MENA Mergers & Acquisitions deal value up 66% in Q1, hits $46 Billion
Dubai, UAE -- The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has kicked off 2025 with a record-breaking first quarter...
Business
Israel arms exports to UAE, Bahrain, Morocco rise sharply after 2023
Sales to countries considered part of the Abraham Accords -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco who signed groundbreaking...
Business
Business
Alpha Dhabi acquires interest in NCTH
The deal increases NCTH's portfolio to 8 hotels with 1,500 keys.
- It acquired the 73.73% controlling interest after selling assets from Alpha Dhabi Hospitality Holding and Murban Energy Limited to NCTH in exchange for shares.
- The deal Alpha Dhabi Holding’s investment in the domestic and international luxury hospitality sector and involves the transfer of four key hotel assets.
World Economic Forum
Lithium-sulfur batteries will transform energy storage, says Lyten’s Horvath
Lyten, a Silicon Valley-based company, is revolutionizing the energy storage market with its groundbreaking lithium-sulfur battery technology. These batteries offer...
- Lithium-sulfur batteries are about half the weight of a lithium-ion batteries, but they have twice the energy density.
- These batteries work better in heat and, therefore, will be better suited to tropical countries that are expected to grow at a much faster pace.
Wheels in motion for investors as two Gulf carriers plan 2025 IPOs
UAE's Etihad Airways and Saudi Arabia's Flynas are preparing to listing on local stock markets, the first IPO by Gulf...
- Etihad Airways to expand its destination network to over 125 airports by 2030, up from the current 90
- Flynas plans to grow its fleet to more than 160 aircraft by 2030 from a current 60+
Economy
‘Middle East is a promising area with a lot of initiatives going on in the UAE, Saudi Arabia’
Beyond AI, new technologies will leverage artificial intelligence to drive the next phase of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Alphaeus Hanson,...
- The Middle East is emerging as a key investment hub, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar leading ambitious initiatives, Hanson tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview
- Beyond AI, new technologies will leverage artificial intelligence to drive the next phase of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, he adds
DeepSeek sparks AI stock selloff
Global investors dumped tech stocks following the emergence of a low-cost Chinese AI assistant startup DeepSeek that would threaten Nvidia....
- Chipmaker Nvidia lost S$593 billion of its market value
- Japan's SoftBank Group finished down 8.3 percent
Business
Meraas awards construction contract
The $272m contract has been awarded for Bluewaters Bay.
- The contract is aimed at creating Dubai’s next iconic waterfront destination, with completion scheduled for Q4 2027, the company said.
- Bluewaters Bay will feature two residential towers linked by a dynamic podium, offering 678 apartments, ranging from one to four bedrooms, including penthouses.
Hong Kong’s property distress hurting banks
Distressed property sales in Hong Kong are beginning to bite banks with average prices of office buildings, shopping malls and...
- Nearly 40 percent of the US$4.36 bn in Hong Kong commercial real estate transactions in 2024 suffered losses
- Rising office vacancies and softening rents threaten the quality of US$80 billion in commercial real estate loans at five major banks
Economy
Davos2025: 33 industrial clusters from 16 countries commit to economic growth, jobs creation and emissions cuts
The Transitioning Industrial Clusters initiative aims to improve collaboration and develop a shared vision among co-located companies and public institutions,...
- The initiative’s 33 members from 16 countries represent combined potential greenhouse gas emissions reductions comparable to the annual emissions of Saudi Arabia
- A new report highlights the critical role that industrial clusters play in accelerating the deployment of clean-energy infrastructure at scale worldwide
Business
Public-Private collaboration is crucial to tackling physical inactivity crisis: WFSGI CEO Emma Zwiebler
Emma Zwiebler, CEO of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), sat down exclusively with TRENDS at the...
- In many regions, over 80% of youth aren’t getting enough exercise, and it’s affecting their future health, says Zwiebler
- Technology and sedentary lifestyles are driving a worrying trend in inactivity, especially among youth, she adds
Interview
Davos25: Qatar, Saudi, UAE to lead GCC transformation, says Cytomate COO
DAVOS, Switzerland -- Bilel Al Souaied is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He is the COO of Cytomate, a leading...
- Since the discovery of hydrocarbons, GCC has been experiencing several economic models. Some of them proved to be working, some not.
- "We do have one of the most advanced educational ecosystems. Qatar is leading the way in terms of that," Bilel said.
MENA Mergers & Acquisitions deal value up 66% in Q1, hits $46 Billion
Dubai, UAE -- The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has kicked off 2025 with a record-breaking first quarter...
Business
Company News
Emirates Islamic Q1 profit $394m
Business
Latest News
Meta releases standalone AI app, competing with ChatGPT
San Francisco, United States -- Social media behemoth Meta unveiled its first standalone AI assistant app on Tuesday as it...
Business
Amazon launches first Starlink-rival internet satellites
Project Kuiper, a subsidiary of the online retail giant founded by Jeff Bezos, is playing catch-up with Starlink - SpaceX's...
Business
Aramco, unit and Sinopec ink $4bn deal
The two companies will establish a joint venture company.
Business
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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.
Gen Z travellers in UAE seek purposeful, tech-enabled journeys: Wyndham study
Dubai, UAE - Gen Z travellers in the UAE are reshaping the future of tourism, prioritizing cultural immersion, sustainability, and...
- The study, conducted by YouGov, found that nearly two-thirds (63%) of Gen Z respondents prefer accommodations that reflect local culture
- Meanwhile, social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are driving travel choices for 26% of them, with 79% already using or eager to use AI tools to plan their trips
Business
stc Group Q1 net profit up 11.05%
The Group reported a revenue of $5.12 billion.
- The group distributed SAR0.55 per share for the first quarter of 2025, in accordance with the dividends distribution policy approved by the General Assembly.
- Gross profit rose by 5.01 percent to SAR 9.098 million, operating profit increased by 2.02 percent to SAR 3.584 billion, and EBITDA grew by 5.25 percent to SAR 6.120 billion.