Trade Sharjah’s Microsoft deal ‘will not harm China relationship’ Sharjah, the third largest emirate by population in the UAE, will not undermine its growing relations with China through its AI partnership with the American giant Microsoft, a prominent investment official has said. This week Sharjah unveiled the first AI-generated trade licence system in the world, developed jointly by Invest in Sharjah, Sharjah Publishing City […] September 19, 2024
Opinion Oil & Gas Investment and trade are on a steady eastward trajectory The direction of capital flow is set to continue from the Middle East to Asia September 16, 2024
Opinion Oil & Gas US Fed cuts will not prevent an oil-price crash in 2025 A range of factors are conspiring to cause a crude catastrophe September 16, 2024
Trade Saudi Arabia anticipates US easing Nvidia chip ban Saudi Arabia is welcoming reports that the US government is considering lifting export restrictions on Nvidia chips to the kingdom, which maintains close trade ties with US rival China. Asked at an artificial intelligence (AI) forum in Riyadh if he would be content to see exports without limits, minister of industry and mineral resources Bandar […] September 16, 2024
Oil & Gas IEA cuts oil demand forecast as Chinese economy stalls Rapidly slowing Chinese economic output is the primary driver of falling global oil demand, the International Energy Agency has said, as it cut the forecast in its monthly oil market report. The Paris-based energy watchdog has trimmed its 2024 oil demand growth outlook by 70,000 barrels per day, or around 7 percent, to an average […] September 12, 2024
Oil & Gas Aramco and Rongsheng move on chem plant expansion Saudi Aramco is accelerating plans to expand the liquids-to-chemicals project in Jubail in collaboration with China’s Rongsheng Petrochemical Company. The companies have signed a development framework agreement to potentially expand Saudi Aramco Jubail Refinery Company (Sasref) facilities and increase investments in the petrochemical sectors of both nations. This follows a cooperation framework signed in April, where Rongsheng proposed […] September 12, 2024
Opinion Markets Gold has returned to its ancient role as a classic hedge Its spectacular bull run is fuelled by a unique set of geopolitical, monetary and financial catalysts September 10, 2024
Oil & Gas QatarEnergy signs $2bn deal with Chinese shipyard State-run QatarEnergy has ordered six additional large LNG vessels valued at $2 billion from China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). The new order brings the total number of LNG vessels to 128, including 24 QC-Max mega vessels. The QC-Max vessels will be built at China’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, a wholly-owned CSSC subsidiary. These vessels will have a […] September 10, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Renewable Energy Masdar ‘on the lookout’ for deals in China, says CFO Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s state-owned clean energy company, is looking to acquire assets in China as part of its strategy to expand its portfolio of renewable energy projects. Mazin Khan, its chief financial officer, told AGBI that “macroeconomic conditions, with high interest rates and renewable players looking for capital” were opening the door for mergers and […] September 5, 2024
Opinion Oil & Gas October presents Opec+ with a quandary The oil group wants to bring barrels back to the market but it could bow to global uncertainty September 2, 2024
Opinion Banking & Finance Gold’s bull run could soon come to an end Geopolitical uncertainty will buoy gold’s value, but high jewellery prices will dampen demand for bling September 2, 2024
Oil & Gas Omani-Chinese venture wins oil exploration contract Oman has contracted an Omani-Chinese oil exploration and producing venture to explore and develop an oil concession area. The arrangement will boost the sultanate’s oil and gas reserves, expanding production rates in a stretch of 1,389 sq km, called area no. 15, in Al Dhahirah governorate, state-run Oman News Agency reported. Muscat-headquartered Daleel Petroleum Co […] September 2, 2024
Analysis Oil & Gas India’s Russian oil imports dent Gulf’s market share Energy-hungry India has overtaken China as the world’s top importer of Russian oil as New Delhi takes advantage of sizeable discounts and shuns Gulf exporters to satisfy growing demand. India’s oil intake from Russia rocketed to record levels of more than 2 million barrels per day in July, from just 88,000 bpd in 2021-22, according […] August 29, 2024
Opinion Aviation Emirates’ first Asian store is a sign of its wider ambition Airlines have been veering away from bricks-and-mortar but Emirates has bucked the trend August 26, 2024
Telecoms Chinese brands gain ground as Mena smartphone sales surge Economic stability and rising populations have fuelled a 20 percent year-on-year surge in the sale of smartphones in the Middle East and North Africa. Chinese brands have made significant gains on other, more established manufacturers. Smartphone shipments in the Middle East reached 11.5 million units in the second quarter of 2024. That was a 20 […] August 20, 2024
Renewable Energy China wins $972m contract for new Saudi solar plant A Chinese state-backed consortium has won a $972 million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build a two-gigawatt (GW) solar project near Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi PIF phase IV Haden photovoltaic project is being developed by Buraiq Renewable Energy Company, a joint venture between Acwa Power, the Public Investment Fund and Saudi […] August 16, 2024
Analysis Mining Rare earth elements: a complex issue that’s vital to net zero Used in everything from car batteries and fridges to iPhones and elevators, rare earth elements are an ever-present – but rarely noticed – part of daily lives. They are also now central to the global energy transition, and their importance to Gulf states was highlighted this week by a $180 million investment by Qatar. The […] August 12, 2024
Trade Oman-China trade value hits $15bn Bilateral trade between Oman and China increased by 8 percent year on year in the first five months of 2024, reaching more than $15 billion, according to local media. Officials said during an Omani-Chinese friendship forum in the southern city of Salalah that the major joint projects with China currently being implemented in Oman are […] August 9, 2024
Industry Emirates Steel Arkan asks UAE to curb cheap Chinese imports Emirates Steel Arkan is liaising with the UAE government to explore ways to reduce the impact of China exporting its excess steel at knockdown prices. A slowdown in China’s property sector has led to a sharp decline in domestic demand for steel, forcing Chinese producers to sell surplus stock cheaply to international markets. US president […] August 4, 2024
Finance PIF in $50bn pact with Chinese financers The Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has signed six memorandums of understanding worth up to $50 billion with Chinese financial institutions as it seeks to raise more cash for its giga-projects. The agreements were signed with the Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank, China Export & Credit Insurance […] August 2, 2024
Opinion Agriculture Agricultural monopoly is a dangerous game in the Gulf Food prices have risen dramatically, thanks in part to agribusiness giants August 1, 2024
Opinion Oil & Gas Oil traders’ view from the beach is not entirely sunny There's a lot to think about over the summer, from luxury handbags to China's economy July 29, 2024