Category: Talking Point

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise has enlisted a consortium of international and regional banks to host a series of fixed income investor calls beginning 6 October 2025, with the aim of gauging demand for a potential benchmark 5-year senior unsecured US dollar sukuk issuance.The mandate positions Emirates NBD Capital, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Goldman Sachs International and HSBC as active bookrunners, while Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Ajman Bank, Bank ABC, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole CIB, Dubai Islamic Bank, Fifth Third Securities,

More than 640,000 companies have registered under the UAE’s corporate tax scheme as the Federal Tax Authority reported strong uptake in tax returns and payments. The filings cover entities whose financial year ended 31 December 2024, and the FTA credited its digital infrastructure and awareness efforts for high compliance rates.Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director-General of the FTA, announced that “hundreds of thousands” of corporate tax returns and annual declarations have already been processed via EmaraTax. He described the outcome

Saudi Arabia has announced that half of all jobs in licensed tourism establishments must be staffed by Saudi nationals by 2028, signalling a significant policy shift to move citizens into non-oil sectors. The Ministry of Tourism says the measure will tackle the overreliance on expatriate labour and realign the workforce with Vision 2030 economic diversification goals.Under the new framework, the Saudisation ratio will rise gradually: 40 per cent by April 2026, 45 per cent by January 2027, and 50 per

Global investment firm KKR has acquired a minority stake in ADNOC Gas Pipeline Assets LLC, reinforcing its commitment to Middle East energy infrastructure. ADNOC retains full operational control and ownership of the pipelines.KKR’s move builds on longstanding ties with Abu Dhabi’s national energy group. In 2019, KKR and BlackRock acquired a portion of ADNOC’s oil pipeline business in a landmark deal; that investment was later sold to Abu Dhabi’s Lunate fund. KKR’s repeat foray into ADNOC’s gas infrastructure marks a

The Middle East and North Africa are experiencing a wave of sovereign bond issuance as governments tap global debt markets to meet financing needs, even though oil prices have held in the mid-$60s per barrel and credit spreads remain compressed.Kuwait re-entered the international capital markets after an eight-year hiatus, successfully issuing $11.25 billion in three, five and ten-year bonds at spreads of 0.40 to 0.50 percentage points over US Treasuries. The offering drew order books exceeding $28 billion and allocated

OpenAI has surged past its prior valuation to reach an estimated $500 billion after current and former employees sold approximately $6.6 billion worth of shares to a consortium of investors. The deal, structured as a secondary share transaction, elevates OpenAI to the top of private tech valuations globally.Buyers in the transaction include Thrive Capital, SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, Abu Dhabi’s MGX and T. Rowe Price. Although OpenAI had authorised up to $10 billion of share sales for insiders, not all

Electronic Arts, creator of blockbuster franchises like “Battlefield” and “Madden NFL,” has agreed to be acquired by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, in what would be the largest leveraged buyout in history. Under the terms, EA shareholders will receive $210 per share in cash, valuing the company at roughly $55 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, pending regulatory

Oil markets face mounting pressure to weaken as forecasts from Macquarie warn of a shift into the $50-per-barrel range amid “punishing oversupply.” Macquarie’s analysts trimmed their price outlooks and argue supply growth from both OPEC+ and non-OPEC producers threatens to swamp demand.The bank now expects West Texas Intermediate to average about $64 per barrel in 2025, down by $3 from previous estimates, and to drop further to $57 in 2026. Their revised view underscores what they describe as a

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is driving a landmark $55 billion leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts, committing more fresh capital than private equity heavyweight Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, according to people familiar with the deal.The transaction calls for EA shareholders to receive $210 per share in cash, equating to a 25 percent premium over the stock’s unaffected closing price on September 25. PIF, already holding approximately 9.9 percent of EA, will roll over that stake into

A shareholder meeting of Kuwait Airways authorised an accounting manoeuvre to eliminate 300 million dinars in accumulated losses by reducing its paid-up capital, the official gazette confirmed.The extraordinary general assembly, convened on 2 September, approved a cut in paid-up capital from 977.7 million dinars to 683.7 million dinars, and a 6 million dinar diminution of its legal reserve. Simultaneously, issued capital will be increased by 300 million dinars under a scheduled payment plan overseen by the Kuwait Investment Authority. After

Beacon Media, the entertainment venture co-founded by wellness advocate Dr Deepak Chopra, has joined forces with MovieVerse Studios — the mainstream content arm of IN10 Media Network — to launch a content alliance aimed at elevating storytellers across the Global South. The partnership seeks to establish a “borderless content ecosystem” connecting Hollywood, India, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America — with a prospective audience reach exceeding three billion.At the heart of the alliance is a slate combining feature

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai[caption id="attachment_108057" align="alignleft" width="388"] Kabir Mulchandani[/caption]Dubai-based lifestyle and hospitality conglomerate FIVE Holdings has secured a $460 million revolving credit facility that will be used to repay its $350 million green bond ahead of schedule and free up capital for further growth. The facility, arranged with Commercial Bank of Dubai, AAIB and Santander, enables the group to retire its green bond three years before it matures, leaving it with more than $300 million in cash for strategic deployment.The

