Business

Amazon triples quarterly profit

The company's cloud, ads, and retail businesses thrive.

McDonald’s profits up 7%

The quarterly profits increased despite weak Middle East sales.

ADQ buys stake in Plenary Group

The deal is aimed at expanding public and social infrastructure.

FPT and Nvidia to build AI factory

Nvidia had invested around $250 million in Vietnam.

Swiss reserve hike hits UBS

The reserve requirement will increase from 2.5% to 4% from July 1.
  • Gulf Bank to up paid-up capital

    It will be hiked by US$79.6m through a public offering.
  • Shams signs MoU with South Korean firm to develop media content

    Sharjah, UAE--Sharjah Media City (Shams) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), the largest television and radio broadcasting company in South Korea. The partnership aims to strengthen cooperation between Shams and MBC Korea through enhanced media content business development, benefiting from the expertise and exchange...
  • Alantra sets up base in DIFC

    The global firm will provide investment banking services.
  • Second quarter GDP growth in US 2.1%, weaker than earlier estimates

    Washington, United States - Economic growth in the United States was weaker than first estimated for the April to June period, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, noting downward revisions in business investment. GDP growth in the world's biggest economy came in at 2.1 percent for the second quarter, down from the...
  • Lego first half profit dips 17%

    But the toy giant's market share grew as sales rose slightly.
  • Another Saudi sports push: PIF buys stake in US mixed martial arts league

    Combining elements of everything from boxing to judo and Muay Thai, mixed martial arts (MMA) had a limited following in Saudi Arabia just a decade ago, but that started to change when the kingdom hosted the popular regional Desert Force competition in 2014.
  • GCC asset management market $500bn by 2026

    Strong capital inflows, a young and growing population and growing awareness about asset management will drive the sector's growth in future.
  • UAE first half non-oil foreign trade hits all-time high of $337 billion

    The results are buoyed by record non-oil exports, which reached AED 205 billion in H1 2023, an 11.9 percent growth compared to the first half of 2022 and 5.4 percent more than H2 2022. Non-oil exports in the first six months of 2023 exceed the exports recorded in the whole...
  • Saudi Arabia’s imports from GCC countries fall by 19% in June

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia’s imports from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries fell 19 percent year-on-year (YoY) to SAR 5.51 billion in June, according to a recent report by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). UAE accounted for 65.6 percent, or SAR 3.61 billion, of the total Saudi imports,...
  • Equities extend gains on US jobs data, China rate cut hopes

    The mood was brightened by a report that China's biggest state-backed banks would slash rates on mortgages and deposits as part of a drive to support the country's beleaguered property sector. Wall Street enjoyed one of its best days in months thanks to a surge in big names -- including...
  • Oil prices spike on US stockpile draw and hurricane fears

    Dubai, UAE--Oil prices extended gains on Wednesday after industry data showed a large draw in crude inventories in the U.S., the world's biggest fuel consumer, and as concerns about a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico kept investors on edge. Brent crude futures for October climbed 31 cents, or 0.36%,...
  • Global dividends hit record US$568 billion in Q2

    According to a report by asset management firm Janus Henderson, payouts to shareholders are expected to grow further in spite of economic uncertainty. During the second quarter payments by the 1,200 biggest public companies rose more than expected, increasing by 4.9 percent compared to the same April-to-June period last year.
  • Elon Musk lifts political ad ban at rebranded Twitter

    Welcoming back potentially misleading political messages at X came less than a week after former president Donald Trump posted there for the first time since January 2021. Trump posted his police mugshot after his arrest in Georgia, signaling his return to a platform that was his favorite bullhorn during his...
  • Oil companies pay Insta, TikTok influencers for ads

    Online celebrities best known for posting about video games are also dropping in unexpected plugs for gasoline stations, fuel rewards and club cards. In India, Mexico, South Africa and the United States many spots were found that promoted major oil firms such as BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies on...
  • Egypt looks to raise US$5bn from offloading stake in state-owned companies

    Cairo, Egypt--Egypt is looking to raise $5 billion from the offering of power plants and state-owned companies from October 2023 until the end of June 2024, according to a report on the Government IPO Program by the Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). The report showed that Egypt plans...
  • oil, prices, crude, asian stocks

    Egypt to drill 45 exploratory gas wells with investment of US$1.9bn

    Cairo, Egypt--The Egyptian government plans to drill 45 natural exploratory gas wells in the Mediterranean and the Nile Delta with $1.9 billion in investments until mid-2025, according to a Cabinet statement on Tuesday. The drilling of 10 wells between July 2022 and June 2023 resulted in the huge discovery in...
  • Iranian company SAIPA to export cars to Russia

