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The city-state’s employers have set a striking pace as they head into the final quarter of 2025: a Net Employment Outlook of 45 per cent signals that nearly three in five organisations expect to expand their workforces. That optimism comes amid shifting global headwinds, structural reforms, and a rising demand for specialised talent.

The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey canvassed 525 UAE employers across sectors to assess hiring intentions. A positive balance of 45 per cent means that those anticipating workforce increases outnumber those expecting reductions by nearly half. This figure places the UAE among the world’s more aggressive labour markets, especially given challenges such as global trade uncertainty, rising automation, and fluctuating commodity prices.

This projected hiring boom is not evenly distributed. The strongest demand lies in transport, logistics and automotive, energy and utilities, and consumer goods and services. These sectors appear ready to leverage infrastructure projects, green energy transitions, and regional consumption growth. Meanwhile, the information technology sector is showing solid demand at +48 per cent, reflecting sustained digital transformation pushes.

Driving much of this confidence is corporate expansion: 40 per cent of participating firms cited scaling operations as their primary reason for hiring. Another 28 per cent pointed to pivoting business models and growth into new areas. In addition, nearly 30 per cent of respondents acknowledged that talent shortages—and competition for specialised skills—are influencing recruitment strategies.

Yet the buoyant sentiment is tempered by caution. Roughly 10 per cent of employers still expect to trim staff, particularly in roles vulnerable to automation or in sectors facing structural disruption. Around 15 per cent responded that they will hold staffing constant, prioritising internal upskilling over external recruitment. In interviews, some HR executives noted that while they want to hire aggressively, wage inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, and regulatory shifts may prompt them to phase recruitment over several quarters.

Regional and global context strengthens the UAE’s position. In the third quarter of 2025, the UAE recorded a world-leading NEO of +48 per cent. That marked a standout alignment with its long-term growth strategy, and the Q4 figure of +45 per cent suggests sustained momentum rather than a cyclical spike. Elsewhere, the global average NEO stood at +24 per cent during Q3 — placing the UAE’s outlook nearly double the global benchmark.

Analysts view this hiring optimism as part of a broader strategy to reposition the UAE as a knowledge-economy hub. Recent government initiatives have focused on advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and logistics corridors. These programs have triggered demand not only for engineers and technicians but also for data scientists, sustainability consultants, and cross-disciplinary professionals. In one corporates sector round-table, a senior UAE CEO observed that “the competition for deep tech talent is global, and we must offer not just pay but opportunity, stability and a pathway for growth.”

Labour authorities are also aligning policies with employer needs. New visa frameworks, targeted Emiratisation programmes, and regulatory incentives for R&D investment are being synchronized with workforce forecasts. At the same time, the UAE’s PMI for non-oil activity has held above the expansion threshold, underlining demand growth across private sectors and supporting hiring intent.

However, potential headwinds remain significant. Global supply chain disruptions, slowing demand in key export markets, and monetary tightening in major economies could dampen growth. Employers may delay or scale back hiring plans if external pressures intensify. Some labour economists warn of mismatches between skills supplied locally and those demanded, especially in emerging fields.

U. S. equity markets eked out modest gains on Monday as investors absorbed mixed signals from policymakers and braced for a potentially disruptive funding impasse. The S&P 500 rose about 0.3 percent, while the Nasdaq added 0.5 percent.

Tech and semiconductor names powered much of the upside, with Nvidia climbing nearly 2 percent and Micron advancing over 4 percent. Meanwhile, energy lagged, weighing on the Dow Jones. Treasuries rallied: the 10-year yield fell to around 4.14 percent.

Markets have long eyed the congressional standoff over government funding, now escalating toward a possible shutdown as the funding deadline tightens. If Congress fails to agree on a stopgap measure by the start of October, crucial economic reports — including this week’s non-farm payrolls — may be delayed.

Within the Senate, tension has grown around healthcare and Medicaid funding demands, a key sticking point in negotiations. Democratic leaders have warned against accepting a funding plan that omits those measures, even as pressure mounts to avoid a closure.

