Author: Dr Issac PJ

Sharjah’s residential rental market is witnessing one of its strongest growth phases in recent years, driven by rising population, an influx of residents from Dubai seeking more affordable housing, and a robust pipeline of infrastructure and residential developments that are reshaping the emirate’s housing landscape. A new report by Cavendish Maxwell shows that nearly 290,000 residential rental contracts were registered in Sharjah during 2025, up from 278,000 in 2024, highlighting the depth of housing demand and reinforcing the emirate’s growing importance as a residential hub for the northern Emirates and Dubai workforce.The study found that families accounted for 86 per cent…

Dubai-based food and consumer goods giant IFFCO is approaching a defining moment in its $2 billion debt crisis, with two critical developments expected in the coming weeks that will likely determine whether the company survives through a strategic rescue or is broken up through liquidation.The first is the independent valuation and asset audit being prepared by FTI Consulting, the court-appointed provisional liquidator. The second is the anticipated court review and approval of any formal acquisition proposals that may emerge from prospective buyers, including reported interest from Emaar Properties founder Mohamed Alabbar and International Holding Company.Together, these milestones will shape the…

Gold is attempting to stabilise above the critical $4,000-an-ounce level after suffering one of its sharpest corrections in recent years, but analysts warn that the precious metal remains vulnerable to further volatility as investors await crucial signals from the US Federal Reserve and fresh inflation data.After surging to a record high of $5,595 an ounce in January amid heightened Middle East tensions and safe-haven buying, spot gold has fallen nearly 25 per cent, briefly touching a six-month low this week before recovering to around $4,223 an ounce on Friday.The sharp decline has pushed bullion into bear-market territory and wiped out…

Bitcoin’s steep slide from record highs has reignited fears of another prolonged crypto winter, but market analysts argue that the current downturn is fundamentally different from previous collapses and could prove shorter-lived if monetary conditions ease and institutional demand returns.The world’s largest cryptocurrency is trading around $61,000, down more than 50 per cent from its peak above $126,000 reached late last year. The decline marks one of Bitcoin’s sharpest corrections since the 2022 market crash, yet industry experts say the sector remains far healthier than during earlier bear markets that wiped out up to 85 per cent of market value.Nigel…

Sharjah’s property market is scaling new heights, posting record sales of Dh65.6 billion in 2025 while gearing up for the delivery of nearly 34,000 new homes over the next five years.The combination of strong investor demand, rising foreign participation, major infrastructure upgrades and a growing population is creating one of the UAE’s most compelling real estate growth stories, according to a new report by Cavendish Maxwell. The market’s momentum has extended into 2026, with first-quarter transaction values jumping 41 per cent to Dh18.5 billion, signalling continued confidence in the emirate’s long-term prospects.Nearly 9,980 properties changed hands during the first quarter…

Dubai’s homegrown ride-hailing platform Zed has rolled out a new cashback initiative that promises to reward commuters for every journey, as competition intensifies in the UAE’s fast-growing mobility sector.The company announced the launch of the Zed Wallet, a digital rewards feature integrated into its app that offers users 15 per cent cashback on every ride, capped at Dh20 per trip. The campaign, branded “Ride. Earn 15%. Repeat.”, is available across Dubai for both taxi and premium ride categories and is aimed at encouraging customer loyalty while reducing the effective cost of daily commuting.The move comes as ride-hailing operators increasingly seek…

The UAE’s industrial transformation is accelerating, with the sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product rising by nearly 70 per cent since 2021 and industrial exports surpassing Dh262 billion in 2025, highlighting the success of the nation’s strategy to diversify its economy and establish itself as a global manufacturing and advanced technology hub.The latest figures, announced by Hassan Al Nowais, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), underscore the growing role of industry as a key pillar of the UAE’s non-oil economy and a major driver of investment, exports and job creation.Speaking on the sidelines of…

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the UAE’s largest Islamic lender, has successfully raised $1 billion through an Additional Tier 1 (AT1) perpetual sukuk, underscoring strong investor confidence in the bank and the resilience of Gulf capital markets despite ongoing geopolitical and market uncertainties.The sukuk, structured as a perpetual non-call six-year instrument, was priced at a profit rate of 6.25 per cent, equivalent to a reset spread of 191.1 basis points over the interpolated US Treasury rate. The transaction ranks among the largest AT1 issuances in the GCC in recent years and highlights the continued appetite for Shariah-compliant investments.The issuance attracted orders…

Gold prices slumped to their lowest level in nearly three months on Wednesday as a stronger US dollar, rising Treasury yields and renewed geopolitical uncertainty triggered a fresh wave of selling in precious metals, even as leading Wall Street banks maintained bullish long-term forecasts for the safe-haven asset.Spot gold fell as much as 1.9 per cent to around $4,181 an ounce, breaching the key $4,200 support level and extending its decline to nearly 12 per cent from recent highs. The drop marks a sharp reversal from the record-breaking rally that saw gold surge above $5,500 an ounce earlier this year…

Dubai’s property market is showing remarkable resilience amid regional geopolitical uncertainty, reinforcing its status as a preferred destination for global capital as investors continue to favour the emirate over traditional safe-haven markets such as London and Singapore.New analysis by Betterhomes indicates that while the Middle East conflict has prompted a degree of caution among investors, underlying demand for Dubai real estate remains intact, supported by strong sovereign fundamentals, favourable regulations, infrastructure investments and continued confidence in the emirate’s long-term growth prospects.According to Betterhomes’ market data, inbound sales enquiries increased 11 per cent between March and April, while tenant enquiries rebounded…