Author: Dr Issac PJ

The UAE Banks Federation (UBF) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the resilience, stability and future readiness of the country’s financial system, as banking leaders aligned closely with new initiatives from the Central Bank of the UAE to safeguard growth momentum amid heightened global uncertainty.At its first quarterly meeting of 2026, the UBF CEOs Advisory Council — chaired by Abdulaziz Al Ghurair — reviewed sector performance and endorsed the Central Bank’s Comprehensive Financial Institution Resilience Package, describing it as a critical framework to strengthen liquidity buffers, digital infrastructure and risk-management capabilities across the banking ecosystem.Al Ghurair said the UAE banking…

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) is set to deepen its position as a regional hub for innovative investment products with the listing of two new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from KraneShares, offering investors exposure to artificial intelligence and Shari’ah-compliant income strategies.The two funds — the KraneShares Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF (AGIX) and the KraneShares Wahed Alternative Income Index ETF (KWIN) — are being cross-listed from the New York Stock Exchange, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to become a leading gateway for global thematic investments in the Middle East.AGIX, scheduled to begin trading on April 16, provides investors exposure to both…

The economic fallout from the Middle East conflict is already weighing on global growth and could intensify sharply even if a ceasefire holds, according to senior officials at the World Bank, who warned that emerging markets, Gulf economies and trade-dependent regions face the greatest risks from prolonged instability.World Bank President Ajay Banga said the war is likely to shave between 0.3 and 0.4 percentage points off global growth under a baseline scenario that assumes hostilities ease following the ceasefire initiative announced by US President Donald Trump.However, if the conflict persists or escalates, global growth could fall by as much as…

Gulf economies are entering a period of global uncertainty from a position of exceptional financial strength, supported by vast sovereign wealth assets and foreign exchange reserves that continue to anchor macroeconomic stability and investor confidence, according to the latest market outlook from Standard Chartered.The bank said the GCC’s large sovereign balance sheets provide a powerful cushion against geopolitical risks, energy price swings and tighter global financial conditions, allowing governments across the region to sustain growth momentum even as volatility persists in global markets.While tensions around energy supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz remain a key risk factor, global…

Assets under management at Mubadala Investment Company rose 17 per cent to $385 billion in 2025, reinforcing the growing financial clout of Abu Dhabi’s sovereign investment institutions as they expand their role in reshaping the UAE’s economic future and strengthening global capital influence.The fund reported annualised returns of more than 10 per cent over both five- and 10-year horizons, underlining the resilience of its diversified investment strategy despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility. Capital deployment climbed 20 per cent year-on-year to Dh143 billion, while proceeds increased 27 per cent to Dh138 billion, reflecting strong portfolio rotation and monetisation activity.Khaldoon…

Cryptocurrency markets rallied sharply after a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran eased geopolitical tensions and pushed oil prices lower, boosting appetite for risk assets and lifting Bitcoin to a three-week high above $72,000.       Analysts say the rebound signals improving sentiment but caution that a sustained breakout will depend on inflation trends, interest-rate expectations and institutional flows in the months ahead.Bitcoin climbed as much as 4.9 per cent to about $72,700 in early Asian trading before settling near $71,000, its strongest level since mid-March. The gains followed news that Donald Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire…

Airfares are set to rise across several international routes even after a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran eased crude oil prices below $100 a barrel, as airlines warn that jet fuel supply disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz could take months to normalise.Benchmark crude slipped sharply after Donald Trump announced a conditional two-week suspension of military operations tied to reopening the Strait, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil trade and a large share of refined fuel shipments to Asia. Brent crude fell to around $95 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate to about $97, offering short-term…

The Central Bank of the UAE and the Central Bank of Bahrain have signed a Dh20 billion (BHD2 billion) currency swap agreement aimed at strengthening financial cooperation, supporting trade in local currencies and enhancing regional monetary stability.The five-year agreement was signed virtually by Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE, and Khalid Humaidan, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, marking a fresh step toward deeper Gulf financial integration.A currency swap agreement allows two central banks to exchange their national currencies with each other up to a pre-agreed limit. In simple terms, this means banks and…

[Editor’s Note: Follow media live blog amid US-Israel-Iran ceasefire for the latest regional developments.]Airfares are set to rise across several international routes even after a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran eased crude oil prices below $100 a barrel, as airlines warn that jet fuel supply disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz could take months to normalise.Benchmark crude slipped sharply after Donald Trump announced a conditional two-week suspension of military operations tied to reopening the Strait, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil trade and a large share of refined fuel shipments to Asia. Brent crude fell to around $95…

Dubai’s residential real estate market maintained steady momentum in the first quarter of 2026, recording more than 44,000 transactions as strong off-plan demand continued to offset a slowdown in ready-home activity amid regional geopolitical uncertainty.According to Cavendish Maxwell, the emirate registered 44,100 residential sales between January and March, marking a 4.2 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. The performance underscores the structural strength of Dubai’s housing sector, which continues to benefit from investor inflows, population growth and expanding development pipelines.Off-plan properties dominated market activity, accounting for 73 per cent of all transactions during the quarter and…