Real Estate Saudi Arabia opens up holy cities to foreign property investors Saudi Arabia’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has announced that foreigners will be allowed to invest in companies that own real estate in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The CMA said the decision would “stimulate investment” and “enhance the attractiveness and efficiency of the capital market”. It added that the reform would help the […] January 27, 2025
Analysis Finance Vast Gulf wealth funds splinter to make targeted investments Sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf are increasingly doing business via wholly-owned or affiliated entities as they become too big to manage specialised investment efforts, industry watchers are saying. MGX, an Emirati artificial intelligence-focused vehicle founded last year by Abu Dhabi’s fund Mubadala and the artificial intelligence company G42, made a splash by being one […] January 27, 2025
EXCLUSIVE Renewable Energy China renewables pivot to Middle East to avoid Trump tariffs Chinese renewables manufacturers are looking to move some operations to the Middle East to avoid higher tariffs under US president Donald Trump, a senior executive from one of the sector’s largest players has told AGBI. Vincent Wu, vice president of sales at global solar panel manufacturer Trinasolar, said the region is the right place to […] January 27, 2025
OpinionAVIATIONRiyadh Air faces tough decisions: continue paying staff until operations begin or risk furloughing themJohn Grant, Partner, Midas Aviation
OpinionpoliticsIn the Gulf, Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’ is likely to have prompted groans of disappointmentSimon Henderson, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Opinionpeople & lifestyleThe message is clear: adaptability is the key to thriving in this new era of wealth migrationJeremy Savory, CEO, Savory & Partners
Oil & Gas Oil slips after Trump calls on Opec to lower prices Oil prices were down on Friday after US President Donald Trump drew a direct link between persistently high inflation and global oil prices during video remarks before the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Trump said he intends to address the problem by boosting domestic production and by asking “Saudi Arabia and Opec to bring […]
Analysis Employment Companies seek new CEOs for maximum profits The number of UAE and Saudi companies looking to replace their CEOs reached record levels in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a leading recruitment company. Trefor Murphy, founder and CEO of Dubai-based Cooper Fitch, says the number of companies launching searches for the top job during the end of last year saw “heavy […]
Infrastructure Etihad Rail train to link Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 30 minutes Authorities from Abu Dhabi and Dubai formally unveiled plans on Thursday for a high-speed passenger rail link that will reduce travel between the two cities to 30 minutes. Spearheaded by Etihad Rail, the train service will reach speeds of up to 350km/h, and “pass through key strategic destinations and tourist attractions”, an Abu Dhabi media […]
Opinion Energy In Washington, the stars may align to help Riyadh’s nuclear ambitions Saudi Arabia’s path to nuclear power has been complicated. The Trump administration can ease the way
Analysis Banking & Finance Middle East banks still keen on green despite pushback Green investments remain a trillion-dollar opportunity for Middle East investors, analysts say, despite global pushback among other banks. About $30 billion was withdrawn from climate-focused mutual funds last year as increased interest rates and scepticism over socially responsible investing or “greenwashing” generated strong headwinds. The situation will be exacerbated by President Donald Trump’s day-one executive […]
Banking & Finance Bank of Singapore in Dubai hiring drive Bank of Singapore has made six new appointments in Dubai to enhance its advisory and product services in the region and double its Middle East business. One of Asia’s biggest private banks, Bank of Singapore wants the region to contribute up to 20% of overall revenue and private banking assets over the next three to […] January 27, 2025
Construction Dubai real estate deals surge 20% to record $207bn in 2024 The value of real estate transactions in Dubai surged 20 percent year on year to AED761 billion ($207.2 billion) in 2024, official data showed. The record performance was driven by the emirate’s dynamic economy, robust infrastructure and progressive policies, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. The number of real estate transactions rose 36 percent […] January 27, 2025
Oil & Gas Adnoc Gas strikes $450m LNG supply deal in Japan State-owned Adnoc Gas has signed an AED1.65 billion ($450 million) three-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreement with Jera Global Markets, an energy trade from Japan. The LNG will be supplied from the 6 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) Das Island liquefaction facility, the world’s third longest-operating LNG plant. The facility has shipped more than […] January 27, 2025
Finance UAE to impose penalty for unpaid corporate tax The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) said that failure to pay corporate tax will incur a monthly penalty of 14 percent per annum. The penalty will apply to the unpaid tax amount and be calculated from the day following the payment deadline, accruing monthly on the same date, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. Tax […] January 26, 2025
