Economy Mubadala beats PIF in global sovereign spend in 2024 Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company outpaced Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in spending last year after the PIF reduced its global investments in 2024. Mubadala and its subsidiaries invested $29.2 billion in 2024, up from $17.5 billion in 2023, Reuters reported citing the preliminary data from research company Global SWF. That accounted for nearly 20 […] January 2, 2025
Employment Number of unemployed Saudis down in Q3 2024 Unemployment among Saudi nationals fell to 7.8 percent in the third quarter of 2024 from 8.8 percent in the same period a year ago, according to state-run General Authority for Statistics data. But unemployment increased quarter on quarter from 7.1 percent. The overall unemployment rate, including expatriate workers, climbed to 3.7 percent from 3.3 percent […] January 2, 2025
Leisure & Hospitality Dubai Duty Free sales stay flat in 2024 Dubai Duty Free achieved sales of AED7.9 billion ($2.16 billion) in 2024, almost exactly equalling its 2023 performance. December set an all-time monthly record, however, with sales of AED821.94 million, a 2 percent year-on-year increase and the highest in the retailer’s history, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. The December performance was fuelled by […] January 2, 2025
Economy Oman imposes 15% tax on multinationals Oman will impose a minimum top-up tax (DMTT) of 15 percent on multinational companies from January 1, according to a royal decree published by the Oman News Agency. The tax will apply to multinationals with consolidated annual revenue of OR300 million ($779.2 million), a tax official told the Reuters news agency. Last month the UAE’s […] January 2, 2025
Finance Morocco’s economy expands 4.3% in Q3 as inflation eases Morocco’s economy expanded by 4.3 percent in the third quarter of 2024, compared to 3 percent a year earlier. The growth was primarily driven by increased domestic demand and easing inflation, Morocco World News reported, citing data from the High Commission for Planning. Non-agricultural sectors led the upturn, growing 5.1 percent despite agricultural activity contracting […] January 2, 2025
Finance Market cap of UAE stock markets top $1trn in 2024 The combined market capitalisation of the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) exceeded AED3.91 trillion ($1.06 trillion) in 2024, compared to AED3.65 trillion at the end of 2023. Growth was driven by a robust economy, foreign investments, and initial public offerings (IPOs), the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. The ADX […] January 1, 2025
Banking & Finance Bahrain’s GFH buys $136m Dubai-based logistics fund GFH Partners, the DIFC-based asset management arm of Bahrain-based GFH Financial Group, has acquired Manrre REIT, the Dubai-based fund with assets across the UAE and the GCC region. The fund’s portfolio is valued at AED500 million ($136.13 million), including 26 industrial and logistics properties in the Emirates. GFH Partners has assumed the fund manager’s role […] December 31, 2024
Health UAE’s Burjeel buys Saudi physiotherapy centre Burjeel Holdings has bolstered its presence in Saudi Arabia by acquiring a physiotherapy centre in Makkah. The Specialist Physiotherapy Center was purchased for SAR6.5 million ($1.7 million) by Burjeel KSA, a subsidiary, broadening the Abu Dhabi-listed hospital operator’s footprint in the kingdom. The centre provides hotel physiotherapy solutions designed to support the needs of Umrah and […] December 31, 2024
Oil & Gas Iraq gives go-ahead to $4.6bn oil pipeline Iraq has approved the construction of the 5.97 trillion dinars ($4.6 billion) Basrah-Haditha oil pipeline, according to a local media report. The project is being developed by state-backed Basra Oil Company and Oil Projects Company, and funded under the Iraq-China agreement, Shafaq News reported. In August, the oil ministry proposed a pipeline to transport crude […] December 31, 2024
Logistics Suez Canal revenue drops $7bn amid Red Sea instability Suez Canal revenue fell 60 percent, or $7 billion, year on year in 2024 as ongoing instability in the Red Sea disrupted global shipping traffic, according to a news report. Despite the significant earnings drop, the Egyptian government is pressing ahead with modernisation projects to enhance the canal’s capacity and maintain its pivotal role in […] December 30, 2024
People & Lifestyle Almoosa Health IPO’s retail tranche orders hit $372m The retail tranche of Almoosa Health Company’s initial public offering (IPO) on the Saudi stock exchange was 408.7 percent oversubscribed, with the order book reaching SAR1.4 billion ($372.8 million). It ran two days from December 23 and comprised 2.66 million shares, representing 20 percent of the IPO, at SAR127 per share. Individual investors will receive […] December 30, 2024
