SPECIAL REPORT Trade Bolstering Egypt’s trade with Africa Egypt's portfolio of multilateral trade deals includes the largest continental free trade agreement in the world. We look at how it can do more business in Africa – a market of 1.5 billion people In association with
Analysis Finance Growth-stage investment heats up as Gulf IPOs gain traction Global investors are increasingly vying for stakes in later-stage Gulf startups, betting on the region’s economic expansion and stronger exit opportunities, as the regional IPO markets gain momentum. The region, long overlooked for growth-stage capital – minority investments in established companies aimed at accelerating expansion – is witnessing a surge of interest from giants such […]
Opinion Economy Aramco’s $40bn dividends drop highlights Saudi spending The shortfall is a blow to ambitious projects and reducing dependence on the oil giant's profits
Opinion Economy Economic reform in Kuwait: a step forward, but governance is the problem It would be naïve to imagine the country is putting behind it the procrastinations of the past
Analysis Banking & Finance The changing face of project finance around the Gulf Contrasting trends are emerging in Gulf project finance, with deals increasing in duration but also more likely to be refinanced early. Project finance is a funding model often used for infrastructure, in which repayment comes from revenue generated by the completed facility rather than being guaranteed by the owners. “Repayment depends on the project succeeding,” […]
Economy Saudi Arabia’s debt burden ‘to rise more quickly’, says IMF The International Monetary Fund has revised its forecast for Saudi Arabia’s debt burden as tumbling oil prices dent the country’s revenues. The IMF is now projecting that Saudi government gross debt will be 44.5 percent of GDP by 2029, according to the twice-yearly Fiscal Monitor released in Washington DC on Wednesday. In last October’s report, […] April 23, 2025
Finance Oman’s free zones attracted $4bn in investments last year Private businesses invested OR1.6 billion ($4.1 billion) in Oman’s free zones, economic zones and industrial cities last year, highlighting the sultanate’s growing appeal as a regional business hub. The sultanate signed a total of 325 investment agreements across six major jurisdictions, Oman Daily Observer, a local news outlet, reported, citing a report by Duqm Economist […] April 23, 2025
Banking & Finance Al Rajhi Bank reports 34% rise in quarterly profit Al Rajhi Bank, the world’s largest Islamic bank by capital, has reported a 34 percent increase in net profit for the first quarter of 2025, to SAR5.9 billion ($1.5 billion). The Saudi bank’s total assets have risen by 22 percent to SAR1.02 trillion, marking the first time Al Rajhi has surpassed the trillion-riyal mark. Its […] April 23, 2025
Economy Turkey worried that cheap Asian goods will hurt economy Turkey is concerned that an enduring trade war between the US and China and other Asian countries may encourage manufacturers to flood Turkey’s market with cut-price goods to make up for US losses, the finance minister has said. That could damage Turkey’s own manufacturing base, already struggling with high and rising borrowing costs and domestic […] April 23, 2025
Retail Gold’s record run brings little joy for Dubai jewellers In the bustling Gold Souk in Dubai, dubbed the “City of Gold”, 22-karat gold jewellery is a traditional favourite for weddings, religious celebrations, and as a family investment. Yet with bullion prices hitting record highs above $3,400 an ounce, there are signs of change, as buyers opt for diamonds and lighter gold jewellery instead. While […] April 23, 2025
Trade Donald Trump will visit Gulf nations in May US President Donald Trump will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to 16, the White House has confirmed. The highly-anticipated visit to the Gulf region will mark Trump’s second foreign trip of his second term, as he will first travel to Rome this week for Pope Francis’ funeral. “The […] April 23, 2025
Economy Dubai inflation falls to its lowest in five months Dubai’s annual consumer price inflation fell in March to its lowest in five months, driven by lower transport and food costs, according to official data from Dubai Statistics Centre. The headline CPI inflation rate declined to 2.8 percent on an annual basis, from 3.2 percent in each of January and February. That is the lowest […] April 23, 2025
Tech Turkish startup funding plunges in first quarter Uncertainty in the Turkish economy and government budget cuts are weighing on the country’s startup environment, with venture capital funding for new projects falling in the first quarter to their lowest in more than 18 months. Turkish technology startups attracted $58 million in the three months to March 31, almost 50 percent down on the […] April 23, 2025
