UAE News and Economic Updates
Freshfields apologises over leaked Middle East investor remarks as it protects regional client ties
Freshfields is trying to contain potential damage to its Middle East business after leaked internal emails showed senior partners discussing the exclusion of regional sovereign wealth investors ...
UAE secures 2029 World Bank, IMF annual meetings in Abu Dhabi
The United Arab Emirates is formalizing plans to host the 2029 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Abu Dhabi. The agreement is signed at the close of the ...
Global shippers shift bunker buying to spot market as Middle East war reshapes fuel supply
Marine fuel buyers are changing procurement strategies as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran keeps bunker prices elevated and disrupts shipping routes across the Middle East. The shift is pushing ...
Al Dhafra Insurance credit ratings affirmed with stable outlook
Al Dhafra Insurance Company keeps its existing AM Best ratings as the UAE insurer navigates rapid premium growth and pressure on underwriting performance. The affirmation comes as the company ...
Saudi Aramco attack escalates Gulf shipping and oil security risks
Escalating attacks on Saudi infrastructure and threats to maritime traffic are adding to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider U.S.-Iran confrontation. Saudi officials say a Saudi ...
Standard Chartered launches direct crypto trading for affluent UAE clients
Wealthy investors in the United Arab Emirates are gaining another bank-led route into digital assets as Standard Chartered opens direct bitcoin and ether trading through existing accounts. The ...
Oppenheim Group bets on Dubai luxury property market amid sales slowdown
Dubai's luxury property market is adjusting after conflict-linked volatility interrupted a years-long boom, creating a tougher test for new entrants targeting wealthy global buyers. The Oppenheim ...
U.S. stock futures hold steady ahead of big bank earnings as chip shares weaken
Investors are positioning for a heavy week of corporate and inflation data as major U.S. banks prepare to open the third-quarter earnings season. Chip-sector weakness is limiting broader market ...
UK weighs Manchester City fallout against UAE investment ties
Pressure is building on the UK government as Manchester City contests a damaging ruling over alleged financial rule breaches and the prospect of sanctions clouds broader ties with Abu Dhabi. The ...
OQEP sukuk programme gets Fitch expected BBB- rating
Oman's state-owned oil and gas producer OQ Exploration and Production SAOG is moving ahead with a sukuk funding programme that carries an expected investment-grade rating. The programme is ...
Delta delays Riyadh nonstop launch after Saudi airport attacks
Delta Air Lines is pushing back the start of its Atlanta to Riyadh service until March after deadly attacks disrupt operations at the Saudi capital's main airport. The route had been scheduled to ...
Canada foreign affairs minister to deepen India, UAE ties on trade and security
Canada is stepping up engagement with key Indo-Pacific and Gulf partners as Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand prepares to visit India and the United Arab Emirates from October 13 to October 16. ...
MENA reinsurers target profitable growth amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty
Rising geopolitical tension across the Middle East and North Africa is not stopping reinsurers from pursuing expansion in markets that still offer solid premium growth potential. Adequate pricing ...
Kraken plans UAE launch with dirham trading after VARA approval
Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is preparing to enter the United Arab Emirates after its parent company, Payward, secured full regulatory approval in Dubai. The authorization will allow the ...
Manchester faces reputational risk after Burnham comments on Abu Dhabi ties
Scrutiny of Manchester’s investment links with Abu Dhabi is intensifying after Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested he would be "really concerned" if Abu Dhabi were to sell Manchester City. The ...
Payward wins Dubai approval for UAE dirham crypto trading rollout
Kraken parent Payward is moving closer to a full local launch in the United Arab Emirates after securing final regulatory clearance in Dubai. The approval lets its local unit offer UAE ...
Standard Chartered expands RLUSD custody, targets LMAX collateral use
Institutional demand for regulated stablecoin infrastructure is pushing banks to widen their digital asset services beyond basic safekeeping. Standard Chartered is adding custody support for ...
GCC data center investment underpins AI infrastructure growth
Gulf economies are rapidly elevating data centers from niche enterprise facilities to core infrastructure for their digital expansion. The shift reflects rising demand for AI and cloud capacity, ...
Oil markets fall as supply optimism eases Brent and WTI
Crude prices fall on expectations of improved energy supplies as signs emerge of a halt to attacks on Russian and Ukrainian energy facilities. Diplomatic contact between Iran and Saudi Arabia ...
Dollar holds near 18-month high as Middle East tensions keep markets focused on U.S. inflation
Currency markets start the week in a cautious mood, with the dollar staying close to its strongest level in a year and a half during early Asian trading on Monday. Investor sentiment remains ...
FAA warns U.S. airlines to exercise caution on Saudi Arabia flights
Heightened security risks around Saudi Arabia airspace are prompting fresh caution for U.S. carriers operating flights to or over the kingdom. The warning comes as Riyadh’s international airport ...
