INSEAD Day 4 - 728x90

Business

Samsung biggest chip investor

The tech giant invested nearly $59.2bn in 2025.

flynas to set up new hub

Five destinations in first phase of operations.

AD Ports Group acquires CLI

CLI is Brazilian agri-bulk terminal operator.

$1.59bn Makkah project awarded

A consortium will develop two districts in the Holy City.

2PointZero posts profit surge

Growth driven by merger consolidation.
  • New economic licences issued in Abu Dhabi rose 21% in the first quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, reflecting continued growth in business activity across the emirate, the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA) said on Monday. ADRA, the business regulation arm of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development,...
  • Trump touts ‘done’ deal with Beijing on rare earths, Chinese students

    Trump said on his Truth Social platform that China would supply rare earth minerals and magnets -- vital elements for American industries -- while Washington would allow Chinese students to remain in US universities.
  • Sharjah’s real estate sector records $1.49bn in transactions during May

    Sharjah, UAE --  Sharjah's real-estate market during May 2025 recorded a total of 8,415 transactions worth AED 5.5 billion.  Of these, 1,574 were sales transactions, accounting for 18.7% of the total, a clear indicator of increasing demand for real estate. The total traded area of sales transactions reached 13.2 million...
  • ADNOC Gas announces $5 billion investment in Rich Gas Project

    Abu Dhabi, UAE -- ADNOC Gas announced Tuesday it has made a final investment decision on the first phase of its landmark Rich Gas Development (RGD) Project, awarding $5 billion in contracts to kickstart its largest-ever capital investment. The massive project is central to the UAE's strategy to boost liquid...
  • Saudi Arabia’s real GDP grows by 3.4 percent in Q1 mainly on non-oil activities

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia’s first quarter real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.4 percent year-on-year, according to the latest report from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), primarily driven by a 4.9 percent surge in non-oil activities and a 3.2 percent rise in government activities. GASTAT’s data...
  • Qualcomm to Alphawave for $2.4 bn

    The deal makes Alphawave the latest tech company to depart London.
  • MENA Mergers & Acquisitions deal value up 66% in Q1, hits $46 Billion

    Dubai, UAE -- The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has kicked off 2025 with a record-breaking first quarter in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), as deal value soared to $46 billion—a 66% increase year-on-year (YoY). According to Saudi M&A Consulting, this robust growth reflects rising investor confidence, favorable regulatory...
  • US aerospace manufacturers insist they have no use for tariffs

    New York, United States -- US airlines and aerospace manufacturers insist they have no use for tariff protections, warning that the proposed Trump administration levies could eat into the healthy trade surplus the sector has enjoyed for more than 70 years. At the request of President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary...
  • Apple under pressure to shine after AI stumble

    Apple will showcase plans for its coveted devices and the software powering them at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicking off Monday in Silicon Valley.
  • Gamers get hold of Nintendo’s hotly awaited Switch 2

    Tokyo, Japan -- Gamers finally got their hands on Nintendo's new Switch 2 on Thursday, the console that could score record early sales for the Japanese "Super Mario" creator. The device, which features a bigger screen and more processing power, is an upgrade to the Switch that became a global...
  • Equinor signs $27 bn gas deal

    The 10-year contract was signed with Centrica.
  • Israel arms exports to UAE, Bahrain, Morocco rise sharply after 2023

    Sales to countries considered part of the Abraham Accords -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco who signed groundbreaking normalization agreements with Israel in 2020 -- appeared to have sharply risen from 3 percent in 2023 to 12 percent.
  • New WEF report reveals how tech convergence will reshape industries

    Geneva, Switzerland – The World Economic Forum today released a new report examining how emerging technology combinations are reshaping industries and how business leaders can harness these insights to guide investment, build capabilities and position ecosystems strategically. It also offers valuable insights to policy-makers by highlighting how emerging technologies intersect...
  • Middle East tourism projected to reach $350 billion by 2030: ATM report

    Dubai, UAE – The Middle East’s tourism sector is poised for unprecedented expansion, with a new report predicting a 50 percent surge in travel spending by 2030, reaching nearly $350 billion. The ATM Travel Trends Report 2025, compiled by Tourism Economics for Arabian Travel Market (ATM), highlights the region’s rapid...
  • Meta secures nuclear energy in 20-year Illinois plant deal

    Washington, United States -- Facebook owner Meta announced Tuesday a 20-year nuclear energy agreement with US-based Constellation Energy to secure power from a nuclear plant in the state of Illinois. The investment marks big tech's latest move to meet surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence, with Microsoft, Google and Amazon...
  • Airlines less optimistic for 2025, facing ‘headwinds’: IATA