Analysis Food & Drink Middle Eastern coffee market expected to hit $11bn The price of your half-caff, soya milk, extra hot with a pump of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon is likely to go up this year, as the cost of coffee is set to increase by as much as one fifth. The Middle Eastern coffee market alone is projected to reach $11.5 billion in 2025, […] January 26, 2025
Real Estate Saudi Arabia opens up holy cities to foreign property investors Saudi Arabia’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has announced that foreigners will be allowed to invest in companies that own real estate in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The CMA said the decision would “stimulate investment” and “enhance the attractiveness and efficiency of the capital market”. It added that the reform would help the […] January 27, 2025
Opinion Aviation Riyadh Air’s launch delay is a blow to Vision 2030 Expect scrutinised focus on the broader progress towards Saudi Arabia's grand plans January 27, 2025
Employment Saudi fund helps 17% more citizens join private sector The Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) contributed to the employment of 437,000 Saudi citizens in the private sector in 2024, 17 percent more than the year before, the fund has announced. The fund said it also provided training and guidance services to 2 million people last year in support of the kingdom’s “Saudisation” efforts to […] January 27, 2025
Giga-projects Italian insurer guarantees $3bn Saudi giga-project loan Sace, an Italian state-owned insurance company, has guaranteed a multi-currency loan of $3 billion provided by nine international banks to support projects in Neom, Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion giga-project. The announcement coincided with an official visit by Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni to Saudi Arabia, where she and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed an […] January 27, 2025
Renewable Energy Acwa Power targets green hydrogen link to Europe The Saudi renewables company Acwa Power and the Italian natural gas transport operator Snam are to jointly explore investments to set up a green hydrogen supply chain. The collaboration aims to establish a “dependable and cost-effective” supply of green hydrogen from Saudi Arabia to Europe. The two companies will also evaluate the development of an […] January 27, 2025
Oil & Gas Kuwait ‘ready to go ahead with merger of state oil companies’ Kuwait’s plan to merge some of its eight state-owned oil companies is ready to go ahead, according to reports in the country. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), which manages the country’s hydrocarbon industry, is set to oversee the mergers. The plan was approved by the cabinet two years ago as part of a strategy to cut […] January 27, 2025
Agriculture Livestock imports from Qatar and Egypt banned by China China has banned imports of sheep and goats from Egypt and animals and meat products from Qatar and nine other countries after outbreaks of highly infectious disease in those countries. The ban, which includes processed and unprocessed products, comes after China’s General Administration of Customs issued a series of announcements outlining the outbreaks in several countries based […] January 27, 2025
Logistics Oman’s Asyad to invest $3bn in shipping projects Asyad, Oman’s state-run shipping company, will this year invest $2.7 billion to expand its fleet by more than a third. Asyad was established in 2003 and is owned by Oman’s sovereign wealth fund. It operates a fleet of 89 vessels and the expansion plan in 2025 will add a further 33 – a mix of […] January 27, 2025
Energy Neighbours to supply Iraq with 3GW of electricity this summer Iraq intends to buy 3,250 megawatts (MW) of electricity from neighbouring countries this summer, to fill a supply gap caused by a surge in domestic demand during the hot season. Electricity ministry spokesman Ahmed Mousa said at the weekend that supplies would come from Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the common Gulf Cooperation Council […] January 27, 2025
Food & Drink Americana acquires Pizza Hut business in Oman Americana Restaurants, the largest food service business in the Mena region, has acquired the Pizza Hut brand in Oman from the Khimji Ramdas Group. The restaurant operator said the acquisition includes 46 Pizza Hut restaurants which had an annual revenue of approximately $11 million in 2024. The additional outlets increase its Pizza Hut restaurants across […] January 24, 2025
Transport Kuwait awards railway contract to Turkish company Kuwait has awarded the tender for the first phase of its plan to build 111 kilometres of railway. The Central Agency for Public Tenders awarded the contract to Turkish engineering and consulting company Proyapi to carry out a study and detailed design to prepare tender documents for the railway. The first phase is expected to […] January 24, 2025
EXCLUSIVE Renewable Energy China renewables pivot to Middle East to avoid Trump tariffs Chinese renewables manufacturers are looking to move some operations to the Middle East to avoid higher tariffs under US president Donald Trump, a senior executive from one of the sector’s largest players has told AGBI. Vincent Wu, vice president of sales at global solar panel manufacturer Trinasolar, said the region is the right place to […] January 27, 2025
