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China records expansion in factory activity for first time in six months
Shenzhen, China--China's manufacturing activity expanded for the first time in six months in March. The official purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 50.8 in March from 49.1 in February, above the 50-mark separating growth from contraction and topping a median forecast of 49.9. Though the pace of growth was modest,...
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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 Q4 of 2023, which show that the net flow of FDI in the Kingdom amounted to over US$3.4 billion (SAR13 billion), an increase of 16 percent or US$2.9 billion (SAR11... -
Dubai job hunt: Tips for success in the city of opportunity
Dubai, UAE - The UAE was recognized as the top destination for international professionals seeking employment visas. According to the Annual Global Hiring Report by the Global HR platform Deel, industries like financial services, IT, computer software, marketing, advertising, and management consulting are leading in attracting international talent to the... -
Saudi Arabia’s Purchasing Manager’s Index rises to 57.2 points in Feb
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - The seasonally adjusted Riyadh Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), formerly S&P Global Saudi Arabia PMI, rose to 57.2 points in February. The PMI is a weighted average of five indices – new orders, output, employment, suppliers’ delivery times, stocks of purchases. The PMI... -
Saudi Arabia to imprison, fine people for helping, employing illegal immigrants
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The Directorate of Public Security stressed that anyone who facilitates the entry, transfer or employment of violators of border security into the Kingdom or provides them with shelter or any service or help of any type will face imprisonment up to 15 years and a fine... -
New UAE law allows employees merge work years for free
Abu, Dhabi, UAE -- A new UAE law contributes to enhancing insured Emiratis chance in obtaining a retirement pension by merging employment years at no cost, which increases the possibility of obtaining a pension and/or end-of-service gratuity once ready to retire. Announced by the General Pension and Social Security Authority... -
Riyad Bank Saudi PMI down to 57.5 points in November
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI), formerly S&P Global Saudi Arabia PMI, fell to 57.5 points in November 2023. The index indicated a significant improvement in the Saudi non-oil private sector but attributed the decline in the main index to a lower... -
Emiratization: CBUAE to provide financial sector job opportunities
Abu Dhabi, UAE - The CBUAE will provide UAE nationals with job opportunities across various banking and insurance specializations in an effort to meet the financial sector’s Emiratization objectives during its participation in the 17th annual Tawdheef exhibition taking place between November 13-15, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center... -
ADIB publishes ‘sustainable finance framework’ establishing criteria for borrowing
Abu Dhabi, UAE--Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has published "Sustainable Finance Framework" establishing criteria and eligibility requirements that determine which projects are labelled “green”, “social”, or “sustainable”. The framework will determine the eligibility of projects for the bank to finance or refinance, including the issuance of green, social and sustainability... -
Saudi capital market institutions employ 5,524 by second quarter end: CMA
Dubai, UAE -- The number of employees at capital market institutions rose by 103 quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to 5,524 by the end of the second quarter of 2023, according to the latest data from the Capital Market Authority (CMA). Males accounted for 80 percent of the employees at capital market institutions,... -
Egypt reports drop in unemployment rate in Q2 of 2023
Cairo, Egypt--Egypt's unemployment rate fell slightly by 0.1 percent to 7 percent in the second quarter of 2023, according to the country's statistics agency CAPMAS report on Tuesday. More than two million Egyptians were without a job, including 1.2 million men and 941,000 women, the data revealed, adding that 61.8... -
Generative AI likely to supplement than destroy jobs: ILO
Geneva, Switzerland -- Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is more likely to augment than destroy jobs by automating some tasks rather than taking over a role entirely, a new study from the International Labour Organization (ILO) has found. The study, "Generative AI and Jobs: A global analysis of potential effects on... -
UAE ranks first globally in employing Indians, Saudi second: Minister
New Delhi, India -- The UAE ranks first among the countries in the world in the employment of Indians, currently employing more than 3.55 million people from the world's most populous country, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, told parliament. The number of Indians in the UAE... -
Finding private sector jobs difficult for 62% percent Emirati graduates
