UAE records solid first-quarter growth as non-oil sectors account for nearly 80% of GDP
Real GDP rose to $132.0 billion at constant prices in the January-March period, while non-oil GDP expanded 4.8 percent, increasing...
Economy
AI to cancer vaccines: Emerging technologies edge closer to large-scale adoption
World Economic Forum's Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report 2026, developed alongside the Dubai Future Foundation, has identified 10 technologies that...
Geostrategy
Economy
UN food organization sees global cereal output falling in 2026/27
Dubai, UAE -- Global cereal production is expected to decline by 2% in the 2026/27 season to 2.982 billion tons,...
- Record 2025/26 harvests helped build global cereal inventories despite forecasts of tighter supplies in the coming season.
- Lower wheat and barley trade volumes are expected to offset stronger maize and rice shipments worldwide.
Economy
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...
- Energy inflation reached 13.2% across the OECD, with 31 member countries reporting higher energy costs during April.
- U.S. inflation rose to its highest level since May 2023, while Britain's core inflation fell to four-year lows.
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...
- Annual economic losses from fragmentation already total up to $307 billion as tariffs and investment restrictions proliferate globally.
- Emerging economies outside major geopolitical blocs could suffer output losses nearly twice the global average under escalation scenarios.
Business
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...
- Sensor Tower estimates ChatGPT reached one billion monthly users roughly three years after launching in late 2022.
- Growing enterprise adoption and multimodal capabilities have helped fuel demand amid intensifying competition across artificial intelligence markets.
Economy
UAE GDP reaches $517 billion as economy grows 6.2 percent
Non-oil activities drove growth as construction, finance, real estate and transport sectors posted robust gains, underscoring diversification efforts and long-term...
- Trade remained the largest non-oil contributor, accounting for 16.9 percent of GDP, ahead of finance sectors.
- Officials highlighted investments in technology, innovation and digital economy initiatives as drivers of future readiness.
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 finds
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.
Economy
MENA faces shortfall of 111,737 construction Project Managers by 2035: PMI
The PMI report finds that MENA will require up to 330,794 construction project management professionals by 2035 under a high-growth...
- Even under a low-growth scenario, the region would still face a shortfall of more than 88,561 professionals.
- Retirement-driven attrition will widen the gap further, compounding pressure on an already strained talent market.
Business
Firms lag as AI-driven fraud surges: Study
The report, published by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and analytics firm SAS, highlights widening gaps between rapidly evolving...
- Among the fastest-growing threats is deepfake-enabled social engineering.
- The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have the potential to take a leading role in next-generation fraud prevention.
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UAE records solid first-quarter growth as non-oil sectors account for nearly 80% of GDP
Real GDP rose to $132.0 billion at constant prices in the January-March period, while non-oil GDP expanded 4.8 percent, increasing...
Economy
Company News
Latest News
Saudi, UAE startups join World Economic Forum’s global tech cohort
Saudi Arabia was represented by intella, which develops Arabic-language speech recognition and analytics tools, and Nommas Technologies, which provides AI-powered...
Geostrategy
PIF assets reach $910 billion by 2025 end, below Vision 2030 target
According to the latest Vision 2030 annual report, the real non-oil GDP reached $892 billion against a target of $904...
Economy
Saudi Arabia’s economy expands as oil and non-oil sectors grow
According to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), all major economic sectors recorded positive annual growth during the quarter, reflecting...
Economy
Most Read
Economy
China’s foreign exchange reserves rise by $31bn to $3.44 trillion
Dubai, UAE -- China’s foreign exchange reserves rose to $3.4422 trillion at the end of May, their highest level in...
- SAFE attributed May's increase primarily to exchange-rate valuation effects and changes in prices of global financial assets.
- China remains the world's largest holder of foreign exchange reserves, providing a key buffer against market volatility and external shocks.
Economy
UN food organization sees global cereal output falling in 2026/27
Dubai, UAE -- Global cereal production is expected to decline by 2% in the 2026/27 season to 2.982 billion tons,...
- Record 2025/26 harvests helped build global cereal inventories despite forecasts of tighter supplies in the coming season.
- Lower wheat and barley trade volumes are expected to offset stronger maize and rice shipments worldwide.
Economy
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...
- Energy inflation reached 13.2% across the OECD, with 31 member countries reporting higher energy costs during April.
- U.S. inflation rose to its highest level since May 2023, while Britain's core inflation fell to four-year lows.