Saudi Arabia’s economy expands as oil and non-oil sectors grow
According to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), all major economic sectors recorded positive annual growth during the quarter, reflecting...
Economy
Fragmenting world economy raises costs beyond geopolitical rivals
A report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and consulting firm Oliver Wyman found that fragmentation accelerated through 2025...
Economy
Economy
Qatari firm to invest $29.7 billion in Egypt coastal development
The project in the Alam al-Roum area, in Egypt's Matrouh Governorate, will span "4,900 acres... extending across a coastline of...
- Egypt, mired in its worst economic crisis in decades, is betting big on its 3,000 kilometres (1,800 miles) of coastline as a revenue source
- In 2024 the UAE said it would inject $35 billion in foreign direct investment into Egypt, including $24 billion that would go to developing the Ras al-Hikma area west of Alexandria
Economy
Bahrain: Financial pioneer of the Gulf
In the post-digital world, Bahrain’s center of activity, the city of Manama, has stiff yet healthy competition from the GCC...
- Today, Bahrain is reinventing its economy through focusing heavily on Fintech Innovation, developing data centers with partners such as Amazon Web Services
- The pioneer of conventional banking in the region in 1970s has been robustly supporting Shariah-compliant financial instruments amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Economy
Qatar warns will cut gas supply to Europe over EU’s green rules
Qatar's energy minister on Monday warned the Gulf state would halt its supply of liquefied natural gas to Europe over...
- The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) requires large companies to fix the "adverse human rights and environmental impacts" of their supply chains worldwide
- The law was backed by a broad coalition of European politicians including the left and the greens as well as centrists, including some centre-right lawmakers
Business
OpenAI signs $38 bn infrastructure deal with cloud giant AWS
Under the seven-year agreement, OpenAI, which is partly owned by AWS's archrival Microsoft, will gain access to computing resources including...
- The deal will also give access to tens of millions of more conventional CPUs that will be used for the everyday deployment of so-called agentic AI.
- OpenAI will immediately begin utilizing AWS computing, with all capacity targeted to be used before the end of 2026, and the ability to expand further in the coming years.
Economy
OPEC+, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, agree further hike to their oil production
The 137,000-barrels-per-day hike will apply from December and remain at that level for the following three months, signifying a "pause"...
- The 137,000-barrels-per-day hike will apply from December and remain at that level for the following three months, signifying a "pause" in what had been regular hike since April
- The announced increase, which tallied with analyst expectations, has been seen as a bid by the key members of OPEC+ - known as the Voluntary Eight - to gain greater market share
Economy
Social media fooled by AI video of ‘sky stadium’ for Saudi 2034 World Cup
Paris, France - An AI-generated video claiming to show one of the football stadiums for the 2034 FIFA World Cup...
- The video of glowing arena built atop a towering skyscraper was shared by thousands of social media accounts, with millions of users believing it was the official visual
- While Riyadh has unveiled plans to build a football area on a real estate complex in The Line – a futuristic new megacity project – the official plans bear no likeness to the clip
Economy
Backed by its sovereign wealth fund, Saudi chases AI ambitions with homegrown firm pitched to global investors
The company, launched in May, is bankrolled by Saudi's powerful Public Investment Fund, which has played a key role in...
- The company, launched in May, is bankrolled by Saudi's powerful Public Investment Fund, which has played a key role in financing the kingdom's gigaprojects
- But Riyadh's ambitions to become a global AI hub face fierce competition from the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, which have invested in AI for years
Economy
Steady and sensible, Oman builds its future brick by brick amid the Gulf’s glittering rush
With volatile geopolitics and the resulting uncertainty, the year 2025 has been challenging for most of the countries across the...
- With its resilience and steady march, Omani economy continues to smoothly navigate geo-economic volatility
- If one looks at the economic performance of Oman, there are several lessons to be learned – the foremost being slow and steady win the race
Economy
US Fed will likely cut again despite economic murkiness from shutdown
The central bank's second-to-last rate meeting of the year is taking place against the backdrop of a weeks-long standoff between...
- Without these key insights into the US economy, Fed officials will be forced to set interest rates without the full spectrum of data they normally rely upon.
- The US central bank has a dual mandate from Congress to act independently to tackle both inflation and unemployment.
Economy
Iran declares major lender bankrupt
Iran declared one of the country's largest private banks bankrupt with its assets absorbed by the state, official media reported...
- Founded in 2012, Ayandeh Bank had a network of 270 branches across the country, including 150 in the capital Tehran alone
- But it had more recently been crippled by debt, with accumulated losses amounting to the equivalent of about $5.2 billion
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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
Saudi Arabia’s economy expands as oil and non-oil sectors grow
According to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), all major economic sectors recorded positive annual growth during the quarter, reflecting...
Economy
Company News
Latest News
GCC agriculture sectors post strong 2024 performance
Muscat, Oman -- Gulf Cooperation Council countries recorded strong performance in agriculture, livestock and fisheries during 2024, reflecting the growing...
Economy
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...
GCC startups will surprise the world by building culture-first tech
Snap’s regional chief Hussein Freijeh outlines growth plans across MENA and APAC in an interview with TRENDS, highlighting startups, creators...
Interview
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Interview
We are witnessing the rise of a maturing Web3 world: Nicole Valentine
The world has known the Middle East for its oil. But a new fuel is taking the main stage: knowledge,...
- The key to alignment always starts with the numbers. Data has the power to tell a story that resonates with policy, business, and tech.
- Today’s entrepreneur has a blockchain superhighway, they can access round the clock to conduct, transact, and build their businesses.
Business
Six Middle East cafés feature in the world’s 100 best coffee shops 2026 list
Six coffee shops from the Middle East have secured places in The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026 list, highlighting...
- The United Arab Emirates led the region with two cafés making the Top 100, reinforcing its position as a fast-expanding specialty coffee hub
- Qatar and Oman achieved their first-ever entries in the global ranking, while Turkey’s Meet Lab Coffee returned to the list
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...
- The GCC’s strength is global investment power, not startup mimicry, Fahad AlSharekh tells TRENDS
- Without exits and deep tech talent, chasing local VC hype is a mirage, he adds