    TEHRAN, IRAN – The CEO of SAIPA Auto Making Company, Iran’s second-largest car manufacturing company, said a contract has been inked for exporting 120,000 passenger and commercial vehicles to Russia. Mohammad Teymouri pointed to his visit to Russia’s car market last week and stated that a contract was concluded for...
  • Iran’s non-oil exports reach US$19.3bn in March to July 2023

    TEHRAN, IRAN - Some 56 million tons of non-oil goods, valued at US$19.3 billion, were exported in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year, the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) announced on Tuesday. Also, 14.4 million tons of non-oil goods, valued at US$24.2 billion, were...
  • Ryanair inks pact with Joramco

    The airline is likely to carry 300m passengers a year by 2034.
  • Hotel revenues in Oman grow 27.8% to $318 million in July

    Muscat, Oman -- The revenues of 3-5-star hotels in Oman reached RO 122.5 million ($318 million) at the end of July 2023, up by 27.8 percent over the corresponding period in 2022. Statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) show that the total number of hotel...
  • Qatar’s trade balance surplus increases by 12.8 percent in July

    Doha, Qatar -- Qatar's foreign merchandise trade balance, which represents the difference between total exports and imports, showed a surplus of QR 19.6 billion ($5.38 billion) in July 2023, a decrease of about QR 15.1 billion or 43.5 percent compared to July 2022, and an increase of nearly QR 2.2...
  • DP World, Evyap Group ink pact

    The partnership aims at enhancing trade infrastructure.
  • GCC optimistic about FDI growth despite hiccups

    Despite a decline in FDI inflows in the past few years, GCC countries remain optimistic as they expect strong economic growth in 2023 and beyond.
  • Global Islamic microfinance surpasses US$60bn, says industry professional

    DUBAI, UAE - The global Islamic microfinance industry has surpassed US$60 billion in value within the $3.8 trillion Islamic finance landscape. This achievement highlights the growing recognition of Islamic microfinance as a tool for poverty alleviation. The industry's potential to bridge financial gaps while adhering to Shariah principles positions it...
  • Sharjah to host Gulf-Iraq business forum to ramp up economic ties

    Sharjah, UAE--Sharjah will host the first-ever Gulf-Iraq Business Forum on 26th and 27th September to boost economic ties between the GCC and Iraq. The event is an initiative of the Federation of GCC Chambers and is being organized in partnership with the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry...
  • ChatGPT turns to business as popularity takes a tumble

    ChatGPT Enterprise will be powered by GPT-4, OpenAI's highest performing model, much like ChatGPT Plus, the company's subscription version for individuals, but business customers will have special perks. The release came as ChatGPT is struggling to maintain the excitement that made it the world’s fastest downloaded app in the weeks...
  • Toyota factories across Japan hit by massive glitch

    The news of system glitch sent Toyota's stocks into the red, trading 0.64 percent lower at 2,421.0 yen. But the shock selling seemed to have slowed before the midday break in Tokyo markets.
  • Kross Studio redefines high-end horology by crossing tradition and innovation to tick luxury revolution

    Launched amidst the pandemic, Marco Tedeschi's venture seamlessly blended traditional watchmaking with modern technology, collaborating with major brands to achieve success.
  • Bahrain and US review partnership in political, economic and security fields

    Manama, Bahrain--Bahrain and the United States have reviewed joint cooperation, partnership and strategic dialogue in the political, economic and security fields. The review came up in a meeting between Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Political Affairs Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and Paul Dean, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in...
  • Saudi Arabia and Turkey to boost ties in industrial, mining sectors

    The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU to boost mining cooperation in critical minerals needed in new technologies like electric vehicles and solar panels. The Turkish and Saudi ministers also discussed deepening partnership in areas such as hydrogen, solar and wind energy, besides seeking to widen trade between...
  • ICIEC, SAPICO ink pact

    Pact to enhance commercial activities between the two.
  • Expo Center Sharjah to host 63% more events in last quarter

    Sharjah, UAE - Expo Centre Sharjah said it will host 63 percent more events in the last quarter of 2023, compared to last quarter of 2022. The Center will host 18 economic, trade, and cultural exhibitions, while during the same period last year, it hosted 11 such events. The events,...
  • Iran inaugurates final phase of country’s largest gas field

