INSEAD Day 4 - 728x90

Economy

Samsung biggest chip investor

The tech giant invested nearly $59.2bn in 2025.

flynas to set up new hub

Five destinations in first phase of operations.

AD Ports Group acquires CLI

CLI is Brazilian agri-bulk terminal operator.

$1.59bn Makkah project awarded

A consortium will develop two districts in the Holy City.

2PointZero posts profit surge

Growth driven by merger consolidation.

GCC as the bridge in a fragmented global ad tech market

S4 Capital founder Martin Sorrell tells TRENDS digital dominance, AI disruption and consolidation are reshaping global advertising, urging agile, tech-first...

Stocks mostly rise, oil falls as Trump fans Ukraine peace hopes

London, United Kingdom -- Major stock markets mostly rallied and oil prices retreated Thursday on hopes for an end to the...
  • London was a rare faller owing to sharp losses to share prices of big companies, including Unilever, Barclays and British American Tobacco.
  • With Russia being a major producer of oil, crude futures fell heavily on easing supply concerns, while the dollar lost some of its safe-haven support.

Asian stocks rise as Powell rate warning taken in stride

Equities rose in Asia on Wednesday as traders took in their stride a warning from Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell...
  • New York Fed chief John Williams said the economy and consumer spending remained strong
  • Wall Street ended Tuesday positively, despite tech stocks dragging the Nasdaq into the red

IMF projects 3.3% global growth for 2025, MENA to rebound to 3.6%

Dubai, UAE -- The International Monterey Fund (IMF) has projected global growth to remain at 3.3 percent this year and...
  • IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said that growth in the Middle East and North Africa is expected to rebound to about 3.6 percent in 2025.
  • She warned that global public debt is projected to hit 100 percent of global GDP by 2030.

Asian markets advance after Wall St gains, US Postal Service U-turn

Asian markets rose Thursday, tracking gains on Wall Street and following the US Postal Service's U-turn on a ban on...
  • Investors remained on edge about the economic outlook, pushing Gold prices above US$2,882
  • Disappointing earnings from Google-parent Alphabet weighed on the tech sector

Exclusive: Green investments lead to tangible returns, says WEF’s Philips 

Public-private partnerships are essential for advancing sustainable urban development and meeting net-zero targets, Vivian Brady Phillips, Head of Strategic Initiatives,...
  • Public-private partnerships are essential for advancing sustainable urban development and meeting net-zero targets, Vivian Brady Phillips tells TRENDS
  • Technology plays a crucial role in sustainability, enabling energy-efficient operations, smart city connectivity, and digital waste tracking

UAE non-oil foreign trade up by 14.6% in 2024 to reach $816bn

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- UAE's non-oil foreign trade increased by a record 14.6 percent in 2024, compared to 2023, reaching...
  • He said that of all the positive indicators, the most encouraging is the increasing contribution of non-oil exports to UAE's foreign trade.
  • Last year, they climbed 27.6 percent in to reach a record AED561.2 billion – nearly 70 percent of the AED800 billion target.

Tech Mahindra’s Ram Ramachandran: MEA, India key to shaping future in multipolar world

Davos, Switzerland -- The Middle East, Africa, and India have an important role and influence in shaping the evolving world order...
  • The representation accorded to the Middle East, Africa, and India at Davos shows the growing promise of the region towards global world order, he said.
  • We are going to see innovation happening from the Middle East outwards, which has never happened earlier, Ramachandran said.

UNFPA and corporate partners drive reproductive justice in workplaces

Mariarosa Cutillo, UNFPA Chief of the Private Sector and Civil Society Branch, says businesses need to provide adequate maternal health...
  • UNFPA emphasizes that corporate strategies can empower vulnerable communities, particularly women, by driving positive change in workplaces, Cutillo said
  • UNFPA's presence in 150 countries allows us to work with women and implement these targeted initiatives effectively, she added.

Risks are interconnected, need collaborative solutions, says WEF’s Mark Elsner

Davos, Switzerland – Mark Elsner, Head, Global Risks Initiative, World Economic Forum sat with TRENDS during WEF’s summit in Davos...
  • The Global Risks Report 2025, with insights from over 900 experts, identifies state-based armed conflict as the most immediate risk for 2025.
  • The report was circulated ahead of the Davos meeting, which serves as a platform for advancing dialogue, cooperation, and partnerships.

Rudolph Lohmeyer: The Gulf is redefining the global future, not just adapting to it

The Middle East must counter global economic divergence by enhancing regional financial integration to drive collective growth, Rudolph Lohmeyer tells...
  • The GCC is strategically positioning itself as a neutral hub by diversifying economic and diplomatic relationships to ensure resilience, Rudolph Lohmeyer tells TRENDS
  • AI is expected to revolutionize productivity, scientific discovery, and governance, with the UAE and KSA making significant investments in the field, he added

The trillion-dollar paradox in GCC venture capital markets and exits

Despite trillions managed by GCC sovereign wealth funds, late-stage venture capital remains scarce, leaving startups stranded between early traction and...

Latest News

AI or inequality tipped for economics Nobel

Stockholm, Sweden - The Nobel economics prize wraps up the 2025 season when it is announced on Monday, as experts...

China accuses US of ‘double standards’ over new tariffs threat

Beijing, China -- China accused the United States of "double standards" on Sunday, after President Donald Trump threatened an additional...

Trump says no reason to meet Xi, threatens ‘massive’ China tariffs

US President Donald Trump said Friday he no longer feels the need for a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping...
INSEAD Day 4- 300x600
INSEAD Day 4- 300x600

Most Read

Gold tops $4,000 for first time on political, economic worries

New York, United States - Gold topped $4,000 an ounce for the first time Wednesday as investors flocked to the...
  • US and European stock markets rose while Asian equities fell as investors also kept tabs on the AI investment boom and the prospect of further US interest rate cuts this year
  • Gold, considered a safe investment in times of uncertainty, reached an all-time high of nearly $4,060 an ounce Wednesday with silver also rising close to a record high

WTO hikes 2025 trade growth outlook but tariffs to bite in 2026

The WTO raised its forecast for trade volume growth in 2025 to 2.4 percent -- up from 0.9 percent in...
  • In an unusual move, the global trade body has revised its estimates several times this year due to uncertainties surrounding the new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
  • Since returning to office in January, Trump has slapped several waves of new tariffs on imports entering the United States.

Tech leaders unite to propel future-critical sectors at GITEX GLOBAL 2025

Dubai, UAE: With capabilities of AI advancing every year, its potential to address challenges once thought unsolvable is rapidly expanding,...
  • The event brings together the world’s most advanced AI and tech enterprises and leaders from 180 countries, from 13-17 Oct at Dubai World Trade Centre.
  • Expand North Star celebrates its 10th edition from 12-15 October at Dubai Harbour.