Economy

Agthia 9M profit nearly triples

Third-quarter revenue increased 14.4 percent.

UAB nine-month profit rises 6%

Loan growth, lower impairment charges boost earnings

du 9M profit up 10.8%

Revenue grows as connectivity demand supports earnings

Al Rajhi Bank 9M profit up

Revenue growth lifts earnings despite higher provisions

Mashreq prices Dim Sum bond

UAE bank raises offshore renminbi funding

Saudi surpasses Vision 2030 tourism target, says IMF report

Tourism is a major contributor to the Kingdom's economic diversification efforts, the IMF notes in its 2024 Article IV Consultation...
  • The sector's direct and indirect contribution to GDP reached 11.5 percent in 2023, with expectations to grow to 16 percent by 2034.
  • Central to this growth has been a combination of strong domestic demand and increased international arrivals.

Domestic worker visa applications in UAE up 66% in June 2024, says a report

The UAE, relying on domestic workers (5% of the population), invests $3 billion annually, highlighting the rising demand for domestic...
  • A domestic worker visa allows individuals to continue working in private households as cleaners, chauffeurs, cooks, nannies, or personal care providers while travelling
  • The growth is driven by the UAE’s robust economy, with increasing disposable income among families and a growing expatriate population

China’s Xi promises US$50 billion for Africa over next three years

China, the world's number two economy, is Africa's largest trading partner
  • More than 50 African leaders and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are attending the China-Africa forum
  • "Over the next three years, the Chinese government is willing to provide financial support amounting to US$50.7 billion," Xi said

UAE launches national strategy to combat money laundering, terror financing

The strategy focuses on risk-based compliance, international cooperation, effective supervision, and disrupting illicit financial activities through improved data collection, analysis,...
  • The strategy sets out 11 strategic goals aimed at fortifying the UAE’s regulatory framework and enhancing its effectiveness in combating financial crimes
  • The announcement follows the country’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) "grey list" in February 2024

How Pakistan is becoming a top tech hub in the GCC

Pakistan's IT sector is thriving, with growing exports and recognition as a tech hub, driven by government support, skilled talent,...
  • While Pakistan has been declared the "Tech Destination of the Year" at GITEX GLOBAL 2024, one of the key players driving this growth is the Pakistan Software Houses Association
  • Across the GCC, Pakistani companies provide cybersecurity and AI driven solutions across various sectors, including banking and fintech industries

Saudi Business Council established to strengthen Eastern European partnerships

The council aims to align its focus with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the economic agendas of Eastern European countries,...
  • The council aims to align its focus with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the economic agendas of Eastern European countries
  • This council will be instrumental in expanding the Kingdom's global economic footprint

China manufacturing contracts for fourth straight month

While some sectors have largely regained their strength -- including tourism and the auto industry -- others are struggling, particularly...
  • China is facing a crisis in its vast real estate sector as well as lackluster confidence among households and businesses, which is hindering consumption
  • In August, the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) - a key barometer of industrial output - stood at 49.1 points, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced

Asia shares edge up and dollar down; oil gains

Asian shares crept cautiously higher on Monday, while the dollar and bond yields were on the wane ahead of inflation...
  • Oil prices climbed 0.8% after Israel and Hezabollah traded rocket salvos
  • The dollar slipped a further 0.5% to 143.64 yen, having fallen 1.3% on Friday

US Fed chair says ‘the time has come’ to start cutting rates

The Fed's benchmark lending rate currently sits at a 23-year high of between 5.25 and 5.50 percent, cooling demand in...
  • "The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks," Fed chair Powell said
  • After holding its key lending rate at a two-decade high for more than a year, Powell's remarks suggest the US central bank is now all but certain to start cutting rates

US Fed chair expected to signal support for rate cuts

The annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium in the US state of Wyoming gives Powell a global platform to enlighten financial...
  • After holding its key lending rate at a two-decade high for more than a year, the US central bank now seems poised to start cutting rates in September
  • While inflation has eased, the labor market has shown signs of cooling - though still remaining solid by historical standards - and economic growth has been resilient

Financial frauds cost global economy over $442bn in 2025: INTERPOL

AI-enhanced fraud is 4.5 times more profitable than traditional methods. “Agentic AI” systems can autonomously plan and execute complete fraud...

Latest News

WhatsApp, Twitch among sites that could face Australia under-16s social media ban

Tech companies including WhatsApp and Reddit as well as streaming giant Twitch and gaming firm Roblox could be among more...

Floating wind power sets sail in Japan’s energy shift

Still heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, Japan has declared offshore wind energy a "trump card" in its drive to...

UNGA80: World leaders to discuss framework for inclusive, accountable AI governanc

As there is no recognised body to govern AI on a global level, world leaders will gather in New York...

Most Read

Stocks rise on $5 billion Nvidia-Intel deal, Fed rate cut

Nvidia announced a $5 billion investment in struggling US rival to jointly develop chips for PCs and data centers. The...
  • Investors were also reacting to Wednesday's US central bank decision to lower rates by 25 basis points, its first cut of the year.
  • The decision to cut came even as US inflation runs well above policymakers' two-percent target, but analysts said the main focus was on the jobs market.

US Fed makes first rate cut of 25 basis points over employment risks as Trump mounts pressure

Fed Chair Jerome Powell stressed that the central bank remains "strongly committed" to maintaining its independence from politics, however, when...
  • Fed Chair Jerome Powell stressed that the central bank remains "strongly committed" to maintaining its independence from politics
  • He added that the Fed was "right to wait and see how tariffs and inflation and the labor market evolved" before lowering rates

Scientists train AI model to predict future illnesses

Paris, France - Scientists said Wednesday that they had created an AI model able to predict medical diagnoses years in...
  • Based on a patient's case history, the Delphi-2M AI "predicts the rates of more than 1,000 diseases" years into the future
  • Researchers trained the model on data from Britain's UK Biobank -- a large-scale biomedical research database with details on about half a million participants