Opinion Trade Gulf-China relations are strictly business Expecting a major Chinese presence beyond the economic realm is wishful thinking February 16, 2025
Energy Oman secures $100m loan to join GCC power grid Qatar Development Fund has signed a $100 million loan agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) to help finance the connection of the regional power grid to Oman. The project is expected to cost more than $700 million. It involves the construction of two 400 kilovolt (kV) overhead transmission lines connecting the GCCIA’s […] February 14, 2025
Analysis Trade Gulf likely to escape Trump tariffs, analysts say Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the other Gulf Arab states are likely to escape US President Donald Trump’s tariff ire, analysts say. This is because the world’s largest economy by and large runs a trade surplus with them, their value added tax (VAT) is relatively low and they peg their currencies to the US dollar. […] February 14, 2025
Opinion Industry How Trump’s tariffs could reshape Gulf aluminium exports Ports, shipping, transport and logistics services must be ready to react quickly February 14, 2025
Economy Spending pushes Saudi fiscal deficit to $31bn in 2024 Saudi Arabia’s fiscal deficit reached SAR116 billion ($31 billion) in 2024, driven by a 6 percent rise in expenditure, according to the ministry of finance. The deficit was in line with revised predictions made in September but roughly 50 percent higher than the SAR79 billion ($21 billion) projected at the start of the fiscal year. […] February 14, 2025
Trade Turkey and Pakistan target $5bn bilateral trade Turkey and Pakistan plan to increase bilateral trade to TL180.5 billion ($5 billion) after it rose 30 percent year on year to $1.4 billion in 2024. “The bilateral trade volume between Turkey and Pakistan reached its highest level in 2024,” Daily Sabah newspaper reported, quoting President Tayyip Erdoğan’s speech at a business forum in Islamabad. […] February 14, 2025
Banking and Finance Saudi Arabia’s biggest bank wants wealthy depositors back Saudi Arabia’s largest bank by assets is trying to woo back wealthy customers after losing many since a merger in 2021. SNB, or Saudi National Bank, is a merger of National Commercial Bank and Samba Financial Group, formerly known as the Saudi American Bank. It has underperformed against its major domestic rivals, reporting comparatively lower […] February 14, 2025
Agriculture Cut flowers are a growth industry for Turkey February is the busiest month for Turkey’s cut flower exporters, as Valentine’s Day on the 14th of the month results in 70 million or more blooms being shipped to markets across the continent. Revenue of between $8 million and $10 million is expected, and with International Women’s Day following close behind on March 8, increased […] February 14, 2025
Markets Delivery Hero to use Talabat IPO earnings to clear bonds Delivery Hero is to buy back about €1 billion ($1 billion) in bonds using proceeds from last year’s Talabat IPO on the Dubai Financial Market. The Berlin-based food delivery company, which bought Talabat in 2015, said it will pay off its convertible bonds due in 2025 and 2026 and up to €350 million for 2027 […] February 13, 2025
Trade Indonesia and UAE plan to double bilateral trade Trade between the UAE and Indonesia is set to double in the coming years, following discussions held this week at the World Government Summit in Dubai. Airlangga Hartarto, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for economic affairs, said the countries had agreed to work towards increasing bilateral trade to $10 billion per year, following a meeting with Abdulla […] February 13, 2025
Banking and Finance US banks buy Dubai gold to counter potential tariffs Dubai is among several global gold centres benefiting from fears among US banks that President Donald Trump might impose duties on the precious metal, analysts say. A backlog at refining facilities in Switzerland has added to US banks’ concerns about the availability of bullion. “There is now a real concern about the tariffs being imposed […] February 13, 2025
Opinion Banking and Finance GCC banks will prosper under Trump’s presidency The challenge for Gulf banks will be to keep their balance and focus in a volatile policy landscape February 13, 2025
Markets Alpha Data to sell 40% stake in IPO on Abu Dhabi bourse A 44-year-old UAE-based technology company, Alpha Data, is to list 40 percent of its capital, or 400 million shares, on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), the company has said. Alpha Data’s initial public offering (IPO) subscription will run from February 20 to 25 for UAE retail and professional investors. The offer price will be […] February 13, 2025
Analysis Trade $600bn Saudi-US trade pledge ‘unlikely to be achieved’ Saudi Arabia’s pledge to increase trade and investment with the US to at least $600 billion over President Trump’s four-year term is “very optimistic” and “unlikely to be achieved,” according to a Washington-based think tank. Instead the kingdom is prioritising domestic projects and faces lower oil revenue. The commitment was made by Crown Prince Mohammed […] February 13, 2025
Opinion Trade Uganda and UAE ramp up economic deals Kampala wants to double the size of the economy in the next five years February 12, 2025
Energy NMDC Group to pay $191m dividend as revenue rises The board of Abu Dhabi’s NMDC Group has recommended paying a cash dividend of AED701 million ($191 million) after revenues surged 57 percent year on year to AED 26 billion in 2024, according to UAE state-owned Wam news agency. The payout is subject to shareholders’ approval. If approved, the group’s dividend yield will reach 13 […] February 12, 2025
Trade Turkey lifts Syria trade barriers to spur growth Turkey has lifted trade and transit restrictions on Syria at the countries’ border, the trade ministry said on Tuesday, progressing with plans to expand trade after the fall of Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad. Goods exported or imported between the two neighbours or transited through Syrian border crossings will now be subject to the same conditions as those […] February 12, 2025
Economy Iraq risks higher budget deficit after oil sales fall short Iraq’s budget deficit could be higher than forecast after the Opec member reported $92 billion in oil exports — less than expected — for the first 11 months of last of year. In June its parliament approved 2024 spending of around $163 billion, with revenue forecast at nearly $123 billion. This left a budget deficit […] February 11, 2025
Opinion Economy Musk in Dubai? Start queuing now The World Governments Summit was all abuzz with talk that Trump's right hand man might put in a show February 11, 2025
Opinion Economy Gulf sets the bar for proposed US sovereign wealth fund Plenty of questions remain, especially about how the entity will be funded February 11, 2025
Economy Sanctions on Syrian banks choke economic recovery Western sanctions on Syria’s banking sector are preventing critical investments in the war-ravaged economy, the country’s investment chief said. This is despite huge interest from Syrian and foreign investors since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad. “Sanctions have stopped everything. Right now, they are primarily on the Syrian people and are increasing their suffering,” Ayman Hamawiye, […] February 11, 2025
Finance Tabby hires three global banks for Saudi listing Tabby, the buy-now-pay-later startup backed by Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, has appointed three global banks to oversee its potential initial public offering (IPO) on the Saudi stock exchange. The company has brought in HSBC Holdings, JPMorgan Chase. and Morgan Stanley to finalise the flotation process, Bloomberg reported, citing informed sources. The plans are still in the early […] February 11, 2025