Analysis Markets Saudi government debt insurance costs jump as oil prices fall The cost of insuring government debt in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) has jumped this month, in some cases – including Saudi Arabia – to multi-year highs. Investors are fretting over the impact of global trade tensions on economic growth and international oil prices, and the risk of Israeli-US military action against Iran. […] April 23, 2025
Economy IMF cuts Saudi GDP forecast as trade turbulence continues The International Monetary Fund has lowered its economic growth forecast for Saudi Arabia in response to escalating trade tensions and falling oil prices. The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook, released this week, predicts that Saudi Arabia’s GDP will grow by 3 percent this year, down from its previous forecast of 3.3 percent. It now expects […] April 22, 2025
Banking & Finance Lending income underpins record Q1 for Saudi banks Three of Saudi Arabia’s five biggest banks by assets have reported record first-quarter profits after generating more income from loans and on lower operating costs. Saudi National Bank, the kingdom’s largest lender, reported a 19 percent jump in profit in the three months to March 31 to SAR6 billion ($1.6 billion), compared with the same […] April 22, 2025
Trade Iraq and Turkey to devise roadmap for expanded trade Iraq and its northern neighbour Turkey will hold a series of meetings in the coming weeks to devise a roadmap for increasing bilateral trade, which hit an all-time high of nearly $15 billion in 2024. “There is a plan in this respect and it has been prepared with the help of various Iraqi economic parties… […] April 22, 2025
Opinion Markets Searching for a Trump-proof gem? Head for an emerging market China, Singapore, Brazil and India could become havens for investors fleeing the trade war April 22, 2025
Tax Saudi Arabia to expand VAT base as oil prices fall Saudi Arabia has introduced new regulations allowing visitors to the country to claim back value added tax (VAT) to facilitate the tourism industry, but it plans to widen the tax base to include online transactions. The world’s second largest oil producer is facing a steep decline in international oil prices on which the government relies […] April 22, 2025
Banking & Finance Emirates NBD profit slips despite strong loan growth Net profit at Emirates NBD, Dubai’s biggest bank by assets, fell in the first quarter of 2025 compared to a year ago despite growth in loans and interest income. Tax paid caused the bottom line to decline more than 7 percent to AED6.2 billion ($1.7 billion) for the first three months, from AED6.7 billion a […] April 22, 2025
Banking & Finance National Bank of Kuwait earnings hit by corporate tax Earnings of the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), the Gulf state’s largest financial institution, fell 9 percent year on year in the first quarter following the imposition of 15 percent corporate tax from January. Net profit fell to KD134 million ($435 million) from January to March, compared to KD147 million a year ago, the lender […] April 22, 2025
Markets Gulf issuers plan debt sales, undeterred by market turmoil Gulf issuers, including Saudi Arabia’s $925 billion sovereign wealth fund, are working on a round of bond offerings, according to sources, braving debt markets despite recent turmoil ignited by US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. Markets have been volatile since Trump announced sweeping tariffs on April 2, even after he rolled most of them back, as investors struggle to […] April 22, 2025
Banking & Finance Fractional sukuk platform launched by UAE bank Sukuk investing in the Gulf has long been the preserve of institutional and wealthy investors because of a six-figure minimum investment threshold, effectively excluding ordinary people from buying sharia-compliant bonds directly. Now though, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has launched an investment platform, Smart Sukuk, on which retail investors can buy so-called fractional sukuk for […] April 22, 2025
Markets Almarai reports increased first-quarter profits Saudi dairy congolmerate Almarai Company has reported higher profits for the first quarter compared with the same period of 2024, one year into a $5 billion, five-year expansion plan. The Riyadh-based dairy company reported a 6 percent increase in net profits to SAR731 million ($195 million) and a 6 percent increase in revenues to SAR5.8 […] April 21, 2025
Trade UAE remains Oman’s primary exporter despite increase from China The UAE maintained its position as the top exporter to nearby Oman last year despite a sharp increase in China’s exports to the sultanate, official figures show. The UAE, the second largest Arab economy and a major centre for re-exports, exported OR4 billion ($10 billion) to Oman in 2024 and accounted for almost a quarter […] April 21, 2025
