Analysis Artificial Intelligence US scores geopolitical win with Abu Dhabi-Microsoft tie-up Microsoft’s $1.5 billion investment in Abu Dhabi’s artificial intelligence company has received a significant vote of confidence from US authorities. Tarun Chhabra, a senior White House adviser on technology, said on Monday that the US government has raised no objections to the Silicon Valley giant’s partnership because G42 had severed ties with the Chinese tech […] June 26, 2024
Finance UAE raises $1.5bn from 10-year bonds The UAE has secured $1.5 billion from the sale of long-term bonds, according to a news report. The government sold 10-year bonds priced at 60 basis points over US Treasuries, Reuters reported, citing bank documents. The initial price guidance was lowered from 90 bps after demand reached $5.75 billion, the report said. NewsletterGet the Best […] June 26, 2024
Industry Adnoc makes final bid for German chemicals maker German chemical company Covestro AG has confirmed that it has started “concrete negotiations” over a $12.5 billion offer from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc). Covestro said in a statement that Adnoc had offered €62 ($67) a share as a starting point for the negotiations, which are subject to the completion of due diligence. In […] June 25, 2024
Opinion Tourism How many more hotel rooms can the Gulf take? Plenty, it seems Normal standards do not apply in Dubai, which has one of the most robust hotel markets in the world June 25, 2024
Transport UAE to build a new airport in Uganda The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry will build a new international airport in Uganda. The Kidepo International Airport in Karamoj will be located near Uganda’s border with Kenya, president Yoweri Museveni said in a post on messaging app X. The cost of the airport was not given. NewsletterGet the Best of AGBI delivered straight […] June 24, 2024
Economy Emirates economy to grow 6.2% in 2025 UAE’s real GDP will accelerate to 6.2 percent in 2025 from 3.9 percent in 2024 on strong foreign trade performance, the central bank said. Non-hydrocarbon GDP growth is expected to remain strong at 5.4 percent in 2024 and 5.3 percent in 2025, the apex bank said in its June 2024 economic quarterly review. The hydrocarbon sector is […] June 24, 2024
Business of Sport UAE’s Mubadala acquires new Brazil SailGP team Mubadala Capital, a wholly owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company, has acquired a new team in SailGP, the global racing championship, to represent Brazil. The team will be the first South American squad to join the SailGP league and the first of the new teams confirmed ahead of Season 5, the state-run Wam […] June 24, 2024
Energy Masdar buys Greece’s biggest investor in renewables The UAE’s state-owned clean energy company Masdar is to acquire a majority share in Terna Energy of Greece. The initial deal – one of the largest in the European renewables market and the biggest ever energy transaction on the Athens Stock Exchange – is for a 67 percent stake. The price of €20 ($21.45) per […] June 21, 2024
Economy UAE ranks second in global greenfield FDI projects A 33 percent year-on-year surge in greenfield FDI projects in the UAE catapulted the Emirates up two places to the second spot after the US in 2023. There are now 1,323 greenfield FDI project announcements, state-run Wam news agency reported, citing the World Investment Report 2024. The UAE attracted FDI inflows of $30.7 billion last […] June 21, 2024
Analysis Construction Construction is ‘cheaper in Dubai than Riyadh or Doha’ Dubai is only the third most expensive construction market in the Middle East after Riyadh and Doha, research has found. A real estate boom led by the leisure, hospitality and sports sectors, combined with a “distinct shortage of skilled labour”, have driven up construction costs in the Saudi capital to an average of $2,593 per […] June 21, 2024
Tech Abu Dhabi-backed chipmaker Cerebras plans IPO Cerebras Systems, an Abu Dhabi-backed chipmaker looking to compete with Nvidia, the world’s top chip company by market value, has confidentially filed for an initial public offering, according to reports. Based in California’s Silicon Valley, Cerebras is also planning to offer preferred shares at a significant discount, aiming to attract private investors before the IPO, […] June 21, 2024
Health Mubadala and QIA invest in US cancer research startup Funds from the UAE and Qatar have invested in a US-based clinical-stage biotechnology start-up. Mubadala Capital, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, co-led the $50 million Series B extension in funding to Iambic Therapeutics, based in San Diego, California. The funds will allow the American start-up to broaden its pipeline of AI-discovered clinical […] June 21, 2024
Analysis Economy Wealthy migrants to UAE boost luxuries but stir inflation The UAE is likely to attract a new surge of ultra-rich migrants, lured by low tax rates, high-privacy settings and a luxurious lifestyle, at a time of global geopolitical upheaval and heightened anti-money laundering measures in developed countries. But, while the wave of wealth is likely to stimulate specialised sectors of the economy, the arrivals […] June 20, 2024
Analysis Markets Rise in startup exits a sign of UAE’s ‘market maturity’ Startup exits – when a new company sells its ownership or stock, for profit or at a loss – are rising sharply in the Gulf, which observers say is proof of a maturing ecosystem. Across the Middle East and North Africa, 43 startup exits were recorded in 2023, up from 15 in 2015, according to […] June 20, 2024
Banking and Finance UAE increases gold reserves with growth set to continue The UAE’s gold reserves reached almost AED20 billion ($5.5 billion) at the end of March, rising 12.6 percent year on year, with expectations that the growth will continue into the rest of the year. The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) said the Gulf state’s reserves of the precious metal have risen considerably over the […] June 20, 2024
Economy Saudi Arabia and UAE up in World Competitiveness Ranking Saudi Arabia and the UAE have improved their rankings in the annual IMD World Competitiveness Ranking this year, as both Gulf states embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to make their economies more productive. The list, which is compiled by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland, saw the UAE rise three places to seventh, […] June 19, 2024
Banking and Finance ADIA group raises offer for UK stock trading platform A consortium including Abu Dhabi’s biggest sovereign wealth fund is poised to buy stock trading platform Hargreaves Lansdown after making an improved non-binding offer for the British company. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority’s (ADIA) wholly owned subsidiary Platinum Ivy has teamed up with private equity firms CVC and Nordic Capital to offer £11.40 ($14.51) per share […] June 19, 2024
Opinion Oil & Gas Abu Dhabi bets big on LNG Adnoc will soon have access to about 21m tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year June 19, 2024
Infrastructure Floods prompt Abu Dhabi to issue urban planning tender Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport has issued a tender for studies to aid the city’s urban planning efforts, including infrastructure resilience during storms. The tender for consultancy services opened last month and closes on July 4. It emerges after UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered an urgent review of the […] June 19, 2024
Health Mubadala-backed US startup working on AI cancer care A US genomics startup, backed by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, is working with ChatGPT creator OpenAI to improve cancer screening and treatment using artificial intelligence models. Color Health, which uses data science and machine learning for genetic testing and counselling in hereditary cancer and heart conditions, has developed an AI assistant, or “copilot”, […] June 18, 2024
