Category: Talking Point

Washington has moved to fold Middle East normalisation into its Iran diplomacy, with President Donald Trump urging key Muslim-majority states to join the Abraham Accords as negotiations with Tehran enter a delicate phase.Trump used a Truth Social post to say talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran were “proceeding nicely”, while warning that failure to reach what he called a “great deal” could send the parties back to the “battlefront and shooting”. The remarks placed Israel’s regional acceptance at the

Gold prices advanced by more than 1 per cent on Monday as a weaker dollar and a sharp fall in crude oil prices strengthened demand for bullion, with investors reassessing inflation risks and the likely course of US monetary policy amid signs of progress in Washington’s talks with Tehran.Spot gold traded near $4,560 an ounce, extending gains after the dollar slipped against major currencies and oil benchmarks fell to two-week lows. The shift reflected a broader repricing across commodities and

Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company has completed a Dhs110m transaction using DDSC on ADI Chain, marking one of the first live institutional-scale tests of a UAE dirham-backed stablecoin on a regulated blockchain infrastructure.The transfer, valued at about $30m, was executed on ADI Chain, an institutional Layer-2 blockchain developed by ADI Foundation. DDSC is designed as a digital payment token backed one-for-one by UAE dirham reserves, positioning it as a settlement instrument for institutions seeking faster treasury movement, cross-border payment options

UAE economic growth is expected to slip into a mild contraction in 2026 as the Iran war disrupts oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, before staging a strong recovery in 2027 on higher crude and gas production, major energy projects and continued strength in non-oil sectors.The projected setback marks a sharp reversal for the Gulf’s second-largest economy, which has spent the past decade reducing its reliance on hydrocarbons through expansion in trade, tourism, aviation, logistics, finance, real estate and

British Airways has pushed back the return of flights to Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv to August 1, extending disruption on three strategically important Middle East routes as airlines continue to adjust schedules around security risks, airspace limits and uneven demand across the region.The one-month delay, shown on the carrier’s booking systems and reflected in its travel updates, affects passengers who had expected services to resume earlier in the summer. The airline said the continuing situation in the Middle East

Washington has imposed sanctions on more than 50 Iran-linked individuals, companies and vessels, targeting a currency exchange network and oil transport channels as pressure builds on Tehran to reach a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.The measures announced on Tuesday place Amin Exchange, also known as Ebrahimi and Associates Partnership Company, at the centre of a renewed campaign against Iran’s financial and petroleum networks. The Iran-based exchange house is accused of helping sanctioned banks and commercial entities move

Abu Dhabi technology group G42 and the Government of India have formalised terms to deploy Condor Galaxy India, an 8-exaflop artificial intelligence supercomputing cluster designed to strengthen the country’s sovereign AI infrastructure and widen access to advanced computing for research, public services and industry.The agreement, witnessed by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Modi’s official state visit to Abu Dhabi, advances the UAE-India digital infrastructure memorandum of understanding signed in 2024. The

Aldar Properties has bought a residential and community retail project in Dubai Studio City for AED1.1 billion, marking a fresh step in the Abu Dhabi developer’s push to expand its recurring income base in Dubai’s fast-growing rental market.The acquisition from private developer SRG will give Aldar a build-to-rent community scheduled for completion in 2028. The project is planned around 312 homes across six mid-rise buildings, supported by a community mall and 39 retail units designed to serve residents and neighbouring

China’s search for safer gas supplies has pushed energy to the centre of Xi Jinping’s talks with Donald Trump in Beijing, where the war involving Iran has sharpened pressure on both sides to repair a trade channel that collapsed under tariffs.The discussions come as disruption around the Gulf has unsettled fuel markets, tightened liquefied natural gas flows into Asia and revived the commercial logic of United States energy sales to China. Beijing’s retaliatory duties on United States LNG and crude

Oil loadings at Iran’s main crude export terminal appear to have stopped for several days, raising fresh concerns over Gulf supply as war pressure, shipping restrictions and environmental fears converge around Kharg Island.Commercial satellite imagery showed no ocean-going oil tankers at the island’s loading jetties on May 8, 9 or 11, marking the clearest sign so far of an extended interruption at the facility that handles the overwhelming bulk of Iran’s crude exports. Short gaps in tanker presence have occurred

Abu Dhabi has unveiled a AED55 billion public-private partnership pipeline, setting out 24 projects across transport, core infrastructure and social facilities that are expected to enter the market through 2026 and 2027.The programme, launched by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre, marks one of the emirate’s largest structured openings to private capital in public infrastructure. It is designed to bring developers, financiers, contractors and long-term operators into projects that support mobility, flood resilience,

Dubai’s financial centre has drawn renewed backing from global banks, insurers, wealth managers and financial technology firms, reinforcing the UAE’s position as a regional base for capital flows despite geopolitical tension and uneven global growth.Senior executives across the Dubai International Financial Centre ecosystem have signalled that client activity remains steady, with companies continuing to use the UAE as a platform for business across the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and wider international markets. Their confidence rests on a combination of

