Author: Dr Issac PJ

Businesses across the UAE are projecting some of the strongest trade confidence worldwide, outpacing global peers as they navigate tariff shifts and expand cross-border partnerships, according to HSBC’s latest Global Trade Pulse Survey.The findings reflect a business ecosystem that has become one of the most vibrant, resilient and opportunity-rich in the world.The survey shows that 68 per cent of UAE companies reported positive revenue impacts from trade and tariff policies over the past six months — well above the global average of 56 per cent. Only 15 per cent reported negative impacts, compared with 26 per cent globally. Meanwhile, 70…

The UAE has secured a position among the world’s top performers in project management, ranking eighth globally with 23,670 active Project Management Institute (PMI) certifications, according to newly released data.The milestone reflects the country’s sustained investment in professional excellence and its reliance on structured project delivery to power some of the world’s most ambitious national initiatives.Project management has become a defining pillar of the UAE’s economic model. The country’s rapid transition toward knowledge-based, innovation-driven growth has created heavy demand for professionals capable of steering complex projects across sectors such as aviation, tourism, real estate, advanced technology, green energy and digital…

Global investment firm Tomorrow World Group has unveiled an ambitious Dh8 billion real-estate development pipeline, setting the stage for a dramatic transformation of Dubai’s skyline beginning in 2026.The announcement underscores the company’s 20-year legacy in Dubai and marks its transition from investor to full-fledged developer focused on shaping the city’s future. Between 2026 and 2028, Tomorrow World plans to launch more than 20 projects — a mix of luxury waterfront residential communities and modern commercial landmarks. Among the first slated for release are Tomorrow 166, a boutique residential enclave on Dubai Islands designed for families and investors looking for refined island…

The UAE and China have moved to turbocharge one of the world’s fastest-growing economic relationships, unveiling a series of entrepreneurship and technology agreements designed to propel bilateral trade from $101.8 billion in 2024 to an ambitious $200 billion by 2030.The announcement came at the UAE–China Entrepreneurs Forum in Shanghai, where more than 60 Chinese advanced-technology start-ups joined leading Emirati business and government figures to map out the next phase of cross-border innovation.The scale of collaboration is significant: the Forum focused on high-growth sectors including artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, fintech, sustainable manufacturing and advanced industrial technologies — all areas that…

Abu Dhabi has sharpened its global economic ambitions with a high-impact diplomatic and investment push into India and Singapore — a move designed to accelerate the growth of three strategic innovation clusters projected to inject Dh228 billion into the emirate’s GDP by 2045.The clusters, spanning smart mobility, food and water security, and next-generation healthcare, are also expected to create more than 120,000 jobs and attract Dh200 billion in new investments. With those stakes in mind, Abu Dhabi’s leadership spent the past week forging deeper collaborations with two of Asia’s most dynamic economies, laying the groundwork for partnerships that will feed…

The UAE property market is on track to end 2025  on a record-breaking note, with strong investor demand, rising population and robust economic fundamentals driving activity across key emirates.As 2026 begins, the UAE is entering a more balanced phase. Supply is rising, demand remains healthy, and market cycles are becoming more predictable. Analysts from Moody’s and Fitch describe the period ahead as one of measured growth, rather than the exuberance of the last two years.According to CBRE, Colliers, Cavendish Maxwell and Property Finder, the year delivered new highs in transactions and price growth, even as early signs of normalisation appeared.The…

Ruling affirms trust-based ownership structures and limits local sponsors’ dividend claims A UAE court has ruled that a nominal local sponsor listed as a shareholder on corporate records cannot claim dividends or ownership rights in a company when a valid trust agreement establishes a different beneficial owner. The case involved a dispute between a leading transport and logistics company and its local sponsor over dividend entitlements. At the centre of the dispute was whether the local sponsor, whose name appeared on the company’s trade licence and incorporation documents, could assert ownership and profit rights despite a duly executed internal trust…

The UAE’s non-oil private sector closed November on a firm upswing, with business activity, hiring and new orders all posting their strongest performance in nearly a year, according to the latest S&P Global PMI survey. The seasonally adjusted UAE PMI climbed to 54.8, up from 53.8 in October, signalling the fastest improvement in operating conditions in eleven months and firmly above the long-run average of 54.3. The reading reflects strengthening demand conditions, rising client orders, and broader confidence across key industries as 2025 draws to a close.S&P Global attributes the improved momentum to stronger market conditions, product innovation and technology upgrades…

Waterfront property in the UAE is riding an unprecedented wave of demand, with new analysis from international developer MERED revealing that Abu Dhabi’s seaside districts have outpaced the wider market by a striking margin.Between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the third quarter of 2025, off-plan projects across the capital posted a weighted average price increase of 47 per cent, supported by a 429 per cent jump in sales volume. Yet it is the emirate’s prime waterfront zones that stand out, delivering a 69 per cent surge in values — more than triple the 22 per cent rise recorded in…

[Editor’s Note: Find out the latest gold prices here.]Gold’s record-breaking run in 2025 is setting the stage for an unusually uncertain year ahead, with the World Gold Council (WGC) forecasting that prices in 2026 will remain broadly rangebound but exposed to significant upsides — and equally sharp downsides — depending on how global risks unfold.In its Gold Outlook 2026, the council highlights a metal propelled this year by a combination of relentless geopolitical stress, a weaker US dollar, softer interest rates and the strongest official-sector buying spree in more than half a century.So far in 2025, gold has risen 26 per cent in US-dollar…