Real Estate Emaar Development buys new land in Dubai for $790m Emaar Development, the UAE development arm of Emaar Properties, has acquired a new land plot in Dubai for the potential expansion of its master communities. The land, the size of which was not disclosed, was acquired for AED2.9 billion ($790 million) from Amlak Property Investment in Ras Al Khor, the developer said in a statement. The […] June 2, 2025
Real Estate Dubai property optimism remains despite price correction warnings Real estate professionals in Dubai are maintaining a cautiously optimistic outlook on the market, even as fresh warnings of a potential double-digit correction cast a shadow over the city’s record-breaking property surge. Ratings agency Fitch forecast this week that Dubai’s residential property market is likely to cool through the second half of 2025 and into […] June 2, 2025
Real Estate Dubai issues Middle East’s first tokenised property certificate Dubai has issued its first tokenised property certificate, moving tokenisation of real estate from the realm of theory to practice. Tokenisation is the process of creating and trading digital tokens that are backed by real-world assets on a blockchain. It enables direct and verifiable peer-to-peer transactions. The certificate’s launch follows the successful sale of the […] May 30, 2025
Banking and Finance Shuaa Capital sues former executives for $70m over losses Investment bank and asset manager Shuaa Capital has filed a lawsuit against former executive managers, seeking approximately $71 million (AED 260 million) in compensation for alleged misconduct that the company claims contributed to its financial losses. The legal action, disclosed in a filing to the Dubai Financial Market, is part of Dubai-based Shuaa’s broader efforts […] May 30, 2025
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality Peak Dubai: Jumeirah’s Marsa Al Arab draws the crowds Whilst setting a new standard for Dubai luxury, the hotel's popularity is creating a traffic nightmare May 30, 2025
Aviation Dubai Aerospace to sell 75 aircraft to realign portfolio Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), the Middle East’s largest aviation leasing and engineering company, has agreed to sell 75 aircraft to two unnamed buyers as part of its plan to realign its fleet. A portfolio of 50 Embraer E-Jets will be sold to a specialist lessor, DAE said in a statement on Wednesday. Another 25 out-of-production […] May 28, 2025
Real Estate Dubai Residential REIT takes off on bourse debut Dubai Residential REIT surged on its bourse debut on Wednesday as investors who missed out on its $584 million initial public offering (IPO) bought the stock. The success is being seen as an indication of enduring confidence in the emirate’s buoyant property sector. A real estate investment trust (REIT) owns or finances income-generating property, enabling […] May 28, 2025
Analysis Tourism UAE hotels hit by talent crunch as growth outpaces staffing UAE hoteliers are warning of an intensifying shortage of qualified staff as the country’s tourism sector expands. About 809,000 people were employed in hospitality and tourism in the Emirates in 2023 – more than 12 percent of the workforce, according to the latest government data. But relatively high staff turnover and limited investment in training […] May 28, 2025
Analysis Transport Etihad Rail’s super-fast service tracked by investors The UAE’s Etihad Rail is due to start passenger services next year, promising to slash travel time between Dubai and Abu Dhabi by as much as 40 percent. Not only could this reshape the daily commute but it could also shift the investment outlook for a clutch of transport-focused companies listed on local bourses. With […] May 28, 2025
Opinion Media & Advertising Tech, governance and a careful ‘no comment’ at the Arab Media Summit It was well worth the wait to dive into the latest trends shaping the media industry May 27, 2025
Industry DP World unit signs 50-year deal to develop UAE-Oman free zone A DP World unit has signed a 50-year deal to develop an economic free zone between the UAE and Oman. Mahdah Development Company, a UAE-Omani joint venture led by DP World, is working with Oman’s Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (Opaz) to develop the first phase of the Al Rawdah zone. […] May 27, 2025
Transport Neom-backed Pony.ai to launch robotaxis in Dubai Pony.ai, a Chinese autonomous driving company, will begin trials of its advanced robotaxi fleet in Dubai this year, the company said in a statement. The US Nasdaq stock exchange-listed company, which is backed by an investment arm of Saudi giga-project Neom, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to introduce autonomous transport. […] May 27, 2025
Finance Tighter Dubai rules tipped to drive crypto market expansion Fresh digital asset regulations in the UAE may encourage further tokenisation and the rollout of more complex cryptocurrency products, analysts have said. Tokenisation is the creation and trade of digital tokens that are backed by real-world assets – such as real estate, gold or art — on a blockchain. It enables direct and verifiable peer-to-peer […] May 26, 2025
Opinion Aviation The quiet rise of Middle East low-cost carriers The budget air travel revolution is challenging the airline status quo across the region May 26, 2025
Tech Qatar-backed Builder.ai collapses with sales in doubt A British technology startup funded by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has collapsed after an internal investigation identified potentially bogus sales. In 2023 the QIA sovereign wealth fund led a $250 million late-stage funding round for Builder.ai and, together with Microsoft, was one of its biggest investors. The company raised more than $450 million over its […] May 23, 2025
Markets At 17-year highs, Dubai stocks outshine Gulf rivals Dubai’s stock index hit fresh 17-year highs this week, as first-quarter earnings rose and a buoyant non-oil economy convinced investors to favour UAE stocks over the much larger Saudi market. Gulf markets, like bourses worldwide, tumbled in early April after President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on imports to the US. In contrast to the […] May 23, 2025
Opinion Energy Gulf welcomes Trump’s hands-off approach to energy policy Trillions were pledged in AI and energy, but Opec stayed out of the spotlight May 22, 2025
Analysis Finance ‘Protection gap’ is growing in the Gulf as insurance costs rise It is perhaps no surprise that, after the heaviest rains 13 months ago since records began and billions of dollars in flood damage, the cost of insuring homes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi has jumped. But it is the so-called protection gap in the Gulf insurance market, which the average 10 to 15 percent rise […] May 22, 2025
Economy Owner of Emirates Airline reports climb in profit The Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) said profit and the value of its assets rose last year, buoyed by performance in its aviation, real estate and banking portfolio. Net income climbed 6 percent to AED53.2 billion ($14.5 billion) and the value of its assets more than 10 percent to AED1.47 trillion, the sovereign wealth fund […] May 21, 2025
Markets Dubai Holding’s REIT order book tops $15bn The order book for Dubai Holding’s first residential real estate investment trust (REIT) hit AED56 billion ($15 billion), with the initial public offering more than 26 times oversubscribed. The final offer price was set at the top end of the price range at AED1.10 per unit, enabling the company to raise just over AED2 billion. The […] May 21, 2025