Despite this pessimistic view, however, 61 percent of the surveyed graduates expressed interest in joining the private sector, said PwC's Emiratization Survey 2023, titled "The Retention Riddle: How to keep Emirati talent in the private sector." The survey sheds light on the efforts made by the UAE to enhance Emirati... -
Qatar and Iran to boost cooperation in labor sector
Dubai, UAE-- Qatar and Iran intend to expand cooperation in the fields of labor, employment, and exchange of skill-training experiences. The issue was discussed during a meeting between the Iranian minister of labor and his Qatari counterpart in Geneva, emphasizing the expansion of cooperation in the fields of labor, employment.... -
Private sector sees 13% increase in Emirati workers
More than 10,500 Emiratis have joined the private sector since the beginning of 2023, bringing the total number of Emiratis employed in the private sector to over 66,000. -
Jordan’s ‘Tashgheel’ fetches 20,000 jobs for its citizens in private sector
Amman, Jordan--A government-sponsored program in Jordan has helped place 20,000 people into private sector jobs since its launch in April 2022. According to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), the National Employment Program (Tashgheel) has helped 673 men and 877 women, who are beneficiaries of the National Aid Fund, secure employment... -
Unequal pay checks plague GCC workplaces
Businesses in the region need to embed diversity strategies by setting diversity KPIs to ensure fair assessments for women and reinforcing supportive workplace culture whill also help acheive the goal, she advises. -
US interest rate likely to rise, says Federal Reserve head
US interest rates will likely peak at a higher level than previously anticipated due to economic data that came in stronger than recent trends suggested, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said. He said that January figures for employment, consumer spending, manufacturing production and inflation pointed to a partial reversal of... -
Gulf boardrooms lag in gender diversity
The Middle East has made significant progress in advancing gender diversity in the workplace through measures such as generous parental leave policies and flexible working arrangements. While the progress is commendable, experts believe that there are still hurdles to overcome to ensure greater representation of women in executive and board... -
China’s general public budget revenue tops $3.01 trillion in 2022
General public budget revenue grew 9.1 percent from 2021, excluding the impact of value-added tax credit refunds, according to the Ministry of Finance. -
Sharjah ruler announces ‘valuable’ projects in central region
Sharjah, UAE-- Ruler of Sharjah Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi has affirmed that work is underway to complete "valuable" projects in the central region, which will provide many jobs for citizens. Dr. Sheikh Sultan announced the employment of 50 engineers from the region to work on Sharjah Electricity,... -
MENA professionals eye new skills, better prospects
Despite the challenges of the digital transition in some MENA countries and the rising unemployment, about 90% of professionals in the region remain enthusiastic about 2023. -
SEWA announces 149% rise in emiratisation in engineering jobs
The company revealed its plan to raise the Emiratisation percentage to 73 percent of the total engineering jobs by the end of 2023. -
UAE takes part in 17th Asia Pacific Regional Meeting of ILO
SINGAPORE - The UAE has participated in the 17th Asia Pacific Regional Meeting of the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Singapore. More than 500 representatives of governments, labor organizations and companies from 33 of the 48-member countries of the Asia Pacific Group of ILO took part in the meeting. The... -
35.6% rise in Saudi women’s economic participation makes TOP CEO Conference’s May predictions true
The confirmation of an increased participation of women in workplace comes months after the TOP CEO Conference held in May 2022 had highlighted its economic justifications. -
Workers’ welfare key focus as GCC states strengthen, expand social protection systems, says Saudi minister
The participating Gulf countries highlight labor reforms to ensure protection of workers at the 17th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting of ILO in Singapore. -
Updated labor laws give UAE job market an edge as cap removed on fixed-term employment contracts
Both employers and employees stand to benefit from the UAE's recent labor law amendments, Ben Brown, Partner at the law firm Addleshaw Goddard, tells TRENDS. -
Adaptability now top priority for hiring in GCC
Post Covid, professionals are reviewing and updating their skills to stay competitive in the job market where remote work ha becoming increasingly popular, says a report. -
Infra investment key to climate change adaptation
“We need to build a coherent framework of trade and investment policies supported by roadmaps that can accelerate the energy transition and boost re-investments,” Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stresses at a high-level forum held on the sidelines of the COP27 in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt. -
