Opinion Finance Home is where the heart is for GCC wealth funds In a volatile world, the Gulf's wealth funds are finding many more reasons to invest at home The Gulf's SWFs are stepping up domestic investment Nasser Saidi, Economist, Nasser Saidi and Associates
Opinion Logistics Houthi attacks are an ecological disaster waiting to happen If the Sounion's 1 million barrels of oil leaked into the Red Sea it would cause a disaster More must be done to enable faster recovery of damaged vessels in the Red Sea John Manners-Bell, CEO, Transport Intelligence Insight
Opinion Employment GCC has an opportunity to change the retirement game The GCC has a unique opportunity to set a new global standard in retirement savings Expatriates are concerned that current schemes lack comprehensive benefits Tim Phillips, Middle East & Asia MD, Smart
Opinion Oil & Gas October presents Opec+ with a quandary For credibility, Opec+ will probably stick with bringing back barrels. But big factors are at play The oil group wants to bring barrels back to the market but it could bow to global uncertainty Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Banking and Finance Gold’s bull run could soon come to an end Global central banks have added to gold reserves en masse to hedge against uncertainty Geopolitical uncertainty will buoy gold’s value, but high jewellery prices will dampen demand for bling Bill Weatherburn, Economist, Capital Economics
Opinion Education Dubai could learn from California on smartphones in schools As a parent of a mobile-obsessed teenager I'd like to see a firmer stance on smartphones in schools Plenty of studies show their detrimental effects but the simple fact is we're increasingly reliant on our mobiles Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Infrastructure Rail link to UAE will supercharge Oman’s port city of Sohar A direct Oman-UAE train route will make Sohar’s manufacturing bases more attractive Businesses in the sultanate's northern city will get direct access to the UAE’s global connections Saleh Al-Shaibany, Journalist, Al-Safa Press & Publishing
Opinion Business of Sport Gulf sports wins are sidelined by the summer season One challenge faced by the Gulf is the battle to unseat global sport’s existing hegemony An uncertain global economy has dampened sports investments fervour across the region Simon Chadwick, Professor of AfroEurasion sport
Opinion Banking and Finance The bullish case for the GCC’s sovereign bonds and sukuk The sheer growth rates of the Arab bond and sukuk markets have made it a historic year so far Riyadh's budget deficit necessitates at least $13-$14 billion of new bond issuance in both 2025 and 2026 Matein Khalid, Investor
Opinion Manufacturing Tesla “just not cool” anymore in car-crazy California The Arabian Gulf has a direct interest in how Tesla's new unpopularity pans out The US state and Elon Musk's pioneering company have fallen out of love Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Aviation Emirates’ first Asian store is a sign of its wider ambition Emirates' new Hong Kong shop opening may be part of a wider strategic UAE reputational play Airlines have been veering away from bricks-and-mortar but Emirates has bucked the trend John Grant, Partner, Midas Aviation
Opinion Transport With or without the human touch, DXB is a global leader The airport business buzzword is 'contactless' – as few interactions with humans as possible 'Contactless' is the way to go and Dubai International knows how it's done Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Economy Oman heads back to investment grade territory Oman's economic policy has been transformed. Investment grade ratings are just a matter of time The sultanate has shown fiscal prudence and a commitment to restructuring state-owned enterprises Andrew Cunningham, Middle East banking consultant
Opinion Aviation To churn or not to churn: why airlines drop routes It’s not always due to network growth – airlines drop and add destinations for many reasons The disappearance of 459 routes shows the challenges faced by Middle East airlines John Grant, Partner, Midas Aviation
Opinion Banking and Finance Big call on interest rates at Jackson Hole will echo around the world This year’s symposium comes at a crucial time for US and global financial markets What Fed chairman says on Friday will impact business globally, but particularly in the Arabian Gulf Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Oil & Gas A mixed prognosis for Libya’s oil sector Libya must improve productivity and corporate governance to achieve its oil output goals The country must improve productivity and governance to achieve its oil output goals Salem Maiar, Consultant in Libyan natural resources and geopolitics
Opinion Economy The dollar is still king, but the alternatives are slowly gathering pace A slow, gradual acceptance of other currencies is a long-term threat to the US dollar There is evidence of the creeping acceptance of alternatives to the US greenback Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Real Estate More stable UK should lure Gulf commercial property investors The scene is set in the UK for a once-in-a-decade realignment – good news for GCC investors Lower interest rates and pro-housing policies will embolden backers Rashid Khan-Gandapur, Director, Bank of London and Middle East
Opinion Economy Worsening US woes could hit Gulf economies A US recession could be a game changer for the GCC and create a fiscal nightmare for the region Oil prices could share the fate of Dr Copper and fall at least 20 percent Matein Khalid, Investor
Opinion Economy Oman’s planned income tax is an economic gamble The introduction of income tax may appear a good idea, but it is unlikely to serve Oman well High earning expats might be tempted to move to the sultanate's tax-free neighbours Saleh Al-Shaibany, Journalist, Al-Safa Press & Publishing
Opinion Finance The UAE closes in on the ‘shady men in sunny places’ The challenge for the UAE lies in sifting out the bad apples from the honest business people Far from being a safe haven for fugitives, Abu Dhabi has accelerated the pace of its extraditions Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Aviation The Gulf will play a major role in sustainable aviation Meeting demand for SAF is a chance to marry the Gulf's expertise in aviation and energy GCC airlines are leading the charge to make flying greener Robin Mills, CEO, Qamar Energy
