Search Site

Trends banner

Economy

Equinor signs $27 bn gas deal

The 10-year contract was signed with Centrica.

ADNOC Drilling secures $1.15bn contract

The contract for two jack-up rigs begins in the second quarter.

Etihad Q1 profit $187 million

This is a 30% YoY increase over Q1 2025.

Yalla Group Q1 revenue $83m

Net income rose to $36.4 million, a 17% YoY increase.

Qatar Airways annual profit $2bn

This was a record 28% jump in annual net profit.

OECD lowers global growth projections over tariffs, uncertainty

"We are navigating troubled waters," said the OECD's chief economist Alvaro Santos Pereira as he summed up the world's economic...
  • While global economic activity remained "resilient" in 2024 with a 3.2 percent increase in GDP, the OECD trimmed back its 2025 projection from 3.3 percent growth to 3.1 percent.
  • That was due to "higher trade barriers in several G20 economies and increased geopolitical and policy uncertainty weighing on investment and household spending".

Real challenges of digital transformation

Blockchain enhances security and efficiency by decentralizing data storage, and reducing fraud, David Boast tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview.
  • Businesses face challenges in cloud migration, including regulatory concerns, legacy systems, and employee resistance, says David Boast
  • Poor execution, lack of employee buy-in, and conflicting leadership opinions often lead to digital transformation failures

US Fed likely to keep rates steady as uncertainty over Trump’s economic policies looms

Since January, Trump has imposed levies on major trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, and on steel and aluminum imports,...
  • The Trump administration has also embarked on unprecedented cost-cutting efforts that target staff and spending, while the president has promised tax reductions and deregulation.
  • But Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized this month that it is the "net effect" of policy changes that will matter for both the economy and monetary policy.

The future of logistics: Insights from DHL’s Amadou Diallo

The future of logistics is a convergence of technology, sustainability, and human ingenuity, which are transforming supply chains into more...
  • in the MEA region, key hubs such as Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Casablanca, Salalah, Nairobi, Durban, and Tema serve as vital nodes for regional distribution.
  • Additionally, hubs like Istanbul, Dubai, and Addis Ababa improve connectivity within this region, said Diallo.

Humanity’s future is increasingly inseparable from AI

Private sector, governments, and nonprofits must invest in AI education, Jason Alan Snyder tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview.
  • Top executives are leveraging AI to enhance their capabilities, enabling them to become highly innovative communicators, Jason Alan Snyder tells TRENDS
  • A 2024 OECD report reveals that AI is reshaping critical aspects of human development, including health, education, social norms, he adds

Electric, hybrid and aerial to entirely transform city life: IIT Madras expert

Easier commutes with faster, quieter, and eco-friendly vehicles would reduce travel times significantly and reduce stress for urban residents, says...
  • Large and hugely populous Asian countries like India have abundant sunlight, making solar power a natural fit for supporting EV adoption.
  • The ePlane Company’s air taxis will revolutionize urban transport by offering faster and more efficient ways to move within cities.

A new era of economic growth and productivity with AI

The technology will likely automate millions of jobs, Mark J. Penn, a US businessman, political strategist, and author tells TRENDS...
  • AI is the driving force in productivity and technology for the next few years, Mark J. Penn tells TRENDS
  • AI will give tech innovators the ability to create the next generation of robots and homebots, he adds

From healthcare to finance: How AI is reshaping global industries and GCC economies

A study by the World Economic Forum reveals that AI could replace around 85 million jobs by 2025
  • KPMG’s recent global study on AI in finance found that the use of AI is rapidly expanding across corporate finance
  • 71% of companies surveyed are using AI within finance operations, while 41% of them use it to a moderate or significant extent

US trading partners hit back on steel, aluminum tariffs

The steep 25-percent levies came into place after midnight with no exemptions despite countries' efforts to avert them, in a...
  • Canada, which is heavily exposed to the US steel and aluminum levies, announced additional tariffs of CAN$29.8 billion ($20.7 billion) on US goods, coming into force Thursday.
  • Uncertainty over Trump's trade plans and worries that they could tip the world's biggest economy into a recession have roiled financial markets.

IMF approves additional $1.3 billion aid program for Egypt

Washington, United States - The International Monetary Fund has approved an additional $1.3 billion assistance program for Egypt under its...
  • The Fund's Executive Board also completed the fourth review of an ongoing aid program, allowing for the immediate disbursement of $1.2 billion to Cairo
  • Under the RSF, the IMF provides long-term loans to finance projects aimed at preparing countries for the effects of global warming and helping them with energy transition

ADNOC expands its STEM Education Programme to empower UAE students in AI

Abu Dhabi, UAE  – ADNOC has expanded its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education programme to empower UAE students...

Latest News

Warren Buffett says will retire from Berkshire Hathaway by year’s end

Buffett transformed Berkshire Hathaway from a medium-sized textile company when he bought it in the 1960s into a giant conglomerate,

OPEC+ countries to open the oil taps despite price slump

Saudi Arabia, along with Russia and six other members of the oil cartel, will implement a production adjustment of 411,000...

Trump’s next 100 days: Now comes the hard part

In a dizzying first three months, Trump wielded executive power like no other modern president, signing more than 140 orders...

Most Read

Apple expects $900 million hit from tariff war

Apple on Thursday reported first-quarter profit above expectations but warned that US tariffs could cost the company and were disrupting...
  • Cook said he expected "a majority of iPhones sold in the US will have India as their country of origin."
  • Tit-for-tat exchanges have seen hefty US levies imposed on China, with Beijing setting retaliatory barriers on US imports

Slower growth expected in MENA region in 2025: IMF

"Growth is still projected to increase in 2025 and 2026, but at a considerably slower pace than anticipated last October,"...
  • The lender lowered growth projections from 4 percent to 2.6 percent for 2025, and from 4.2 percent to 3.4 percent for 2026.
  • In 2024, average growth in the region slowed to 1.8 percent -- from 2.1 percent the year before -- due to "ongoing conflicts and extended voluntary oil production cuts".

US reaching out to China for tariff talks: Beijing state media

United States officials have reached out to their Chinese counterparts for talks on vast tariffs that have hammered markets and...
  • Punishing US tariffs that have reached 145 percent on many Chinese products came into force in April, while Beijing has responded with fresh 125 percent duties on US imports
  • Beijing has vehemently denied any talks are taking place while repeatedly urging the United States to engage in dialogue in a "fair, respectful and reciprocal" manner