Analysis Manufacturing Egypt’s industrial sector ‘building on strong foundations’ Egypt defied global trends – and the expectations of many – to grow throughout the coronavirus crisis. With its sizeable population, rising middle class and tech-savvy population, the country “showed resilience in the face of the pandemic” and is forecast to record GDP growth of 5.9 percent in 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund. […] October 17, 2022
Analysis Energy Gas-rich Algeria struggles to assuage Europe’s energy crisis The Algerian energy sector looked well placed to capitalise on the war in Ukraine and the European energy crisis that it unleashed — but it has failed to live up to that expectation. In fact, rather than increasing gas exports to fill the gaping hole left by Russian energy, Algerian exports have plunged in 2022. […] September 8, 2022
Analysis Retail Let the tills ring out: retail is back with a vengeance in the UAE The UAE’s leading retailers are benefiting from a post-pandemic boom that has them eyeing further expansion into the region’s largest markets. Dubai was among the first economies to reopen after lockdown in 2020. It welcomed a flood of holidaymakers from all over the world to the relative freedom of the emirate. Anthony Spary, head of office […] July 27, 2022
Analysis Manufacturing PIF’s Aston Martin deal will put Saudi’s auto industry in fast lane The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) £78m investment in Aston Martin is set to turbocharge the kingdom’s domestic automotive manufacturing industry, according to experts. Last week, the PIF announced it would be a part of a £653 million takeover of Aston Martin Lagonda, and that the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund — one of the […] July 20, 2022
Analysis Business of Sport LIV Golf tees off amid smears and controversy Rival PGA Tour bans players for chasing ‘boatloads of cash’ Heated politics have overshadowed play in what is fast becoming golf’s most controversial tournament in history – the Saudi Arabian-funded LIV Golf Series. Teeing off on June 9, the LIV Series’ inaugural UK event clashed directly with the start of the RBC Canadian Open, an […] June 9, 2022
Business of Sport Can Lionel Messi’s left foot fire Saudi into the tourism big league? In the region's latest multimillion-dollar wager on football, Riyadh is hoping the player's global appeal will attract tourists June 4, 2022
Analysis Banking & Finance How London became the Islamic finance capital of the West London has in recent years cemented its position as a vital hub for Islamic finance thanks to history, circumstance and a concerted effort by the government to support the sector. With its strong financial infrastructure and burgeoning fintech space, the UK capital is primed to dominate Western Islamic finance for the foreseeable future. “London and […] June 2, 2022
Real Estate Saudi property prices surge, but volumes slump Saudi Arabia’s property market is in the midst of a price boom, with the capital Riyadh leading the surge in property prices, according to new research May 30, 2022
Galactic ambition: the UAE’s mission to Mars is just the start Fuelled by government investment, the UAE’s burgeoning spacetech sector is making a bid for interplanetary domination May 20, 2022
Analysis Banking & Finance Cryptocurrencies have their ‘Lehman brothers moment’ Despite the crash of cryptocurrency stablecoin ecosystem, retail investors still see the contraction of currencies like Bitcoin as an opportunity As billions of dollars of value are wiped off cryptocurrency markets worldwide, retail investor strategies are diverging from those in the institutional space — the former senses cheap assets, while the latter worries of a […] May 16, 2022
Analysis Aviation Gulf’s top airlines take different paths to soar post-Covid The air travel industry was among the worst hit globally by the coronavirus pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns and border closures — and the Middle East’s industry was no exception. According to a report by McKinsey & Company, the pandemic caused global aviation revenues to drop by 60 percent in 2020, and airlines lost a […] May 9, 2022
Gulf delivery companies innovate to go the last mile How logistics companies in the Middle East are investing in technological upgrades to meet consumer demand for ever faster deliveries Today’s consumers increasingly expect cheap—or, better still, free—and fast delivery, especially in e-commerce, food and retail industries. In response, companies are investing to improve efficiency and cut costs in order to fund their shipping logistics. […] May 9, 2022
