UAE Central Bank to hold rate after Fed pause amid regional tensions
Fed Chair Jerome Powell signalled a cautious approach, noting that elevated energy prices and geopolitical tensions could complicate the inflation...
Economy
MEA market decision-making cycle is fast but risk-averse: Ralph Melis
The Middle East and Africa (MEA) markets are characterized by rapid growth, high owner influence, diverse operator models, and a...
Interview
Economy
From Summit to Strategy: Qatar Builds Global Investment Hub
This year’s edition is expected to welcome more than 30,000 participants from over 120 countries, including 1,500 startups, 700 investors...
- This year’s edition is expected to welcome more than 30,000 participants from over 120 countries, including 1,500 startups, 700 investors and 600 media representatives
- For a country with a population of under three million, this represents a remarkable concentration of global innovation and capital within a compact economic landscape
Business
Oil prices gain, as equities extend record run higher
Oil prices have experienced choppy trading since the surprise US raid Saturday on Caracas that saw Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro...
- Brushing off geopolitical concerns, some major stock markets have begun the new year with new all-time highs, having smashed records in 2025.
- Seoul rose more than one percent Tuesday to top 4,500 points for the first time, helped by another strong rally in chip giant SK hynix.
Economy
Global economy set for “sturdy growth” in 2026, MENA growth to outpace global economy
The Middle East and North Africa region is expected to outperform the global economy in 2026, with GDP projected to...
- Goldman Sachs Research has projected that the world economy will expand faster than widely expected next year, saying its economists expect sturdy global growth of 2.8%
- The Middle East and North Africa region is expected to outperform the global economy in 2026, with GDP projected to grow by 3.6% year on year compared to global growth of 3.1%
Business
SoftBank lifts OpenAI stake to 11% with $41bln investment
Tokyo, Japan -- Japanese tech investor SoftBank said Wednesday that its stake in OpenAI is now around 11 percent after...
- Having made colossal profits as well as losses on previous investments, flamboyant founder Masayoshi Son has pivoted SoftBank towards artificial intelligence (AI).
- SoftBank had announced in April its planned investment of up to $40 billion in Open AI, and on Wednesday it said that the second tranche of $22.5 billion was completed.
Economy
Syria reveals new post-Assad banknotes
Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa unveiled on Monday new banknotes replacing those showing ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad and his family, hoping...
- Since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011, the pound has plunged from 50 to around 11,000 against the greenback
- The removal of the zeros, which does not impact the currency's value, was done to make transactions easier
Economy
Prone to conflict, displacement, climate shocks, investing in cities is a strategy for global stability
Addressing fragility in cities is, therefore, not only a social imperative; it is also a crucial economic consideration. It is...
- Conflict, displacement and climate shocks converge in cities, threatening global stability
- Stable urban systems unlock private sector confidence, strengthen security and create shared prosperity
Economy
China says to launch digital currency action plan
Beijing, China -- China will on January 1 launch an "action plan" for boosting management and operations of its digital...
- The "action plan" will see banks pay interest on balances held by clients in digital yuan -- a move to incentivize broader adoption of the currency.
- The plan also includes a proposal to establish an international digital yuan operations centre in the eastern financial hub of Shanghai, the report said.
Economy
Web Summit Qatar 2026: Doha’s Bid to Become the Next Tech Hub
Early signals hint that Web Summit Qatar 2026 will be its biggest edition yet, with participation expected to outpace the...
- Qatar’s rising ambition to become a global tech hub, high digital adoption, and fast-growing startup support ecosystem has made it the summit’s natural destination
- GCO and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) have reinforced that ambition with a series of long-term national programs designed to attract entrepreneurs and global firms
Economy
Saudi Arabia’s high-stakes race toward Vision 2030: Diversifying amid global uncertainty
Moving forward, lower oil revenues will continue to pose challenges to the Saudi economy and its overall targets. Earlier this...
- As non-oil growth accelerates and private investment rises, the Kingdom faces the challenge of sustaining momentum without overstretching its fiscal limits
- Vision 2030 is reshaping the Kingdom’s economy at unprecedented speed, but sustaining growth amid lower oil revenues will test policymakers
Economy
Syria to start replacing currency from Jan 1: central bank chief
Syria's central bank chief said Thursday that the country's currency would start to be replaced with a revamped version from...
- Central bank chief Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya said that "January 1, 2026, is the start date for the replacement process" for the currency
- Hasriya said the move comes at a "pivotal national juncture that reflects the beginning of a new economic and monetary era"
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UAE Central Bank to hold rate after Fed pause amid regional tensions
Fed Chair Jerome Powell signalled a cautious approach, noting that elevated energy prices and geopolitical tensions could complicate the inflation...
Economy
Company News
Latest News
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...
UAE launches first 7-year Islamic Treasury Sukuk worth $150 million
Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The UAE Ministry of Finance said on Sunday it had launched its first-ever seven-year tranche of...
Business
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...
Most Read
Interview
UAE is shifting from attracting talent to unleashing it: Sheraa vice-chairperson
With national campaigns such as The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World setting targets of training 10,000 Emiratis and...
- The most significant opportunity lies in closing the conversion gap: the space between generating knowledge and turning it into scalable enterprises.
- More than 18,000 young people have been upskilled through Sheraa, giving them the confidence and competence to navigate a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Economy
Sovereign tech: Building a regional stack, not rival silos
As Gulf states race to build sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure, the real opportunity lies in pooling capital, standards and...
- Technical and compliance challenges are pushing GCC countries toward common governance constructs and vendor frameworks
- To boost talent mobility, GCC SWFs can underwrite regional AI academies, and visa standardization for tech talent
Interview
Gulf startup hubs: Converging strategies, diverging ambitions
Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally...
- Shared infrastructure, capital flows, and policy choices bind these ecosystems together more than they divide them.
- The critical question for Gulf ecosystems is not whether they have capital or talent, but whether both are organized toward genuinely global ambition.