Temporary employment contracts between countries need enhancements to boost efficiency, production
Sixteen member countries of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue that send and receive laborers discuss problems and welfare of the workers during high-level meetings in the UAE. -
Turkish inflation jumps to 85.51 percent in October
Central banks worldwide are raising borrowing costs in efforts to tame soaring consumer prices, but Turkey has bucked the global trend, with Erdogan calling higher interest rates his "biggest enemy". With an election looming next year, Erdogan argues that high-interest rates are the cause of inflation, not the opposite, in... -
Deploying every new technology isn’t advisable
We don’t need to jump into every bandwagon. We need to understand our security needs first and act accordingly. Your cyber security investments will only be worthwhile if you and your employees are willing to commit to it on a long-term basis and follow good practices to ensure complete cyber... -
Saudi to target 11 decisions for Emiratisation program by 2022 end
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia---Saudi Arabia will target 11 new decisions for Emiratisation program in project management, procurement, food and drug sectors before the end of 2022, said Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. During his meeting with businessmen and women at the Chamber of Commerce... -
Arab youth prefer UAE over home country to live, work
Key attractions in the UAE include economy, secure environment, rewarding salary packages, a wide range of job opportunities, and the wise leadership, says a survey. -
Air passengers number up, reveals global aviation meet in Dubai
Some of the greatest minds in the aviation industry took to the stage at this year’s Global Aviation Conference in Dubai, UAE. -
UAE says global pacts can help face labor related challenges
The UAE highlighted the significance of complying with international work standards and developing partnerships that empower countries to overcome the future challenges of the labor markets across the globe. -
Metaverse unrolls new prospects, risks for insurance
Many risks companies face in the real world exist in the metaverse, albeit with a digital twist, requiring insurance players to come up with a new set of liability policies. -
Panasonic to build $4bn electric vehicle battery plant in US
Japanese electronics giant Panasonic said Thursday it will spend $4 billion to build a new battery factory in the United States for electric vehicles. -
Closing the gender gap in MENA may take 115 years
Closing gender gaps remains a critical driver of national prosperity. Countries that invest in all of their human capital and make it easier for their populations to balance work and family life tend to be more prosperous. It may help overcome the current crises and accelerate a strong recovery, the... -
Online platforms help GCC reduce local unemployment
Many Gulf countries have set up electronic platforms to localize government and private sector jobs to reduce the national unemployment and their reliance on expat workers. -
Global issues slowing down labor market recovery: ILO
Labor incomes have not yet recovered for the majority of workers. In 2021, three in five workers lived in countries where labor incomes had not returned to the level seen in Q4 2019. The gender gap in hours worked also grew during the pandemic. -
Saudi Arabia to attract $32bn investment in mining sector
The investment is expected to be made in nine new projects across the country. -
France donates $5.5m to Jordan for a development project
The Jordan Education for Employment (JEFE) organization and the French Development Agency on Saturday signed a grant agreement worth 5 million euros to launch the "Ilhamy" (my inspiration) project. -
People flee Lebanon to Iran in search of employment
Lebanon is grappling with an unprecedented financial crisis that the World Bank says is of a scale usually associated with war. -
Bahrain scores high in gender equality, women’s economic participation
The World Bank has reported that Bahrain’s score improved to 73 percent in women’s economic participation and gender equality from 2018 to 2022. The report was compiled by World Bank Group’s Women, Business and the Law 2022. This report examines laws and regulations that restrict women’s economic inclusion in 190... -
Tunisia allots $10.4m to ‘social and solidarity economy’
Tunisia has devoted a budget of 30 MD ($10.4m) to the social and solidarity economy for the next three years. -
Job creation in Oman posts 129% jump in 2021
In 2021, total revenues of the Ministry of Labor stood at RO 232.9 million ($605million) generated from fees of licenses and employment contracts, fines -
Covid-19 shakes up GCC’s in-demand job profiles
Now, the fastest-growing job profiles in the GCC include a mix of both pandemic-resultant and non-pandemic-resultant positions. -
Bahrain plan eyes $2.5bn fresh direct investment by 2023
The primary aim of the plan is apparently to create quality jobs and enhance Bahrain’s economic competitiveness. -
Israel approves $10bn to improve conditions in Arab sector
The expenditure is expected to improve socio-economic conditions for Israel’s Arab minority, which has long complained of marginalization.