Abu Dhabi’s real-estate sector recorded its most powerful half-year showing to date, with transaction values climbing sharply to AED 54 billion. The newly published inaugural market report by the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre signals a turning point in transparency and market discipline in the emirate.The ADREC report shows residential unit sales reached AED 25 billion in the first six months, marking a 38 per cent increase year-on-year. Volumes expanded by about 23 per cent. Cash payments dominated, accounting

Electric vehicle insurance policies in the UAE are commanding about 72 per cent higher premiums than those for comparable petrol or diesel cars, largely because of elevated repair costs, limited workshop capacity, and parts supply chain challenges. Such figures, derived from data compiled by leading insurance and automotive analysts, shed light on systemic pressures across the market.Average comprehensive EV insurance is being priced at approximately AED 4,992 annually, whereas for internal combustion engine vehicles of similar body types, premiums average

Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute and Nvidia have signed an agreement to establish the Middle East’s first joint laboratory dedicated to artificial intelligence and robotics. The new facility, known as the TII-NVAITC Joint Lab for AI and Robotics, will be located at TII’s headquarters. Its mandate is to push forward next-generation AI models, robotics platforms and humanoid technologies.The lab combines TII’s strength in applied research with Nvidia’s expertise in accelerated computing. One of the centrepieces is Nvidia’s “Thor”

National Industries Park, the DP World-run industrial zone in Dubai, has secured over AED 1 billion in new project investments between January and September 2025, underpinned by a major push into greenfield manufacturing. It has leased more than 7 million square feet of land during that period, with much of the allocation going to fresh build-outs rather than expansions of existing facilities. The tenant roster has grown to beyond 400 firms, collectively providing in excess of 24,700 jobs.Key players

A trial parcel delivery by drone has been carried out in Abu Dhabi, with a package flown from Al Samha to the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi using an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a robotic arm. The operation, overseen by the Integrated Transport Centre and LODD Autonomous, relied on state-of-the-art navigation technology to ensure precision and efficiency.The initiative aligns with the emirate’s strategy under the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council to lead in smart mobility

Abu Dhabi’s XRG, the ambitious investment arm of ADNOC, has abandoned its US$18.7–19 billion bid to acquire Australia’s Santos Ltd after failing to agree on key commercial terms, while its takeover attempt of German chemicals firm Covestro AG faces serious threats from an EU competition and subsidy probe.The Santos takeover fell apart largely over valuation disagreements and tax liabilities, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The offer, made in June and backed by a consortium including ADNOC, ADQ, and

Abu Dhabi has become the newest member of a 14-country initiative called the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership, a coalition committed to defending “open and free” trade in response to rising global protectionism.The partnership, unveiled with a joint declaration, seeks to tackle barriers that impede cross-border commerce, amplify foreign direct investment, and ensure that trade rules are inclusive and transparent. Its launch reflects growing concern over the risks posed by high tariffs, increasing economic fragmentation, and rising non-tariff trade

Majid Al Futtaim has terminated operations of Carrefour across Bahrain, with all its stores ceasing activity as of 14 September. HyperMax, the group’s new grocery retail brand, immediately replaced Carrefour with six stores operating under its banner.Carrefour’s exit from Bahrain follows similar withdrawals from Oman in January and Jordan in November 2024. HyperMax is now operating across Bahrain, employing over 1,600 people and partnering with over 250 local farmers, producers, suppliers and small-and-medium enterprises.Majid Al Futtaim holds

Swiss private bank Lombard Odier executives have stressed that the Middle East is no more inherently risky than other global markets—but warned that wealth managers must perform rigorous due diligence to avoid regulatory pitfalls in future. The bank is increasing its investment in the region and is aiming to more than double its assets under management there.Frédéric Rochat, managing partner at Lombard Odier, and Ali Janoudi, head of new markets, state that wealth managers should treat the Middle East

Kuwait Petroleum Corp is evaluating a plan to lease sections of its pipeline network as part of its drive to raise between $5 billion and $7 billion, to support a broader investment programme totalling $65 billion that spans upstream oil operations and petrochemicals. The deal under consideration would see 13 pipelines leased out on a 25-year basis.The firm has appointed Centerview Partners LLC as an adviser on how to structure the leasing arrangement. Approval from Kuwait’s government will be

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has opened a newly widened section of Sheikh Zayed Road near the Umm Al Sheif Street exit, expanding one direction from six lanes to seven over a 700-metre stretch. The upgrade increases capacity by about 16 per cent, allowing up to 14,000 vehicles per hour through that section.The work focuses on traffic flowing from Abu Dhabi towards central Dubai, a corridor long plagued by congestion at the Umm Al Sheif junction. Overlapping traffic movements

Nearly 90% of Chinese companies plan expansion across the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE emerging as the most favoured para­l­lel investment destinations, according to a PwC survey of 136 firms. The findings show that 84% of respondents are targeting Saudi Arabia and 79% favour the UAE.The study, conducted between April and May 2025, reveals that 44% of these companies have already formalised business plans. Financial performance is improving: 40% now report profitable operations in the region,