    New Delhi, India -- Airlines on Monday revised down their traffic and profit forecasts for 2025, citing "headwinds" for the global economy, with industry chiefs warning of the risk of increased tariffs impacting the sector. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates fewer than five billion air journeys will take...
  • Indian airline IndiGo orders 30 Airbus A350 widebody planes

    New Delhi, India -- Indian airline IndiGo said on Sunday it had signed an order for 30 more Airbus A350-900s, bringing its shopping list for the widebody aircraft from the European aircraft manufacturer to 60. "We are placing a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900s," said Pieter Elbers, the CEO...
  • Oil under $65 a boon for consumers, but a burden on producers

    London, United Kingdom -- US President Donald Trump's tariffs, his call to "drill baby drill" and especially a decision by OPEC+ to hike crude output quotas have oil prices trading at lows not seen since the Covid pandemic. That is good news for consumers but not so much for producers,...
  • The five biggest-selling gaming consoles

    From the first video game consoles of the 1970s to the Nintendo Switch 2 due out on Thursday, hundreds of millions have been sold to players eager to immerse themselves in their favorite franchises
  • Silicon Valley VCs navigate uncertain AI future

    The generative AI frenzy unleashed by ChatGPT in 2022 has propelled a handful of venture-backed companies to eye-watering valuations.
  • Google makes case for keeping Chrome browser in US court

    Washington, United States - Google on Friday urged a US judge to reject the notion of making it spin off its Chrome browser to weaken its dominance in online search. Rival attorneys made their final arguments before US District Court Judge Amit Mehta, who is considering "remedies" to impose after...
  • Syria inks $7 bn energy deal with Qatari, Turkish, US firms

    The agreement was sealed at the presidential palace in Damascus in the presence of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and US ambassador Thomas Barrack. It aims to generate 5,000 megawatts. Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir called it a "historic moment" and a "turning point" for the country's shattered infrastructure.
  • Cross-border deals fuel M&A surge in MENA region in Q1 2025

     Dubai, UAE -- The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has kicked off 2025 with a remarkable surge in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity, according to the latest EY MENA M&A Insights 2024 report. The first quarter of the year saw a substantial 31 percent increase in deal volume,...
  • Saudi Arabia unveils ‘Colour Your Summer’ program, targeting 41 million visitors

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's tourism sector is poised for an unprecedented summer season, with the official launch of the "Saudi Summer 2025" program, themed "Colour Your Summer." The initiative, unveiled today by Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA),...
  • ADNOC Drilling secures $1.15bn contract

    The contract for two jack-up rigs begins in the second quarter.
  • World’s longest diamond necklace set to break Guinness record at Sharjah show

    Sharjah, UAE – Exhibitors at the 55th Watch and Jewelry Middle East Show, scheduled from May 28 to June 1, are set to unveil impressive curation of luxury gold jewellery and diamond collections, aiming to achieve Guinness World Records. Organized by Expo Centre Sharjah with support from the Sharjah Chamber...
  • ADNOC’s listed companies post over $2.3 billion net profit in first quarter

    Abu Dhabi, UAE -- ADNOC Group's publicly traded portfolio companies combined to deliver over $2.3 billion (AED8.4 billion) in first quarter net profit. Each of the six companies delivered strong financial results in the first quarter, alongside clear progress on strategic priorities aimed at driving profitable growth. ADNOC Distribution delivered...
  • Real estate transactions in five UAE emirates reach $65 billion in Q1

    Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Real estate transactions across five emirates in the UAE surged to over AED 239 billion ($65 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, underpinned by investor confidence, flexible regulations, and expanding project pipelines, official data showed. More than 94,719 sales, purchase, and mortgage deals were recorded...
  • Trump expands Apple tariff threat to all smartphones

    Washington, United States -- US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened Apple and other smartphone manufacturers with a 25 percent tariff unless their devices are built in the United States. Trump initially said the tariff would apply only to Apple -- an unusual move to single out a specific company...
  • Anthropic’s Claude AI gets smarter — and mischievious

    San Francisco, United States -- Anthropic launched its latest Claude generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) models on Thursday, claiming to set new standards for reasoning but also building in safeguards against rogue behavior. "Claude Opus 4 is our most powerful model yet, and the best coding model in the world," Anthropic...
  • Trump threatens Apple with a 25% tariff if iPhones aren’t made in US

