How Doha is Building a Knowledge Economy
By pairing sovereign capital with frictionless regulation, Doha reversed the startup playbook, attracting investors and founders first, then letting an...
The Gulf’s next currency isn’t petroleum. It’s know-how
The post-oil Gulf has the chance to redefine authenticity itself—as a deliberately trained, global hospitality culture built by people, not...
Economy
Economy
Saudi women’s unemployment drops to 13.7% by 4Q 2023
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - The unemployment rate among Saudi women witnessed a historic decline, plummeting to 13.7 percent in the...
- The unemployment rate among Saudi men remained steady at 4.6 percent during the same period
- The overall unemployment rate, encompassing Saudis and non-Saudis, saw a noteworthy decrease to 4.4% in the 4th quarter
Economy
Saudi tourism hits record $36 billion inbound spending in 2023
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia's tourism sector contributed to a record-breaking $36 (SR135 billion) in spending by international visitors....
- The Kingdom's remarkable performance in tourism was further highlighted by its leading position in the United Nations Tourism rankings for growth in international tourist arrivals
- The UN's tourism report also noted a substantial rise in both inbound and domestic tourism within the Kingdom, reinforcing its reputation as a premier global tourism destination
Business
Jordan exports pharmaceutical products worth US$874m in 2023
AMMAN, JORDAN – Products of the Kingdom’s pharmaceutical industries and medical supplies sector moved over the past quarter century to...
- Jordan’s pharmaceutical and medical supplies sector has succeeded in transforming into a global industry.
- The pharmaceutical and medical supplies sector employ approximately 10,000 workers.
Economy
US Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge ticks up as fuel costs rise
WASHINGTON, US – The US central bank's favored measure of inflation edged higher last month on the back of rising fuel...
- The personal consumption expenditures price index rose at an annual rate of 2.5 percent in February.
- Much of the February increase in the cost of goods came from energy prices, which rose 2.3 percent from January.
Economy
GASTAT issues FDI statistics of Saudi Arabia for Q4 2023
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) issued on Friday the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) statistics for...
- Total FDI in Saudi Arabia's economy during Q4 of 2023 totaled about US$5 billion.
- GASTAT said the results are based on a household survey conducted by the authority.
Economy
Gulf nations embark on defense industry localization
Saudi Arabia leads GCC efforts towards defense self-reliance by creating the first military industries committee, aiming to reduce foreign imports...
- Saudi Arabia leads GCC efforts towards defense self-reliance by creating the first military industries committee, aiming to reduce foreign imports and enhance local capabilities.
- The initiative targets over 50 percent nationalization of the military industry by 2030, driven by economic and technological sovereignty, aligning with the Saudi Vision 2030.
Business
Abu Dhabi Chamber sets up working group to support startups, SMEs
ABU DHABI, UAE – The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) has formed a working group specifically for...
- This initiative aims to support and represent the interests of startups and SMEs in the region.
- The goal is to make Abu Dhabi the top choice for business in the Middle East and North Africa by 2025.
Business
TAQA, JERA sign pact with SATORP to develop plant in Saudi Arabia
ABU DHABI, UAE – Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), together with JERA Co., Inc on Thursday announced that they...
- They will develop a greenfield industrial steam and electricity cogeneration plant for Amiral petrochemical complex.
- The Amiral petrochemical complex is expected to house one of the largest mixed-load steam crackers in the Arab Gulf region.
Economy
Rise in remittances hikes demand for Jordanian dinar, says chamber of commerce
AMMAN, JORDAN – Rising remittances from the Kingdom’s citizens working abroad has contributed to increasing demand for Jordanian dinar. Exchange...
- There are positive indicators suggesting a stabilization in Jordan’s economy.
- Presently the currency exchange sector comprises 250 firms across Jordan.
Economy
Dubai’s media revamp key to navigate new horizons
"There is a need to double efforts to develop a comprehensive blueprint outlining necessary policies to drive the media sector...
- Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed emphasizes the need for an immediate overhaul in Dubai's media sector.
- Proactive steps aim to align Dubai's media with international best practices and ethical standards, he adds.
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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
How Doha is Building a Knowledge Economy
By pairing sovereign capital with frictionless regulation, Doha reversed the startup playbook, attracting investors and founders first, then letting an...
Company News
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Bitcoin hits record high above $124,000 before retreating
Tokyo, Japan - Bitcoin hit a record high on Thursday during early Asian trading, surpassing $124,000, driven by favourable US...
Economy
Plastic pollution treaty talks in disarray as dozens of countries reject draft text
Geneva, Switzerland - Attempts to finalise a landmark treaty combating plastic pollution descended into disarray on the penultimate day on...
Economy
Most markets rise as China-US tariff truce extended, US inflation data in focus
In an executive order, the White House reiterated its position that there are "large and persistent annual US goods trade...
Economy
Most Read
Economy
Gold futures hit record on US tariff shock; mixed day for stocks
Gold futures hit a record high Friday following reports of an unexpected tariff on the precious metal as global stocks...
- Wall Street enjoyed a sunny Friday led by the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index, which posted a second straight record
- Investors are growing confident that President Donald Trump's constantly-changing US trade policy won't derail the surge in investment around artificial intelligence
Business
OpenAI releases ChatGPT-5 as AI race accelerates
San Francisco, United States -- OpenAI released a keenly awaited new generation of its hallmark ChatGPT on Thursday, touting "significant" advancements...
- ChatGPT-5 is rolling out free to all users of the AI tool, which is used by nearly 700 million people weekly, OpenAI said in a briefing with journalists.
- Co-founder and chief executive Sam Altman touted this latest iteration as "clearly a model that is generally intelligent."
Economy
Average US tariffs now highest since 1910s: WTO and IMF
The figure, calculated by the two organizations, stands in contrast with the 2.4 percent rate in force at the time...
- A trade "truce" brought down sky-high tariff levels that the United States and China had imposed upon one another, but that is set to expire next week.
- The new figure by the WTO and IMF takes into account the trade deals the US negotiated with the EU, Japan, South Korea and other nations that have now come into force.