Economy Turkey plans ‘landmark’ rate cuts in 2025 says Erdoğan Turkey is planning additional interest rate cuts in 2025 after the central bank cut its key rate to 47.5 percent to tame inflation, president Tayyip Erdoğan has said. “The priority in our economy programme is to lower inflation,” Daily Sabah newspaper reported, quoting the president, who termed 2025 a “landmark year for rate cuts”. He […] December 30, 2024
Banking & Finance Shuaa Capital reaches final phase of restructuring plan Dubai-listed investment bank Shuaa Capital has reached the final phase of its restructuring plan with the approval of two mandatory convertible bond tranches of up to AED425.5 million ($115.85 million). The first tranche, valued at up to AED150 million, will be offered to existing shareholders through a private placement, with mandatory conversion into shares at […] December 30, 2024
Manufacturing EGA opts for green loan facility to buy Spectro stake Emirates Global Aluminium, the UAE’s biggest non-oil industrial company and one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, has used a green loan facility from global banks to buy an 80 percent stake in US-based Spectro Alloys Corporation. The green credit facility enables access to a larger liquidity pool to fund low-carbon projects and optimises borrowing […] December 26, 2024
Finance Turkey to end FX-protected lira deposits next year The Turkish central bank plans to end the forex-protected lira deposits (KKM) scheme in 2025 after its balance fell to $34.2 billion as of December 20 2024. The share of Turkish lira deposits within total deposits rose to 58.6 percent, and the share of KKM within total deposits fell to 6.2 percent, the central bank […] December 26, 2024
Transport Abu Dhabi loans $40m for Maldives airport expansion The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) will provide AED147 million ($40 million) to support the completion of the Velana International Airport project in the Maldives. This follows a loan of AED183.5 million provided in 2017 for the project’s initial phases, state-run Wam news agency reported. ADFD’s director general Mohamed Al Suwaidi said the additional […] December 26, 2024
Energy Egypt secures $275m loan for largest wind farm in Africa Egypt has secured $275 million in funding for the construction and operation of the largest wind farm in Africa. The loan, granted to Suez Wind, includes $200 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction (EBRD) and Development and $75 million from Arab Bank and Standard Chartered. The project is co-financed by the African Development Bank, […] December 26, 2024
Economy Egypt gets IMF’s initial nod for $1.2bn loan tranche The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Egypt have reached a staff-level agreement, paving the way for the release of $1.2 billion on the fourth review under its extended fund facility. The loan disbursal, however, is subject to approval by the fund’s executive board. “The Egyptian authorities have continued to implement key policies to preserve macroeconomic […] December 25, 2024
Mining Saudi Arabia extends bids deadline for largest mineral belts Saudi Arabia has extended the deadline for submitting exploration licence proposals for its first mineralised belts. The extension was granted following a request from qualified bidders, seeking more time to complete the procedures, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said. In November the ministry announced 14 pre-qualified bidders for the five mineralised sites. The […] December 25, 2024
Health Mubadala expands UAE healthcare logistics reach Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company has acquired an 80 percent stake in Global Medical Supply Chain and Al Ittihad Drug Store from GlobalOne Healthcare Holding, the healthcare division of UAE-based Yas Holding. GlobalOne Healthcare Holding will retain a 20 percent stake in both companies. The acquisition expands Mubadala’s footprint in healthcare logistics and pharmaceutical distribution. […] December 25, 2024
Economy Kuwait to impose 15% tax on multinational companies Kuwait will impose a 15 percent tax on multinational companies operating across multiple jurisdictions from January 1 2025. The cabinet gave a go-ahead to the draft law at the weekly meeting headed by prime minister Sheikh Ahmad Al Sabah, state-run Kuwait News Agency reported. The proposed tax is in line with the global tax standards […] December 25, 2024
Finance UAE economic growth to accelerate in 2025 and 2026 The UAE’s real GDP growth is expected to remain stable at 4 percent in 2024, accelerating to 4.5 percent and 5.5 percent in 2025 and 2026, respectively. Growth expectations are underpinned by strong performances in key sectors such as tourism, transportation, financial and insurance services, construction, real estate and communication, the UAE’s central bank said […] December 24, 2024