    Washington, United States -- US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened Apple with a 25 percent tariff if the iPhones the company sells in the United States are not manufactured locally. In a post on Truth Social Trump said he had "long ago informed Tim Cook of Apple that I...
  • TOURISE 2025: Riyadh to host premier summit for sustainable tourism

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, has officially unveiled TOURISE, a groundbreaking global platform set to transform the future of the tourism industry. The inaugural TOURISE 2025 event will take place in Riyadh from November 11-13, bringing together public and private sector leaders, experts, and...
  • Trump administration refocuses US-China chip war on AI and Huawei

    Beijing, China -- The United States has taken aim at China's Huawei over the cutting-edge chips powering artificial intelligence (AI), part of a shifting technology dispute between the two largest economies. AFP looks at how the US-China chip war is evolving under US President Donald Trump: Focus back on China...
  • Xiaomi launches new advanced in-house mobile chip

    Beijing, China -- Tech giant Xiaomi unveiled a new advanced in-house mobile chip on Thursday, a significant milestone for the company as Chinese firms shift resources towards home-grown technology against a bleak international trade backdrop. Xiaomi, which sells goods from smartphones to vacuum cleaners and electric vehicles (EVs), is one...
  • May 2025 Islamic Treasury Sukuk auction attracts bids worth $1.88bn

    Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The Ministry of Finance (MoF), in its capacity as the issuer and in collaboration with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) as the issuing and payment agent, announced the successful completion of the May 2025 auction of UAE Dirham-denominated Islamic Treasury Sukuk (T-Sukuk) amounting to...
  • Ads pressured to evolve as AI changes Google search

    San Francisco, United States -- As Google races to lead in artificial intelligence, it faces the challenge of making sure the technology doesn't slow its profit-pumping advertising engine. The internet giant is dabbling with ads in its new AI Mode for online search, a strategic move to fend off competition...
  • Cyberattack to cost UK retailer Marks & Spencer $404 million

    London, United Kingdom -- British clothes-to-food retailer Marks and Spencer on Wednesday said a cyberattack affecting its online service is set to last through to July and cost the group £300 million ($404 million). Marks last week revealed that some personal data of its customers had been stolen in a...
  • 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.
  • The New Travel Mindset: Local Living and Smarter Tech

    From immersive local experiences to AI-powered personalization, Muzzammil Ahussain, CEO of Almosafer, shares key trends shaping the future of travel.
  • Nvidia unveils plan for Taiwan’s first ‘AI supercomputer’

    Taipei, Taiwan -- Nvidia boss Jensen Huang announced plans for Taiwan's first "AI supercomputer", as he showcased on Monday the company's latest advances in artificial intelligence. Global chip giants have gathered in Taiwan for the island's top tech expo, Computex, as the sector grapples with the impact of US tariffs...
  • Qatar Airways annual profit $2bn

    This was a record 28% jump in annual net profit.
  • EGA advances plans to build new US aluminum plant

    Abu Dhabi, UAE --  Emirates Global Aluminum, the largest ‘premium aluminum’ producer in the world, today announced the progression of plans to develop the first new primary aluminum production plant in the United States of America since 1980. The plant is expected to have a production capacity of 600 thousand...
  • US stocks move sideways but poised for weekly gains

    The S&P 500 has risen the last four sessions, extending the positive momentum after last weekend's trade talks resulted in both the United States and China lowering tariffs on each other for 90 days.
  • World Bank announces plans to restart Syria operations

    Washington, United States -- The World Bank on Friday said it would restart operation in Syria following a 14-year pause, after Saudi Arabia and Qatar had paid off the country's outstanding debts. The Bank's operation in Syria were halted when the civil war broke out in 2011, preventing the country...
  • Masdar issues $1bn bond

    Its green bond program hits $2.75 billion.
  • OpenAI abandons plan to become for-profit company

    San Francisco, United States - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Monday said the company behind ChatGPT would continue to be run as a nonprofit, as it abandoned a highly contested plan to turn into a for-profit organization. The issue had become a serious point of contention for the artificial intelligence...
  • Trump’s solar tariffs could drive Asia transition boom

    Bangkok, Thailand -- Massive planned US duties on solar panels made in Southeast Asia could be a chance for the region to ramp up its own long-stalled energy transition, experts say. Earlier this month, Washington announced plans for hefty duties on solar panels made in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia....
  • Luberef net profit falls 7% in Q1

    A fall in by-products sales leads to profit dip.
  • SABIC net loss $322 million

    The company's net profit was $66m in Q1 2024
  • PureHealth posts $137m Q1 net profit

    The Group's revenue increased 8 percent YoY.