Author: Dr Issac PJ
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) has entered into a strategic partnership with global asset management firm T. Rowe Price, a move set to significantly enhance the range and sophistication of investment solutions available to clients across the GCC.Announced in Abu Dhabi on Monday, the partnership brings together two institutions with deep investment expertise and a shared ambition to raise standards in the region’s rapidly evolving asset management landscape. Under the agreement, T. Rowe Price will act as FAB’s investment partner, providing access to a broad spectrum of investment strategies spanning equities, fixed income, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. The collaboration is designed…
Abu Dhabi’s property market closed 2025 with another year of strong growth, led increasingly by demand for ready homes as buyers prioritised immediate occupancy, rental yields and price visibility over longer construction timelines.Total real estate transactions in the emirate surpassed Dh164 billion for the year, underlining sustained investor confidence amid rising population inflows, expanding employment opportunities and continued government support for housing and infrastructure.Data from market platforms and brokerage firms show transaction volumes climbing at a faster pace than new supply deliveries, particularly in completed apartments and villas across the capital’s prime island developments and maturing suburban communities.Analysts say the…
HSBC has launched a new asset management business in the UAE, becoming the first global asset manager to establish and register a suite of onshore investment funds under the country’s evolving regulatory framework.The move is widely seen as a significant step in the development of the UAE’s domestic funds industry and its ambition to become a leading international wealth and asset management hub.The newly established business has registered 10 onshore funds with the UAE’s Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA), offering both retail and institutional investors access to globally diversified investment strategies that are domiciled and regulated in the UAE. The…
Abu Dhabi’s decision to anchor a $2 billion global financing platform for water projects marks a strategic shift in how water security is funded, governed and valued — and positions the UAE at the centre of a fast-emerging global water economy.The Abu Dhabi Global Water Platform, launched by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), is designed to mobilise capital from local and international financial institutions at a time when water stress is rapidly becoming one of the defining economic and geopolitical risks of the century. With ADFD committing an initial $1 billion between 2026 and 2030 and seeking to…
Dubai’s property market is rising at a pace few global cities can match, but analysts say the current upswing is being driven by structural demand rather than speculative excess.While inflation-adjusted home prices surged in 2025, drawing comparisons with some of the world’s most overheated housing markets, the emirate’s rapid population growth, diversified inflows of capital and shift toward long-term residency are cushioning it against the risks that have destabilised other cities.Inflation-adjusted home prices in Dubai climbed to their highest level in more than a decade last year, according to UBS Group AG, placing the emirate among global cities where housing…
Dubai’s property market closed 2025 with its momentum firmly intact, as demand for ready homes in prime locations stayed strong and the rental market pushed to new highs, reinforcing the emirate’s status as one of the world’s most active real estate hubs.Fresh data from dubizzle’s Annual Dubai Property Market Report paints a picture of a market that is broadening rather than overheating, with buyers, tenants and investors spreading activity across luxury, mid-tier and affordable communities.Transaction volumes across ready properties remained resilient throughout the year, even as off-plan sales dominated headlines. Analysts say this balance has become a defining feature of…
Oil prices are drifting lower with a stubborn sense of inevitability, weighed down by swelling supply and an unconvincing geopolitical risk premium, even after the shock of a US strike in Venezuela.From Wall Street to Mumbai, analysts are converging on a view that crude could revisit levels last seen during periods of acute oversupply, with Brent flirting with $50 a barrel by mid-year and struggling to mount a durable recovery.The immediate drag is Opec+ itself. After years of restraining output to prop up prices, the producer group has begun loosening the taps, betting that demand will eventually absorb the extra…
The UAE’s luxury residential real estate market is on a strong upward trajectory, with projections indicating expansion from $45.11 billion in 2025 to $70.91 billion by 2030.The sector’s momentum was clear in the past two years, when high-end property sales in Dubai and Abu Dhabi surpassed pre-pandemic levels, buoyed by rising transaction volumes, record prices and continued demand from international high-net-worth buyers.Luxury housing in the UAE has moved beyond a post-pandemic rebound to become a vibrant, long-term investment segment. Political stability, investor-friendly regulations, and world-class infrastructure have sustained confidence, while lifestyle-driven development has redefined premium real estate as both a…
Gold is poised to remain a cornerstone of investment portfolios in 2026, with analysts projecting the yellow metal to average $4,538 per ounce next year and bullish scenarios pointing toward $5,000 an ounce, underscoring its enduring appeal as a hedge against uncertainty and a key driver of returns.In a widely followed annual outlook, Michael Widmer, head of Metals Research at Bank of America (BofA), highlighted that tightening market conditions and persistent demand are positioning gold as a “hedge and alpha source” for investors navigating a complex macroeconomic backdrop. His firm’s forecast rests on a mix of supply constraints, rising production…
Business activity across the UAE’s non-oil private sector closed 2025 on a strong footing, underlining the economy’s resilience and breadth as firms continued to benefit from firm demand, supportive government policies and sustained domestic and international interest.The latest Purchasing Managers’ Index data from S&P Global point to an expansion that, while slightly softer than November’s peak, remained among the fastest recorded during the year and signals positive momentum heading into 2026.The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UAE Purchasing Managers’ Index stood at 54.2 in December, easing from a nine-month high of 54.8 in November but closely aligned with its long-run average…