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...
Why the GCC should stop trying to build Silicon Valley and focus on owning it
Fahad AlSharekh says the GCC’s edge isn’t startup mimicry but global investment power — backing AI, infrastructure and category leaders...
Dubai real estate sets all-time record in 2024
Dubai’s real estate market has had a record-breaking year, with new milestones being set throughout 2024, culminated in an all-time...
- First sales from developers climbed by 30 percent year-on-year to US$91 billion
- The year marked a 42 percent year-on-year increase in the volume of apartment sales
Economy
Saudi Arabia records $5.6 billion trade surplus in October 2024 with 30% growth
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia’s trade balance recorded a 30% monthly growth, achieving a surplus of SAR 20.769 billion...
- The Kingdom's total international trade volume reached SAR 164.794 billion ($43.51 billion) in October, reflecting a 2% growth
- Non-oil exports in October totaled approximately SAR 19.413 billion ($5.24 billion), representing 21% of total exports
Economy
Study: Legacy technology not impeding adoption of AI and Machine Learning in UAE and Saudi Arabia
Manufacturers see AI as critical for decarbonization (66%), improving ESG scores, energy monitoring (55%), advancing digital twins (68%), and enabling...
- The study, conducted by S&P Global Market Intelligence, surveyed over 120 digital transformation leaders from the utility, data center, building, and manufacturing sectors
- It reveals that only 23% of respondents in 2024 identified legacy technology as a significant impediment to digitalization, a notable decrease from 33% in 2022
Economy
Global markets rode AI, interest rate roller coaster in 2024
Paris, France - Despite political upheavals, stock markets and bitcoin smashed records in 2024, fuelled by investor enthusiasm for Artificial Intelligence (AI),...
- Wall Street's three main stock indices blew past record highs to set new peaks in 2024, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing above 45,000 points
- Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election gave Wall Street even more of a boost on hopes he will follow through on pledges of deregulation and tax cuts
Asia stocks mostly down after Wall St. losses
The "Santa Claus rally" got off to a good start but US stocks then fell across the board on Friday,...
- S&P 500 and the Nasdaq both dropped more than one percent
- Jeju Air shares tumbled more than eight percent after one of its planes crashed in South Korea
Economy
Indian workers replace Palestinians in Israel’s construction sector amid post-war labour void
Indians, long employed in Israel as caregivers, diamond traders, and IT professionals, are now increasingly recruited for the construction sector...
- Israeli researchers believe the number of Indians working in construction still does not match the number of Palestinians who did so before the war
- Before the Hamas attack, around 80,000 Palestinians were employed in construction, along with some 26,000 foreigners, Eyal Argov of the central Bank of Israel said
Asian stocks mostly up after US tech rally
Asian stocks were mostly higher on Tuesday after a tech rally on Wall Street, but their gains remained modest in...
- Hong Kong stocks were "consolidating before the long holiday"
- Honda shares soared 16 percent after announcing a buyback of up to $7 billion
3 ways travel drives economic growth while enhancing global connections and sustainability
WTTC research shows that, having endured estimated losses of $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs in 2020 alone, travel and...
- Effective cross-sector and cross-border partnerships are key to unlocking the full potential of global connectivity
- Innovations and investments in technology can be leveraged to enhance connectivity through travel
Cybersecurity in 2024: From talent shortages to resilience against emerging tech risks
In 2024, cybersecurity remained central, addressing skill gaps and the impact of generative AI. A Strategic Cybersecurity Talent Framework offered...
- Cybersecurity in 2024 focused on talent gaps, emerging tech, and resilience
- Public-private efforts tackled cybercrime and evolving digital threats
Asian markets retreat as China pledges fail to spark excitement
Asian markets fell Friday as China's latest vows to boost the beleaguered economy failed to stir much excitement, while traders...
- Beijing began unveiling in September a raft of policies to reverse a growth slump
- All three main indexes in New York closed in the red
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Revenue from Saudi cinema may exceed $1bn by 2030KSA, UAE play well as e-gaming trends across GCCExclusive: Middle East’s retail sector rides on AR and hybrid shopping to become $600bn digital economyTECOM Group profit soars 13%UAE startups eye Saudi Arabia for growth, expansionSaudi Arabia leads GCC AI healthcare raceDisparity remains as Saudis, Emiratis see wealth gains
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...
Company News
Latest News
China’s chip challenge: the race to match US tech
Beijing, China - China's push to develop top-end artificial intelligence microchips is gaining momentum, but analysts say it will struggle...
Economy
Vietnam defies US tariffs with 8.2% growth in third quarter
Hanoi, Vietnam -- Vietnam recorded economic growth of 8.2 percent in the third quarter, among the highest increases in more...
Economy
AI in an ‘industrial bubble’ but will benefit society: Bezos
Turin, Italy - Artificial intelligence technology is in an "industrial bubble," Amazon founder Jeff Bezos told a tech conference in...
Economy
Most Read
Business
Amazon adds AI muscle to connected home lineup
New York, United States - Amazon on Tuesday unveiled the latest generation of connected products, featuring enhanced artificial intelligence capabilities...
- Nearly 20 years after the launch of the Kindle e-reader, the Seattle-based online retail giant now offers a family of connected devices
- The company has already made a major move into AI enhancements with the February launch of Alexa+, an upgraded version of the Alexa voice assistant
Geostrategy
Microsoft trims service to Israel over Gaza surveillance
San Francisco, United States - Microsoft on Thursday said it cut an Israeli defense unit's access to some cloud services...
- Microsoft reviewed the decision with the Israel Ministry of Defense along with steps the tech firm is taking to ensure compliance
- The move followed a two-month Microsoft probe into a Guardian report that the Israeli Defense Force used Azure to store phone call data from surveillance in Gaza and the West Bank
Economy
Trump announces steep new tariffs on pharmaceuticals, big-rig trucks, furniture, reviving trade war
US President Donald Trump announced Thursday punishing tariffs on pharmaceuticals, big-rig trucks, home renovation fixtures and furniture, reviving his global...
- The announcement is the harshest trade policy by the president since last April's shock unveiling of reciprocal tariffs on virtually every US trading partner across the globe
- Earlier this year, the Trump administration launched a so-called Section 232 probe into imports of trucks to "determine the effects of national security."