arabia's public investment funds rose 20 percent year-on-year to SAR231.7 billion ($61.8 billion) in...
Business
Company News
Latest News
SpaceX’s blockbuster IPO gives way to volatile trading as investors reassess valuation
Among the several factors that contributed to the volatility is the limited share float. Only around 4.2% of total shares...
Business
Global equities, gold may extend gains in H2 2026 despite market risks: Standard Chartered
UAE and Middle East investors remain supported by stable oil markets, easing geopolitical risk premiums and strong liquidity, the bank...
Business
Saudi launches one-stop platform for summer travel offers and experiences
Dubai, UAE -- Saudi Arabia's tourism authority has launched a digital platform bringing together travel offers and tourism packages from...
Business
Most Read
Business
Gold prices fall 1 percent on Fed rate rise expectations, gold edges higher
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.
Business
Abu Dhabi new business licenses rise 21% in first quarter, ADRA says
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.
Economy
Bain identifies four priorities for sovereign wealth funds as assets approach $30 trillion
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.