Wealthy Asians consider shifting assets from Dubai amid Iran war fears: report
Some wealthy Asian investors are considering moving assets out of Dubai following Iranian missile and drone attacks on the city,...
Economy
MENA’s next tech breakthrough depends on infrastructure, not hype
Jamil Shinawi, CEO and Co-founder of AHOY and co-founder of Actual VC, speaks to TRENDS about risk, capital efficiency, and...
Economy
Building an anticipatory governance strategy for an increasingly risky world
Anticipatory governance is crucial in navigating today’s risks. While AI tools enhance forecasting, early warning does not always lead to...
- Global geopolitical shifts are reshaping alliances, creating an unstable multipolar order
- Climate change, AI, and conflicts are accelerating faster than expected, disrupting globalization
Economy
Building Smart Cities Starts with Listening to People
Successful smart cities address real challenges, like Mexico City’s digitalization of government services.
- Smart cities must prioritize people over technology to ensure long-term success and acceptance
- Ignoring community needs can lead to backlash and project failures, as seen in Toronto and Mexico
Interview
Tech and sustainability drive Singapore’s smart tourism vision
To realize its vision for “smart tourism”, Singapore Tourism Board is leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, data analytics, and...
- STB’s Tcube, a hybrid innovation space launched in 2021, has helped tourism businesses introduce tech solutions, including Al, into their operations.
- More than 1,100 tourism companies have benefited from Tcube programs. Its Singapore Tourism Accelerator has supported 47 start-ups to develop 58 industry solutions across 6 cohorts
Economy
The backbone of the digital economy is upskilling: Jayney Howson
AI won't replace jobs, but reskilling will unlock its true potential—lifelong learning is the key, Jayney Howson, SVP of Learning...
- We’re entering a new phase in the relationship between humans and technology, one that thrives on innovation and potential, Jayney Howson tells TRENDS
- We will see many new jobs and roles emerge, such as “Chief AI Officers” (CAIO), “Prompt Engineers” and “AI Ethicists,” he adds
Analysis
Logistics: At the heart of economic activity
The global logistics market is expected to be around US$10 trillion in 2024, and is estimated to reach US$21.91 trillion...
- The logistics market revenue in 2023 was US$485 billion by airways, US$2.85 trillion by waterways, US$2.09 trillion by railways and US$3.52 trillion by roadways.
- In the Arabian Gulf countries, the focus of the logistics and transport industry is moving from the UAE to Saudi Arabia.
Economy
Turkey central bank cuts rate to 42.5% as inflation eases
Istanbul, Turkey - Turkey's central bank on Thursday lowered its key interest rate for a third consecutive time as inflation...
- This is the third time the central bank cut its rate since December as its efforts to tame inflation are paying off
- Consumer prices rose by 39.05 percent last month, down from 42.1 percent in January, according to the country's statistics institute
Interview
The future of luxury residential development needs to be green and smart
The GCC luxury market segment has experienced significant growth, driven by an increase in the number of high-net-worth individuals. Accommodating...
- In the GCC, there's also a real focus on community. Dubai is the United Nations of the world, wherein one residential building might have neighbors from different nations.
- We try to future-proof our building, technologically speaking, to allow people to evolve and go forward, says Belton.
Economy
UAE’s real GDP increases by 3.8% during first nine months of 2024
Dubai, UAE -- The UAE’s real GDP increased by 3.8 percent during the first nine months of 2024 compared to...
- This growth was driven by a strong expansion in non-oil sectors, which grew by 4.5 percent to AED 987 billion.
- The contribution of non-oil activities to real GDP reached 74.6 percent, highlighting the increasing role of these sectors in supporting economic growth.
Opinion
New-Age Growth Comes Home to the GCC
The region, fueled by ambition and massive investment, is rapidly advancing in technology and infrastructure, aiming to secure a leading...
- The GCC’s ongoing “giga” projects, economic diversification, focus on the digital economy, and emerging technologies all signal a promising future.
- With over US$2 trillion invested in capital-intensive projects, the GCC’s future looks increasingly secure, despite persistent negative portrayals in parts of the Western media.
Economy
Oil, gas, and renewables: How global policies and markets are reshaping energy in 2025
The Trump administration’s trade tariffs and withdrawal from the Paris Agreement pose major risks to global economic growth and energy...
- Trump's trade and geopolitical plans are adding to energy price volatility
- Resolving outstanding administrative and infrastructure issues could allow renewables to boom
Wealthy Asians consider shifting assets from Dubai amid Iran war fears: report
Some wealthy Asian investors are considering moving assets out of Dubai following Iranian missile and drone attacks on the city,...
Economy
Company News
Latest News
China’s power paradox: record renewables, continued coal
Bangkok, Thailand -- Call it the China power paradox: while Beijing leads the world in renewable energy expansion, its coal...
Geostrategy
Non-Human Identities: How Agentic AI is creating a new, unseen frontier in enterprise cybersecurity risk
Adept at grasping context, planning and adaptive problem-solving, the agentic AI execute complex, multi-step processes with minimal human intervention or...
Science
OpenAI halts MLK videos as deepfakes spark outrage
Washington, United States -- OpenAI has suspended its Sora 2 artificial intelligence tool from creating videos of civil rights icon...
Geostrategy

Most Read
Economy
Asian markets rally as Fed cut hopes trump trade war fears
Stocks jumped Wednesday as trade war fears were overshadowed by comments from Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell that suggested the...
- After a volatile couple of days characterised by a fresh flare-up in China-US tensions, investors took the opportunity to jump back into the market and resume a months-long rally
- Powell has for most of the year walked a fine line between trying to keep a cap on US inflation while also supporting the labour market, even as he faced abuse from President Trump
Economy
IMF lifts 2025 global growth forecast, warns of ongoing trade ‘uncertainty’
In its flagship World Economic Outlook (WEO) report -- compiled before the most recent US-China tariff spat -- the IMF...
- The global inflation rate is expected to remain elevated at 4.2 percent this year, and 3.7 percent in 2026.
- The IMF raised its prospects for economic growth for the United States, the world's largest economy, by 0.1 percent this year and next, to 2.0 percent in 2025.
Business
WEF’s Dubai Summit tackles existential digital risks
DUBAI, UAE – A powerful confluence of more than 500 experts and 150 cybersecurity leaders has converged in Dubai for...
- The meeting will inform and drive collaborative solutions to shared challenges.
- This year’s meetings will provide much-needed space to navigate uncertainty, decode emerging trends and strengthen resilience.

