Tech UAE’s MGX joins $30bn AI infrastructure initiative UAE technology investment company MGX is part of a new $30 billion initiative, which will invest in building data centres and energy infrastructure. Other members of the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP) are US-based BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners and Microsoft. The proceeds, which will be raised through private equity capital, may reach up to […] September 18, 2024
Tech UAE’s G42 and Microsoft aim for ‘responsible’ AI goals UAE artificial intelligence (AI) company G42 and US tech giant Microsoft will open two centres in Abu Dhabi to advance work on “responsible” AI practices. The first centre will see academic researchers and AI practitioners from the private sector develop, document and share emerging “responsible” AI best practices in the Middle East and the Global […] September 18, 2024
Aviation Dubai to launch air taxi service in 2026 Dubai is planning to launch an air taxi service in 2026, using Joby Aviation’s fully electric vehicles. In February, Joby Aviation, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, announced plans to soft-launch air taxi services in Dubai by early 2025. The air taxis are designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at 320km per […] September 18, 2024
Analysis Real Estate Project stardust: why Dubai developers still want celeb tie-ins Lionel Messi, Rohit Sharma and Chris Hemsworth are just some of the famous faces who have promoted UAE real estate in recent years. Superstar sportsmen and Hollywood heroes do not come cheap, but are they really a good investment for developers or just an excuse for the CEO to get a selfie? Many industry observers […] September 18, 2024
Trade Australia and UAE hope for $678m boost after trade deal Australian exports to the UAE are expected to increase by $678 million after the two countries completed discussions over a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (Cepa). The deal, expected to be signed later this year, will make more than 99 percent of Australian exports to the UAE tariff-free, saving exporters up to $160 million annually. The […] September 17, 2024
Video length: 06:56 Analysis Banking and Finance Revolut tipped to ‘shake up’ UAE remittance market UK fintech Revolut is stepping up recruitment in Dubai as it prepares to muscle in on the UAE’s $44 billion remittances market. Last month, more than a dozen Revolut insiders gathered at a cafe in Dubai’s Al Quoz district, courting talent for its UAE operations. The company told AGBI last year that it was recruiting […] September 17, 2024
Retail Dubai discount retailer BFL looks east to double store numbers Retail chain Brands For Less has revealed plans to almost double the number of BFL stores it operates in the next five years as it looks to countries such as Singapore for expansion. The Dubai-based discount retailer is flush with cash from last month’s sale of a $360 million stake to the US giant TJX […] September 17, 2024
Banking and Finance Bank liquidity in UAE surges 20% in Q2 Liquid assets in the UAE’s banking sector rose to AED801 billion ($218 billion) by the end of the second quarter of 2024, up 20 percent from the same period last year, the Central Bank of the UAE has revealed. The increase was AED135 billion year on year, with a quarterly gain of 2 percent, or […] September 17, 2024
Aviation Wizz Air expects Abu Dhabi to beat global traffic growth Abu Dhabi will likely beat global passenger volume growth of 15-20 percent next year, driven by new low-cost routes to the Middle East, Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi has said. “I think Abu Dhabi is going to grow beyond this,” he said. Based in Hungary, the airline established its operations in Abu Dhabi in 2019 through […] September 17, 2024
Real Estate Prices stabilise in Dubai’s off-plan market as supply grows Prices for off-plan real estate in Dubai are stabilising following a spike in 2023 as developers bring more projects to the market. Property prices for off-plan purchases in areas such as Dubai Hills, Business Bay and Jumeirah Village Circle increased by as much as 30 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year. In August, […] September 16, 2024
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality Another little bit of Moscow in Dubai Marina Russians have brought glamour and sky-high rents to 'Marinagrad' September 13, 2024
Banking and Finance Mashreq sells majority stake in NeoBank in $385m deal Mashreq Bank has sold a 65 percent stake in its subsidiary IDFAA Payments, more commonly known as NeoPay, in a deal worth $385 million. The Dubai-listed lender sold the stake to Bahrain-headquartered alternative asset manager Arcapita Group Holdings Limited and Turkish fintech company Dgpays SARL, according to a bourse filing. NewsletterGet the Best of AGBI […] September 13, 2024
Banking and Finance Abu Dhabi fund sells stake in UK insurance company Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Adia), the UAE’s largest sovereign wealth fund, has sold a 50 percent stake in the UK-based insurance technology company Policy Expert to private equity entity Cinven. The stake will be purchased by Cinven’s strategic financials fund. No financial details were disclosed. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions. […] September 13, 2024
Artificial Intelligence Aramco to buy AI chips from Abu Dhabi fund-backed Cerebras Saudi Aramco is to buy advanced semiconductor chips from Cerebras Systems, the Abu Dhabi fund-backed chipmaker aiming to challenge Nvidia’s dominance in the AI arena, as it seeks to boost artificial intelligence in the kingdom. The state-owned energy giant will use Cerebras’ CS-3 chips to build and deploy large language models (LLMs) – computer models […] 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
INTERVIEW Oil & Gas Shopping trip for NMDC Energy boss after blockbuster IPO NMDC Energy is looking for merger and acquisition targets after delivering the UAE’s biggest initial public offering of 2024, its CEO has told AGBI. Ahmed Al Dhaheri said the Emirati company, which listed on the Abu Dhabi exchange on Wednesday, would announce “some M&A soon” and was focusing on expansion outside the Gulf. He also […] September 12, 2024
Analysis Gaming Wynn’s update on RAK casino has analysts abuzz Wynn Resorts is to update investors next month on its plans for the UAE’s first casino, heightening analysts’ speculation about the company. The Las Vegas-based hospitality group is building a $4 billion, 1,500-room resort on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. The complex is expected to open in early 2027 and Wynn’s CEO Craig […] September 12, 2024
Aviation Etihad Airways potential IPO unlikely this year The possible initial public offering (IPO) of Etihad Airways is unlikely to happen this year, a media report has said. Regional geopolitical instability and a plan to show investors a strong financial performance in 2024 are key factors delaying the IPO launch, Reuters reported, citing informed sources. An Etihad spokesperson said it does not comment […] September 12, 2024
Energy Adnoc to acquire chemical company Covestro for $16bn Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is expected to make a formal offer to buy German chemical company Covestro AG. The Financial Times reported that the 14.4 billion euros ($15.90 billion) offer will set up the state-owned energy producer to expand its overseas holdings. The companies have been in talks since Adnoc made an initial informal […] September 11, 2024
Analysis Markets Outlook for Gulf bourses is upbeat despite oil price jitters The Gulf’s stuttering stock markets are probably not indicating the start of a downturn, analysts have told AGBI, but are a good opportunity for investors to snap up cheaper shares. Dubai aside, the region’s bourses have been broadly lacklustre this year although heavyweight sectors such as banking and petrochemicals have reported a marked increase in […] September 11, 2024