Infrastructure Morocco to invest $9.5bn in rail network projects Morocco is planning to invest nearly 96 billion Moroccan dirhams ($9.5 billion) in projects to expand its rail network in the next five years, the transport and logistics minister was reported on Thursday as saying. Abdul Samad Qayuh told parliament on Tuesday that 53 billion dirhams would be spent on the planned high-speed rail project and […] January 24, 2025
Aviation Istanbul Airport remains Europe’s busiest Daily flight arrivals in Turkey’s Istanbul Airport have surpassed major European airports such as Amsterdam, London, and Paris in 2024, making it the continent’s busiest. The airport received an average of 1,401 daily flights last year, an increase of 2 percent year on year, thus retaining its position as the busiest air hub in Europe […] January 27, 2025
Banking & Finance Credit and debit card use rises steeply in Turkey Cash could be dethroned as king in Turkey as consumers increasingly turn to plastic when paying for goods and services. But the rise in card usage also comes at a cost, as more Turks fall behind in servicing their debt. Credit and debit card spending reached a total of TL14.87 trillion ($420 billion) in 2024, […] January 24, 2025
Economy Turkey cuts interest rate by 250 basis points Turkey’s central bank cut its key interest rate by 250 basis points to 45% as expected on Thursday, carrying on an easing cycle it launched last month alongside a decline in annual inflation that is expected to continue. The central bank indicated it would continue to ease policy in the months ahead, noting that it anticipated a rise in trend inflation in January, […] January 23, 2025
Real Estate Turkish house sales rise as interest rates fall Turkish house sales rebounded strongly in 2024, driven in part by a surge in December prompted by a long-anticipated interest rates cut, and further reductions in borrowing costs are expected to fuel appetite in the market this year. Residential sales increased 20 percent last year, with just under 1.48 million units sold, up from the […] January 21, 2025
Trade Turkey’s exports to US surge but tariffs are a threat Turkey’s exports to the US rose by $1.26 billion year on year to more than $13 billion in 2024, official data shows. The chemical and chemical products sector accounted for the largest share of exports at $1.5 billion, state-run Anadolu Agency reported, citing data from the Türkiye Exporters’ Assembly (TİM). The automotive industry followed at $1.2 […] January 21, 2025
Agriculture Livestock imports from Qatar and Egypt banned by China China has banned imports of sheep and goats from Egypt and animals and meat products from Qatar and nine other countries after outbreaks of highly infectious disease in those countries. The ban, which includes processed and unprocessed products, comes after China’s General Administration of Customs issued a series of announcements outlining the outbreaks in several countries based […] January 27, 2025
Finance Bonyan gets approval to list on Egyptian bourse Bonyan, an Egyptian real estate investment company, has secured approval to list on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) within the first half of 2025. The listing is subject to regulatory approval by the Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority and the stock exchange. No details of the IPO were given. “The listing reinforces our ambition to make real […] January 27, 2025
Logistics Shipping giants not yet ready to resume Red Sea route Two shipping giants said on Friday that they are in no rush to resume routes through the Suez Canal after a Yemeni militia announced earlier this week it will scale back hostilities against vessels transiting through the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea if the ceasefire in Gaza holds. Danish shipper Maersk and Abu Dhabi […] January 24, 2025
Transport Suez Canal extension to be operational in first quarter The Suez Canal expansion, which will extend the waterway’s two-way section by 10km, is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2025, the authority’s chairman has said. Egypt announced on Saturday that the new stretch, near the canal’s southern end and close to Little Bitter Lake, was successfully tested without incident. Osama Rabie, chairman of […] January 22, 2025
Economy Egypt targets €4bn EU funding by June Egypt is aiming to strike a deal with the European Union (EU) to secure €4 billion ($4.2 billion) in financing to back its current reform agenda, according to a media report. Cairo has started negotiations with the EU, with the funds directed towards budget support and not specific projects, Asharq Business reported, quoting minister of […] January 22, 2025
Analysis Trade Trump’s bravado fails to spook minerals market – so far Ordinarily, commodity markets tend to react strongly when leaders of major global economies announce plans for war and conquest. If those plans involve disrupting one of the world’s most important sea lanes and reversing centuries of peace with two major allies, you might even expect a certain panic. Yet, when US President-elect Donald Trump declined […]
Analysis Media & Advertising The million-dirham draw of digital billboards Revenues for billboard operators have grown as much as eightfold in the past few years as digitalisation has given out-of-home (OOH) advertising a notable boost. Sometimes seen as a bellwether for the local economy, billboards get plenty of viewing time in places such as Dubai during morning and evening traffic rush hours when cars are […]