 Saudi Aramco delivered a sharp first-quarter profit rebound, beating market expectations as higher crude prices, stronger sales volumes and improved downstream margins lifted the world’s largest oil company.Net income attributable to shareholders rose to SAR 120.13 billion, or $32.04 billion, for the three months ended March 31, 2026, up 25.6 per cent from a year earlier. Adjusted net income increased to SAR 125.97 billion, or $33.59 billion, ahead of the roughly $31 billion expected by analysts, underlining Aramco’s capacity to

Global oil markets are consuming their emergency cushion at a record pace as the Iran war keeps Persian Gulf flows constrained, turning inventories into the main defence against a supply shock that has already reshaped prices, refining and fuel security across major importing economies. Visible stockpiles fell by about 4.8 million barrels a day between 1 March and 25 April, far above earlier quarterly drawdown peaks, while the disruption has removed more than a billion barrels of expected supply from

Dubai’s Emirates Group is preparing to reward eligible employees with a 20-week salary bonus after delivering its strongest financial performance, reinforcing the carrier’s position as one of the most profitable aviation businesses worldwide.The payout follows a 2025–26 fiscal year in which the Group posted profit before tax of Dh24.4 billion for the year ended March 31, 2026, a 7 per cent rise from the previous year. Revenue climbed 3 per cent to Dh150.5 billion, while cash assets rose 12 per

UAE air defence systems were activated early on Friday after authorities detected incoming missile and drone threats from Iran, the third such episode this week as Gulf security tensions deepened around the Strait of Hormuz.The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority issued an alert shortly after 6.30am UAE time on May 8, urging residents to remain in safe locations and follow official channels for warnings and updates. The message came as defence operations were under way and as residents

Dubai’s property market has absorbed a sharp geopolitical jolt without sliding into a systemic downturn, with transaction data pointing to a bruised but functioning sector after two months of regional conflict.The market entered 2026 with exceptional momentum. January produced AED104.1 billion in transactions, marking a historic high and reinforcing Dubai’s position as one of the world’s most active property investment destinations. That pace was disrupted when conflict fears intensified across the Gulf, prompting buyers, lenders and developers to reassess exposure.

 War-linked disruption to shipping and tourism sharply slowed the UAE’s non-oil private sector in April, pushing business conditions to their weakest level since February 2021 and exposing the economy’s sensitivity to transport bottlenecks across the Gulf.The seasonally adjusted UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 52.1 in April from 52.9 in March, staying above the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction but signalling a clear loss of momentum. The reading marked a second consecutive monthly decline and showed that growth

Apple is turning restraint into a strategic advantage as rivals pour record sums into artificial intelligence infrastructure, betting that a narrower, device-centred approach can protect margins while keeping investors focused on earnings rather than data-centre bills.The iPhone maker’s latest quarterly performance has strengthened that argument. Apple reported March-quarter revenue of $111.2 billion, up 17 per cent from a year earlier, with diluted earnings per share rising 22 per cent to $2.01. Net income reached $29.6 billion, while operating cash flow

Aldar has acquired a portfolio of industrial and logistics assets in KEZAD for AED650 million, strengthening its exposure to Abu Dhabi’s warehouse market as demand for modern supply-chain space continues to build across the emirate.The transaction, announced on 23 April 2026, involves three purpose-built, multi-let warehouses sold by Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi, a subsidiary of AD Ports Group. The assets add about 163,000 square metres of income-generating industrial and logistics space to Aldar’s platform and deepen the developer’s position

Washington’s plan to send Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan has opened a narrow diplomatic track with Tehran, even as Iran publicly dampened expectations of direct talks to halt an eight-week war that has unsettled energy markets and deepened regional instability.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Friday that Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, and Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, would leave on Saturday for discussions linked to Iranian officials. The mission is intended to revive negotiations through

Dubai’s flagship carrier expects demand to recover quickly once the Iran conflict eases, with president Sir Tim Clark signalling confidence that operational disruption will not leave a lasting dent in the airline’s growth trajectory.Speaking by videolink at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit in Berlin on Thursday, Clark said Emirates could regain momentum by the end of the summer if a political or military settlement emerges within weeks. “If a solution is found and this goes away in the next two

 Investcorp Capital has deployed $200 million into a three-asset US residential real estate portfolio, betting that demand for senior living and rental housing in supply-constrained metropolitan markets will stay firm as demographic pressure builds. The Abu Dhabi-listed alternative investment company said the portfolio spans nearly 500 units and includes two senior housing properties in the Los Angeles and New York metropolitan areas, alongside a multifamily community in Bloomfield, New Jersey.The deal marks a clear push by ICAP towards residential segments

Gold prices fell on Monday as a fresh flare-up in waters around the Strait of Hormuz rattled energy markets, pushed up the dollar and Treasury yields, and raised doubts over diplomatic efforts aimed at halting the war.Bullion, which often draws support in periods of geopolitical strain, came under pressure as traders focused instead on the inflationary impact of another oil-supply shock. The move highlighted a familiar tension in global markets: conflict can lift demand for safe havens, but it can