Analysis Food & Drink Champagne shipments to the Gulf slow but still flowing The growth in champagne shipments to the Gulf has slowed in recent years but the market is still one of the strongest in the world, bucking a global trend for declining sales. Around 3.5 million bottles of champagne were shipped to the Gulf states in 2023, an increase of about 40 percent, according to data […] September 13, 2024
Opinion Food & Drink Dubai deserves its place on the global culinary scene Foodie landscape has had an impressive evolution, characterised by diversity September 12, 2024
Opinion Markets Gold has returned to its ancient role as a classic hedge Its spectacular bull run is fuelled by a unique set of geopolitical, monetary and financial catalysts September 10, 2024
Retail Carrefour and Dubai’s Apparel Group plan India expansion Dubai’s Apparel Group has teamed up with Carrefour to take the French supermarket retailer into the Indian market. The franchise agreement will see the first five Carrefour stores open in 2025, with a particular focus on the north of India, before expanding nationwide. “This partnership represents a significant step in strengthening our position in India,” […] September 9, 2024
Opinion Retail Swede dreams are made of this – but no meatballs, thanks The vast majority of homes in Dubai have at least one item from Ikea September 6, 2024
Analysis Retail Primark launch would diversify Dubai’s retail offering The launch of value fashion retailer Primark in Dubai would add a much-needed affordable element to the emirate’s retail offerings, industry experts say. Kuwait-based Alshaya Group announced this week that it had partnered with the international fashion retailer and is looking to “explore opportunities to bring its stores to the Middle East”. Alshaya’s portfolio of […] September 6, 2024
Analysis Real Estate Developers race to secure more land in Dubai Land sales in Dubai have been on a steep incline since the start of the year, signalling more development activity to come. According to figures shared with AGBI by real estate brokerage fäm Properties, 1,396 plots changed hands in August, for a total value of AED15 billion ($4 billion). In January, 473 plots were sold […] September 5, 2024
Business of Sport Middle East’s first pro baseball park to open in Dubai Construction has started on the first professional baseball field and ballpark in the Middle East and South Asia, which is being built on the outskirts of Dubai. Baseball United, which was launched over a year ago as the first professional league in the region, will call the Sevens sports and entertainment complex its home from […] September 4, 2024
Banking and Finance Japan’s Nomura expands Middle East base in Dubai Nomura Holdings is planning to expand its wealth management team in Dubai, according to a media report. The Japanese bank may add three or four relationship managers in Dubai by year-end, Reuters reported, citing head of international wealth management Ravi Raju. Currently, Nomura’s Dubai office has 10 employees. NewsletterGet the Best of AGBI delivered straight […] September 1, 2024
Opinion Education Dubai could learn from California on smartphones in schools Plenty of studies show their detrimental effects but the simple fact is we're increasingly reliant on our mobiles August 30, 2024
Analysis Real Estate Only two bright spots for real estate transparency in Mena Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia have climbed higher in a biennial ranking of the most transparent real estate markets in the world, as local authorities push to open up their markets in a bid to appeal to foreign investors. But the UAE and Saudi Arabia are the only bright spots for transparency in the […] August 30, 2024
Food & Drink Talabat food delivery service prepares for Dubai IPO The food delivery company Talabat is to list on the Dubai Financial Market this year, 20 years after it was founded. The business, which operates in eight countries across the Middle East and North Africa, will pursue an initial public offering in the fourth quarter, according to a filing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange from […] August 29, 2024
Transport Dubai Aerospace Enterprise buys 23 aircraft for $1.1bn Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Limited, a global aviation services company, has acquired 23 aircraft from multiple companies for $1.1 billion. The company’s aircraft portfolio will have an average age of 3.4 years and an average lease term remaining of 8.8 years on completion of the deal by year-end. These jets are on lease to 13 airlines […] August 28, 2024
Finance Salik values two new Dubai toll gates at $735m Dubai toll operator Salik has valued its two new toll gates at AED2.7 billion ($735 million), as it aims to turnaround its drop in profit during the second quarter of this year. The Business Bay gate is valued at AED2.3 billion while the Al Safa South Gate is estimated at AED469 million. The new gates, […] August 28, 2024
Construction Belgian company wins $220m Palm Jebel Ali dredging contract The AED 810 million ($220 million) contract to complete dredging, land reclamation, beach profiling and other work at Palm Jebel Ali has been awarded to a subsidiary of the Belgian-owned Jan De Nul Group. In May the Dubai state-owned developer Nakheel announced that local contractor DBB Contracting and Khansaheb Civil Engineering, a subsidiary of Khansaheb […] August 26, 2024
Opinion Aviation Emirates’ first Asian store is a sign of its wider ambition Airlines have been veering away from bricks-and-mortar but Emirates has bucked the trend August 26, 2024
Tech Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested in France Pavel Durov, the Russian-born billionaire founder and owner of the Dubai-based Telegram messaging app, was arrested at Le Bourget airport, Paris shortly after landing on a private jet late on Saturday, and placed in custody, three sources have told Reuters. Durov, 39, who has dual French and UAE citizenship, was arrested as part of a […] August 26, 2024
Analysis Retail Retailers rejoice as shoppers prepare for new school term An estimated 1.5 million students across the UAE are expected to enrol for the new term on Monday – and retailers are welcoming the traditional spending spree for everything from school uniforms to stationery. This year’s back-to-school shopping sales in the UAE are predicted to reach about AED3 billion ($820 million). “Overall, there is expected to […] August 25, 2024
Opinion Transport With or without the human touch, DXB is a global leader 'Contactless' is the way to go and Dubai International knows how it's done August 23, 2024
Analysis Real Estate Back-to-school season to kick off Dubai’s busy real estate market Expatriate families moving to Dubai for the start of the school year traditionally spur an increase in real estate transactions, while predictions of US interest rate cuts herald a lively property market in the emirate for the second half of 2024. More than 326,000 foreign and emirati students are slated to head back to Dubai […] August 23, 2024