Analysis Sustainability Companies scramble to meet UAE carbon emissions laws UAE companies have less than six months to comply with the country’s new emissions laws, but experts warn that some details are still unclear and a proposed carbon credit trading system may not meet its goals. The UAE introduced two pivotal pieces of environmental legislation last year. Cabinet Resolution No 67 on carbon credits came […]
Tech UAE space company launches earth-monitoring craft Space42, a space technology company that has its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, deployed the second phase of its Foresight satellite constellation on Tuesday as the UAE continues its push to compete with the world’s leaders in the industry. The project is in collaboration with ICEYE, a provider of high-resolution images of the earth’s surface. The […]
Analysis Banking & Finance Strong post-IPO performance bodes well for Saudi flotations Recently floated Saudi Arabian companies have thrived since listing on Riyadh’s bourse, thanks in part to astute pricing of initial public offerings and foreign institutional investors’ growing participation. Since the start of 2024, there have been 14 IPOs in Saudi Arabia that raised more than $100 million, according to data compiled by AGBI and London […]
Opinion Media & Advertising Television: Who watches the watchers? Saudi Arabia is taking a long-awaited step forward in audience measurement
Health Health insurance shake-up for care in Northern Emirates Mandatory health insurance in the poorer Northern Emirates of the UAE is likely to lead to an expansion of healthcare facilities and increased M&A activity, experts have said. In March last year the UAE announced a plan to introduce mandatory health insurance for all workers in the Northern Emirates – Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, […]
Opinion Tourism Oman hopes tourism can foster entrepreneurship and create jobs The Sultanate has only recently begun to use its history as an economic attraction
Economy Turkey faces $3bn payout for pensioners and wage support Turkey will have to pay out an estimated TL110.8 billion ($3.12 billion) after increasing minimum pension payments and wage support to companies. Vedat Isıkhan, the labour minister, announced on January 7 that the minimum monthly state pension would be increased by 15.75 percent, taking the base rate payment to TL14,469 ($409). Nearly 3.87 million pensioners will benefit […]
Opinion Manufacturing How China won over the car market in the UAE Japanese, American and Korean brands retreated following the pandemic
Education Gems Education announces $100m Dubai school Gems Education has revealed plans to open the most expensive school in the Gulf, which is set for completion later this year. It is spending $100 million to develop Gems School of Research and Innovation in Dubai Sports City. Annual fees will start from AED116,000 ($31,582) for early-years education and rise to AED206,000 by the […]
Opinion Employment UAE and Saudi Arabia are magnets for global talent Recruiters say the region is attracting applications from global workers on an unprecedented scale
Analysis Employment UAE and Kuwait companies struggling to hire staff Companies in the UAE and Kuwait are struggling to afford new staff as a result of squeezed margins, according to the latest business sentiment survey. For the third successive month, non-oil companies operating in the UAE highlighted a reduction in prices charged, with discounting used to support sales amid a highly competitive market. This was […]
Energy Acwa Power joins China’s renewable energy surge Saudi renewables major Acwa Power has struck joint ventures with Chinese companies to launch two renewable energy projects worth $312 million in China. The company, which trades on the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul), started due diligence on up to eight projects in China, CEO Marco Arcelli said last May. Acwa Power will develop a 132-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic […]
EXCLUSIVE Aviation Wizz Air increases flights from UAE to Israel after ceasefire The budget carrier Wizz Air is increasing the number of flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The airline had previously scaled back its Tel Aviv-Abu Dhabi service to four flights a week because of the conflict, down from its pre-crisis schedule of two flights a day. […]
Mining Saudi development fund might invest $100m in Pakistan mining Saudi Arabia might invest more than $100 million in Pakistan’s mining infrastructure through its development fund to scale up operations to meet demand. Minister of industry and mineral resources Bandar Alkhorayef also confirmed that mining company Manara Minerals, a joint venture between Saudi sovereign wealth fund the Public Investment Fund and miner Ma’aden, is interested in investing […]
Trade Kenya-UAE Cepa may increase food exports and investment The UAE and Kenya have signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (Cepa) that is predicted to lead to a threefold increase in food exports from the East African nation. The trade deal, which was agreed in February last year, is expected to accelerate trade and investment in agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare, travel and tourism, financial services and […]