Analysts warn that the shutdown risk magnifies uncertainty over Federal Reserve policy. Without fresh labour and inflation data, the central bank may have to lean more heavily on its own forecasts, complicating rate-cut expectations. Some strategists suggest the Fed could still manage two cuts in 2025, contingent on how deeply economic data is disrupted.

Historical precedent somewhat tempers alarm. In past shutdowns of limited duration, equities have tended to rebound quickly. On average, the S&P 500 returns roughly 0.1 percent during shutdowns, and over the following year the index has gained about 12.2 percent. Still, the threat this time includes a new wrinkle: proposals for mass federal layoffs rather than traditional furloughs, which could intensify economic and psychological fallout.

Sector watchers anticipate uneven effects. Government contractors and firms reliant on federal payments could see downside pressure. In contrast, defensive and AI-linked names may continue attracting flows.

Gold cracked past $3,800 per ounce as investors rotated into safe havens, and the dollar weakened amid risk aversion. Meanwhile, earnings announcements and deal activity remain under close scrutiny: Electronic Arts jumped nearly 4.5 percent after announcing a $55 billion going-private deal.

Markets have thus far held up despite the political drama. The headline indexes are still straddling their 50-day moving averages — Nasdaq has run more than 100 sessions without dipping below. But as the week progresses, volatility could spike if lawmakers stall or key data go missing.

Bitcoin miners now hold approximately 1.8 million BTC, down from about 2.5 million in 2019—a shift that signals diminishing influence over the market and illustrates their evolving role in the ecosystem.

At their peak influence, miners were among the few entities controlling large pools of newly minted coins. Over time, however, many mining operators have adopted a business-like approach: periodically selling part of their mined yield to cover operational expenses, upgrade hardware, and manage liquidity. Those sales dilute their concentrated sway over supply movements.

On-chain data indicates miner outflows have shrunk sharply. CryptoQuant reports daily outflows dropped from 23,000 BTC in early 2025 to about 6,000 BTC in the most recent windows, with no extreme outflow days since February. Transfers from miner addresses to exchanges remain subdued, reinforcing the trend.

Despite dips in miner revenue—for example, daily earnings fell to about US$34 million in June—there is no evidence of forced liquidations. Instead, many miners are accumulating reserves while selectively monetising operations.

Publicly listed mining firms are increasingly decoupling their revenue streams from pure blockchain activity. CleanSpark, for instance, expanded a $100 million crypto-backed credit facility tied to its Coinbase holdings, with plans to fund growth across energy infrastructure and compute assets. Meanwhile, Cipher Mining struck a 10-year colocation deal with AI‐cloud provider Fluidstack, which could generate up to $3 billion in revenue over time and repurposes its infrastructure toward high-performance computing.

These developments reflect a broader industry evolution. With Paul’s halving in April 2024 slashing block rewards in half, miners now balance hash power growth against diminishing direct coin yield. To survive and scale, many operators are diversifying into hosting, AI, carbon credits, and “mining-as-a-service” models.

Smaller miners are under intense pressure. Rising energy costs, grid constraints, and compliance burdens marginalise those without scale or access to cheap power. Major operations are increasingly concentrated in jurisdictions with deregulated energy markets or surplus renewable capacity.

From a market impact perspective, miners’ strategic behaviour brings both stability and constraints. On one hand, their reduced dominance helps prevent supply shocks triggered by sudden bulk sales. On the other, their periodic selling still exerts friction on price rallies. Analysts suggest that sophisticated off-exchange OTC arrangements increasingly cloak miner sales, making their impact less visible but persistent.

By K Raveendran The global oil market is once again caught between geopolitics and fundamentals, as a new set of developments forces traders, producers, and consumers to recalibrate expectations. With the United States and the European Union signalling a hardening of positions on Russian oil, and with the Middle East simmering in heightened tensions, Brent […]

The article World Oil Flows At A Critical Juncture As India, US Try To Hammer Out A Deal appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Under the new agreements, Chinese manufacturer XCMG will supply up to half of the electric 240-tonne haul truck fleet, with deliveries phased between 2028 and 2030. The remaining trucks will be produced by Liebherr, under an amended version of an earlier deal. The contracts build on an earlier framework signed in 2024 for battery-electric ancillary mining equipment.
XCMG itself refers to the Fortescue order as the largest export order for green mining equipment from China to date. The trucks may include autonomous features and use advanced software, similar to those operating in China’s open-pit mines.
Fortescue is also finalising its full takeover of Nabrawind, a Spanish wind tower and turbine technology company in which it held a minority stake since 2023. With full ownership, Fortescue plans to integrate Nabrawind’s self-lifting tower designs with turbines supplied by Envision Energy, aiming to deploy up to 2.1 GW of installed wind capacity in its Pilbara “East Pilbara generation hub.” The first wind energy is expected online by 2028, pending regulatory approval.

