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...
Business
Saudi Arabia, UAE climb WEF Tourism Index despite Middle East conflict disruption
Saudi Arabia jumps 17 places since 2019 on workforce reform and Vision 2030 investment, while the UAE tops the world...
Business
Economy
Saudi powers forward with deficit spending to fund diversification of its oil-dependent economy
Saudi Arabia greenlit its 2026 budget Tuesday, projecting a deficit of 165 billion riyals ($44 billion) as the kingdom presses...
- The Arab world's largest economy is overseeing a major push to slash its dependence on oil revenues, with officials pouring billions into projects to attract investment and tourism
- The budget figures will be keenly watched by energy industry experts, with the hopes of gleaning insights into where Saudi Arabia expects oil revenues to head in the near future
Economy
 Kuwait rises on the strength of collaboration: Airlines deal and sweeping reforms fuel economic revival
In addition, Kuwait hosted a major joint meeting between the GCC and the United Kingdom in October focused on a...
- As S&P upgrades Kuwait’s credit rating and non-oil sectors surge, the country’s 2025 policy strategy proves that collaboration can be a catalyst for long-term sustainable growth
- Major fiscal reforms, new regional agreements, and a booming non-oil economy position Kuwait for stronger investment flows and renewed global confidence
Economy
How China leveraged its rare earths dominance over the US in tariff war
China's stranglehold on the rare earths industry -- from natural reserves and mining through processing and innovation -- is the...
- Rare earths are crucial for the defence sector -- used in fighter jets, missile guidance systems and radar technology -- while also having a range of uses in everyday products
- At a high-stakes meeting in South Korea late last month, Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to a one-year truce in tariff war between the world's top two economies
Arts & Culture
Fake AI videos have a new generation loving 1980s life
New York, United States - "The 1980s are calling," a teenager with a throwback hairstyle tells viewers as "Everybody Wants...
- The fake montage -- entirely generated using artificial intelligence -- has racked up more than 600,000 "likes" on Instagram and is part of an internet fad known as "AI nostalgia."
- The soft-focused fantasy land comes thanks to generative AI tools like OpenAI's Sora, Google's Veo or Luma AI's Ray that enable creation of strikingly realistic videos
Geostrategy
G20 summit opens in South Africa without Trump
The Johannesburg gathering is being attended by a host of world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister...
- Trump is boycotting, with his government saying South Africa's priorities -- notably boosting global cooperation on trade and climate action -- run counter to US policy.
- Despite the headwinds, host South Africa was projecting optimism that it would get backing for its G20 aims to reduce economic inequalities, shrink debt for low-income countries
Economy
China’s consumer prices rose in Oct, reversing stagnation
Beijing has struggled to maintain a strong economic recovery from the pandemic, as it fights a debt crisis in its...
- The consumer price index, a key measure of inflation, rose 0.2 percent year-on-year last month, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
- Consumer prices were stagnant in July followed by two months of decline.
Economy
UAE company inks $22 mn deal for stake in Latakia container terminal
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - AD Ports Group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a $22 million agreement Thursday...
- Abu Dhabi-based firm inked the deal with French shipping giant CMA CGM for a 20 percentage stake in the Latakia International Container Terminal, AD Ports Group said in a statement
- The Syrian government signed a 30-year contract in May with the French firm to run the Mediterranean port and modernise it, including developing the infrastructure
Economy
Qatari firm to invest $29.7 billion in Egypt coastal development
The project in the Alam al-Roum area, in Egypt's Matrouh Governorate, will span "4,900 acres... extending across a coastline of...
- Egypt, mired in its worst economic crisis in decades, is betting big on its 3,000 kilometres (1,800 miles) of coastline as a revenue source
- In 2024 the UAE said it would inject $35 billion in foreign direct investment into Egypt, including $24 billion that would go to developing the Ras al-Hikma area west of Alexandria
Economy
Bahrain: Financial pioneer of the Gulf
In the post-digital world, Bahrain’s center of activity, the city of Manama, has stiff yet healthy competition from the GCC...
- Today, Bahrain is reinventing its economy through focusing heavily on Fintech Innovation, developing data centers with partners such as Amazon Web Services
- The pioneer of conventional banking in the region in 1970s has been robustly supporting Shariah-compliant financial instruments amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Economy
Qatar warns will cut gas supply to Europe over EU’s green rules
Qatar's energy minister on Monday warned the Gulf state would halt its supply of liquefied natural gas to Europe over...
- The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) requires large companies to fix the "adverse human rights and environmental impacts" of their supply chains worldwide
- The law was backed by a broad coalition of European politicians including the left and the greens as well as centrists, including some centre-right lawmakers
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...
Business
Company News
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Energy costs push OECD inflation to highest level this year
Dubai, UAE -- Annual inflation across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) accelerated to 4.4% in April from...
Economy
Fragmenting world economy raises costs beyond geopolitical rivals
A report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and consulting firm Oliver Wyman found that fragmentation accelerated through 2025...
Economy
ChatGPT surpasses 1 billion monthly active users in May
Dubai, UAE -- OpenAI's ChatGPT surpassed 1 billion monthly active users in May, becoming the fastest application to reach the...
Business
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Economy
Closure of Strait of Hormuz may trigger lasting shift in Gulf trade corridors: report
About $650 billion in trade flows are affected, with global maritime routes facing growing disruption and uncertainty risks.
- GCC countries are redirecting cargo flows through alternative gateways, increasing transit costs and causing longer delivery times
- Saudi Arabia could leverage Red Sea access and East African investments to reduce dependence on vulnerable maritime choke points
The generational digital divide is fading among UAE investors, eToro findsÂ
76% of younger investors and 75% of older investors have acted on a recommendation by an AI engine
- Younger investors favour future-facing sectors and mature investors are more likely to support industries that are well established in the UAE
- Both groups share the same top three investing goals: to achieve financial independence, to supplement income, and to provide long-term security
Geostrategy
Next wave of global competitive advantage lies in tech combinations: WEF
Eight technology domains, including AI, robotics, engineering biology and advanced materials are no longer advancing in isolation.
- The United States alone could face a shortfall of between 10,100 and 19,900 surgeons by 2036.
- Organizations are urged to assess where bottlenecks sit in their value chains, determine which technology combinations could shift those constraints.