Category: Talking Point

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank said on Monday that technical problems were disrupting access to parts of its digital banking platforms, affecting customers using its website and mobile application, as broader technology infrastructure challenges unfolded across the Gulf. The lender, one of the largest financial institutions in the United Arab Emirates, acknowledged service interruptions and said teams were working to restore full functionality. Customers reported difficulties logging into the mobile app, executing transactions and accessing online banking features during peak hours. The

Fears of a widening war gripped capitals across the Middle East after United States and Israeli forces carried out coordinated strikes on Iranian military infrastructure, prompting sharp warnings from Tehran and renewed anxiety over global security and energy markets. Confusion spread further after unverified claims circulated online about the fate of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Authorities in Tehran moved to dismiss speculation about his death, and no credible confirmation has emerged to substantiate those reports. Iranian state media continued

Saudi Arabia is accelerating development of a vast unconventional gas field in the Arabian Desert, drawing on techniques refined in North America’s shale boom to reshape its energy mix and bolster state revenues. Southeast of the giant Ghawar oilfield, the state-controlled Saudi Aramco is pressing ahead with the multi-billion-dollar expansion of the Jafurah basin, the kingdom’s largest non-associated gas field. Executives have described the project as a cornerstone of plans to lift gas output by more than 50 per cent by

Abu Dhabi has begun on-road trials of Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance system, marking the first time the company’s “Full Self-Driving ” technology is being tested in the emirate under an official regulatory framework. The programme has been launched by the Integrated Transport Centre, an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, which said the trials will assess the system’s performance in live traffic conditions while maintaining direct human oversight inside the vehicle at all times. Officials described the initiative as a structured

Shell Plc has opened preliminary discussions to sell a minority interest in the North West Shelf liquefied natural gas project in Western Australia, engaging potential buyers that include a unit of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and Midocean Energy, according to people familiar with the matter. Talks are centred on Shell’s holding in the A$34 billion development, one of Australia’s longest-running LNG export ventures, located near Karratha in Western Australia. The conversations are described as being at an early stage, with

Jada Fund of Funds, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is preparing to channel more capital into private credit as Gulf investors reposition their portfolios amid volatility affecting segments of the global lending market. Chief executive Bandr Alhomaly said the Riyadh-based fund has agreed to back India-headquartered venture debt manager Stride Ventures, marking a step in its strategy to widen access to alternative financing for companies operating in the kingdom. Under the arrangement, Stride plans to deploy about $200

New Delhi has set a target of raising ₹1.79 trillion, equivalent to about $20 billion, through public listings of state-run enterprises by the 2029/30 financial year, signalling a recalibration of its privatisation strategy towards stake sales rather than outright transfers of ownership. The plan forms part of a wider asset monetisation programme aimed at generating $183.7 billion over the next four years, according to a report issued by NITI Aayog, the government’s policy think tank. The blueprint outlines a shift towards

Several Saudi Arabian companies are moving ahead with plans to list shares in Riyadh, testing investor appetite at a time when volatile crude prices and regional tensions have weighed on the Tadawul All Share Index. Bankers and market participants say firms from oilfield services, manufacturing, telecommunications and contracting are preparing prospectuses or holding early talks with advisers, signalling a revival in primary market activity after a subdued start to 2026. By this stage last year, at least three sizeable flotations had

Centralised control of artificial intelligence is facing a serious challenge as decentralised networks gather pace, promising to dilute the dominance of technology giants and open development to a broader community of users and developers. For much of the past decade, cutting-edge AI models have been built and deployed by a handful of well-funded companies with access to vast computing infrastructure and proprietary data. Firms such as OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Anthropic have led breakthroughs in large language models, multimodal systems and

Saudi Arabia’s state-owned artificial intelligence company Humain has committed $3 billion to Elon Musk’s AI venture xAI as part of a substantial funding round conducted just before the startup was brought under the umbrella of his space technology firm SpaceX. The deal immediately positioned Humain as a significant minority shareholder, with its equity in xAI converted into SpaceX shares after the acquisition, the company said. The transaction reflects a strategic push by Saudi authorities to deepen ties with leading technology

Dubai Holding has teamed up with Nord Anglia Education to develop a series of premium international schools across its master-planned communities, starting with a purpose-built campus in Dubai Production City that will deliver a British curriculum to families in surrounding neighbourhoods. The agreement positions Dubai Holding as the developer of the physical infrastructure while Nord Anglia Education, a global schools operator headquartered in London, will run and manage the academic operations. The first school is expected to cater to pupils from

Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company has unveiled plans to establish Judan Financial Holding, an artificial intelligence-enabled global financial services platform expected to oversee more than AED 870 billion in assets under management, marking one of the most ambitious consolidation moves in the Gulf’s financial sector. The proposed entity will bring together financial services assets held by IHC, Alpha Dhabi, 2PointZero Group and Sirius International Holding, spanning banking, insurance, asset and wealth management, capital markets, non-bank financial services and financial technology. The

Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC Gas signalled a marked increase in investment alongside a record financial performance, projecting capital expenditure of $4 billion to $4.5 billion for this year and laying groundwork for expanded processing capacity across key facilities as it pursues its multi-phase Rich Gas Development project. The state-owned company reported full-year net income of $5.2 billion for 2025, a 3 per cent rise from the prior year, underscoring robust earnings despite pressure from lower crude prices and a challenging

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Institutional investors across the Middle East are signalling a deeper commitment to private markets as portfolio diversification and income stability rise to the top of allocation priorities, according to industry data and market participants tracking capital flows in the region. A broad base of investors is already exposed to private assets, with close to nine in 10 holding positions in private markets. More than half are preparing to lift allocations to private equity and private credit, reflecting a

Aldar Properties and Dubai Holding have broadened their flagship joint venture, adding two strategic land plots in Dubai that will deliver close to 14,000 new homes with a combined gross development value exceeding AED38 billion, reinforcing the emirate’s position as one of the world’s most active residential development markets. The expansion builds on the partnership launched in 2023 and signals Aldar’s accelerating growth in Dubai following the market reception to its first master-planned communities in the emirate, including Haven, Athlon and

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed plans to travel to Washington next week for face-to-face discussions with Donald Trump, placing the evolving US-Iran diplomatic track at the centre of the agenda as pressure mounts over Tehran’s nuclear activities. Netanyahu said the meeting, scheduled for 11 February, would focus on the indirect negotiations now under way between Washington and Tehran, which the US administration has framed as an effort to place limits on Iran’s nuclear programme. The Israeli leader indicated that

UAE is steadily positioning itself as a global reference point for pharmaceutical innovation, backed by regulatory maturity, public-private collaboration and an explicit policy commitment to advancing healthcare, senior executives at Novartis say. The assessment reflects a broader shift in how multinational drugmakers view the Gulf state, not merely as a sales market but as a base for development, manufacturing and clinical collaboration. Valued at about $4.15bn, the domestic pharmaceutical market is projected to double by 2033, according to estimates from the

Saudi Arabia’s flagship development drive remains anchored to an ambition that exceeds $1 trillion in combined value, even as authorities adjust timelines, scope and sequencing across some of the Kingdom’s most high-profile projects. A new assessment by Fitch Ratings said the combined value of five major giga projects — NEOM, Qiddiya, Red Sea Global, ROSHN and Diriyah — is still expected to surpass that threshold at completion, underscoring the scale of the country’s long-term economic transformation plans. The rating agency said

Capital markets across the Middle East and North Africa recorded ten initial public offerings that raised a combined $1.7bn in the fourth quarter of 2025, signalling continued investor engagement despite broader market headwinds. According to the EY MENA IPO Eye Q4 2025 report, the MENA region sustained momentum in public market activity as companies across diverse sectors tapped equity markets for capital. Morocco’s Société Générale des Travaux du Maroc dominated fundraising during the period, securing $525.4m on the

  Dubai has moved to kick off the first phase of the Dubai Loop, an underground high-speed transport network to be built by Elon Musk’s Boring Company, marking one of the most ambitious urban mobility projects announced by the emirate. The initial phase is set to begin immediately, according to a statement by a senior transport official, signalling a rapid transition from concept to execution. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and

Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company is preparing to establish a branch in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, positioning the insurer among a growing list of Gulf financial firms seeking a foothold in India’s offshore financial hub and signalling a sharper international expansion strategy. The move, expected to culminate in an operational launch in the latter part of 2026, follows approval from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, with regulatory clearances in India anticipated to be secured in the coming

Oil prices extended gains as OPEC+ signalled it would keep production levels unchanged, choosing caution over a pre-emptive response to higher prices driven by geopolitical tension linked to Iran and fragile demand signals from major economies. Benchmark Brent crude traded above the mid-$80s a barrel during the session, supported by concerns over potential supply disruption in the Middle East and tighter physical markets in parts of Asia. West Texas Intermediate followed a similar trajectory, narrowing the discount to Brent as inventories

Civil aviation stands at the centre of economic expansion, tourism development and global connectivity as governments and industry leaders recalibrate policies to meet rising passenger demand and shifting trade patterns, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said while addressing a high-level ministerial gathering in Hyderabad. Speaking at the “Wings of India 2026” conference, the Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Civil Aviation Authority underlined that aviation has moved beyond transport to become an

Video games once trained patience through repetition and failure, according to a senior psychologist who says the design logic of modern titles has altered how younger players engage with attention, effort and reward. Speaking in his professional capacity, the president of Drugzone Pharmaceuticals Inc said the shift from finite, skill-based progression to systems built around constant engagement marks a decisive break from the gaming culture of the 1990s. Games of that era, he explained, placed players in closed loops of learning.