To support its Decarbonisation roadmap, Fortescue has signed supply agreements with several other Chinese clean-tech firms: BYD will supply energy storage systems; LONGi will provide photovoltaic modules; and Envision will deliver turbines and smart energy solutions. Fortescue describes the partnerships as a “multilateral collaboration” to access the best manufacturing capacity globally.
Andrew Forrest, the company’s Executive Chairman, emphasised that China’s ability to scale green technologies rapidly makes it a key partner in Fortescue’s strategy. He remarked that industry should “glue back” international cooperation through practical alliances rather than mere rhetoric. The company also continues to operate its R&D arm, Fortescue Zero, which is tasked with integrating and optimising power systems across its fleet and operations.

However, the pivot towards Chinese suppliers has already prompted adjustments to the Liebherr arrangement. Fortescue has scaled back Liebherr’s role to supplying at minimum half the haul trucks, down from its originally envisaged share, reallocating greater share to XCMG. Analyses suggest the move is intended to diversify risk, ensure supply chain resilience, and meet aggressive deployment timelines.
The decision also appears to reflect broader challenges in the green hydrogen sector: Fortescue has walked away from planned hydrogen projects in Arizona and Queensland, absorbing write-downs, and is now emphasizing electrification and green iron production instead. Internal restructuring and leadership turnover at Fortescue Zero have raised questions about execution, but the company underscores that the new strategy remains intact.

Kuwait Petroleum International and payments provider WEX have launched a joint fuel card in Italy, called CartissimaQ8-WEX, offering business customers access to a network of more than 3,400 service stations, including Q8, Q8easy, and authorised partners.

Under the partnership, WEX cardholders will be able to refuel across Italy’s Q8 network and partner sites, gaining visibility over fuel consumption and simplified billing. KPI said the initiative is part of its strategy to deepen its footprint in the Italian market by introducing a new sales channel in collaboration with a payments specialist.

The agreement provides WEX customers access to a broad distribution system spanning Q8, Q8easy and authorised stations across Italy. KPI’s network in the country already includes several hundred stations, and this card linkage aims to consolidate its reach by leveraging WEX’s fleet and payments infrastructure.

WEX has been actively expanding its European fuel network via partnerships in countries such as France and the Netherlands, tying up with Carrefour and Sakko to broaden its acceptance footprint. That expansion effort dovetails with this new agreement, enabling cross-market leverage.

While KPI is the local operating arm of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, WEX is a US-based payments and fleet services firm. The alliance represents a fusion of upstream fuel retailing and downstream payments infrastructure. It also reflects a broader trend in the energy sector: fuel retailers seeking to strengthen customer retention through integrated payment and fleet management services.

Stakeholders in the Italian fuel and mobility markets view the move as a response to intensifying competition from independent fleet card providers and mobility fintechs. By embedding payments into its fuel ecosystem, KPI hopes to capture a larger share of corporate fleet spend and lock in recurring usage.

Industry analysts note that acceptance scale is key to fleet card uptake; the more stations that accept a given card, the more attractive it becomes for fleet operators. With 3,400 stations accessible under CartissimaQ8-WEX, the offering is immediately competitive.

By Nitya Chakraborty CPI general secretary D Raja who has been granted his third term at the recently concluded 25th congress of CPI in Chandigarh faces a stupendous task in rejuvenating the stagnating party organisation and steer it with dynamism and vision to play a proper role in building a Left Democratic Alternative to fight […]

The article Third Term CPI General Secretary D Raja Faces Main Task Of Rejuvenating The Party appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).