    The South Pars gas field is one of the world's largest natural gas condensate fields. Iran shares the gas field with energy giant Qatar and there are 24 platforms on the side of the Islamic republic which has been developing it in the Gulf since the 1990s.
  • AviLease acquires aircraft leasing platform

    The $3.6bn deal will see AviLease acquire a portfolio of 100 aircraft.
  • SAMI launches radio systems line

    PIF-owned SAMI will be partnering with the Ministry of Defense.
  • Kuwait Airport expects 13% rise in passenger numbers, says DGCA

    KUWAIT CITY, KUWAIT - Kuwait's Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) expected that the total passenger traffic to and from Kuwait International Airport in 2023 to reach 15.5 million, compared to 14.46 passengers last year. Director of air transports at DGCA Abdullah Al-Rajhi said in a press statement on Sunday...
  • Boon or blight? E-scooters around the world

    The for-hire electric scooters that have become ubiquitous in Paris and other cities worldwide will be banned in the French capital on Sept 1.
  • NIDC drills 195 oil wells in 2 years

    Wells were drilled in onshore, offshore operations.
  • $202m contract signed for Jeddah project

    The contract involves MEP works for Al Muhammadiyah Hospital.
  • Oman and South Korea sign agreement on green energy transition

    Muscat, Oman--Oman has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korea in the field of green energy transition. The MoU reflects the advanced status of bilateral relations and the two countries’ keenness to consolidate cooperation in green transition. The MoU was signed by Eng. Salim Nasser Al Aufi, Minister...
  • PIF-backed oil driller ADES International Holding announces IPO

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- ADES International Holding, an oil and gas driller backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, PIF, has announced its intention to go public and list its shares on Saudi stock exchange (Tadawul), with the planned Initial Public Offering expected to reportedly fetch more than $1 billion....
  • ADIB enhances mobile app for international money transfers

    Abu Dhabi, UAE - Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has introduced enhanced international transfer features on its mobile app and internet banking. The improvements come as the bank reports a notable 20% year-on-year increase in remittances during H1 2023. As the first bank in the UAE to offer discounts on...
  • China developer Evergrande plunges as Hong Kong trading resumes

    The resumption of trading came after the company said in a filing on Friday that it had met guidelines set out by the bourse, including belatedly publishing its financial results and complying with other listing rules. Once China's largest real estate firm, Evergrande defaulted in 2021 and is saddled with...
  • China EV giant XPeng to buy rival for over $740m

    Founded in the southern province of Guangdong in 2015, XPeng is one of dozens of Chinese startups to emerge in recent years to take advantage of the boom in electric vehicles in the world's largest auto market. Didi is China's leading car-hailing app but also operates a subsidiary designing electric...
  • Red Sea Global launches ‘Tamala’ to transform agricultural economy in Tabuk

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Red Sea Global (RSG) has announced the launch of the Red Sea Farms Cooperative (Tamala), established through integrated national partnerships between the government, private and non-profit sectors. Tamala aims to develop a model entity that achieves the kingdom's orientation to enhance the role of cooperatives in the agricultural...
  • Evergrande posts H1 loss

    Firm said it has $556 million remaining in cash assets.
  • Iran hopes joining BRICS likely to enhance trade and business

    Tehran, Iran - Iran’s membership in the BRICS group will lead to the promotion of exports and trade activities, an official was quoted as saying by local media reports. Deputy Chairman of Iran Chamber of Cooperatives for Legal Affairs Arsalan Ghasemi said that to tackle economic sanctions by the West...
  • Iran says European countries willing to buy our drones

    TEHRAN, IRAN - A number of European countries have asked to purchase Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicles, the spokesperson for the Iranian Defense Ministry said. Speaking to Tasnim, Brigadier General Reza Talaee Nik said Iranian-made military drones have a lot of potential customers. Many countries, including a number of Western and...
  • Tehran exports goods worth $7.2bn to West Asia in 4 months from March 2023

    TEHRAN, IRAN - Iran exported $7.2 billion worth of products to West Asian countries in the first four months of the current Persian calendar year (March 21 to July 22), the director general of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) for West Asia said. The administration of President Ebrahim...
  • Iran world’s eighth largest steel producer in first half of 2023

    Tehran, Iran -- Iran became the eighth largest steel supplier in the world in the first half of 2023 as the country kept increasing its output despite supply and price hike in international markets caused by the Ukraine War. Figures from the World Steel Association (WSA) showed that Iran’s steel...