Author: Dr Issac PJ

IndusInd International Holdings Ltd (IIHL), Mauritius, has completed the full acquisition of Bahamas-based Sterling Bank by acquiring the remaining 49 per cent equity, a statement said on Monday.With the acquisition, Sterling Bank has become a wholly owned entity of Hinduja Group firm IIHL Mauritius, which is also the promoter of IndusInd Bank. IIHL Mauritius had acquired a controlling 51 per cent stake in Sterling Bank in September 2022.The Hinduja Group has a significant and expanding presence in the UAE, particularly through its subsidiary Ashok Leyland, which operates a major bus factory in Ras Al Khaimah, and Gulf Oil Middle East.The…

The UAE has quietly engineered a stunning transformation: its wellness economy is now valued at $34.1 billion, making it the largest in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.This surge — representing a 58 per cent rise between 2019 and 2023 — signals that the UAE is not merely catching up to global wellness trends but racing to lead them, say industry watchers.Across the globe, the wellness economy is booming. According to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the total global wellness market reached $6.3 trillion in 2023, up from $5.8 trillion in 2022 — a rise of nearly 9…

Adnoc has set an ambitious new benchmark for shareholder returns, announcing plans to distribute a record Dh158 billion ($43 billion) in dividends across its six listed companies between 2025 and 2030. The target — nearly double the Dh86 billion ($23 billion) paid since its first initial public offering in 2017 — underscores the Abu Dhabi energy giant’s focus on disciplined growth, strong governance, and long-term investor value creation.The announcement came during Adnoc’s inaugural Investor Majlis in Abu Dhabi, which brought together more than 500 key stakeholders, including investors, analysts, and senior leadership. The event highlighted the group’s transformation into a diversified,…

A powerful wave of investor anxiety over mounting fiscal deficits and currency erosion is propelling both gold and Bitcoin to historic highs, as the so-called “debasement trade” gains momentum across global markets.The shift marks a dramatic reallocation of capital from fiat currencies — particularly the US dollar — into scarce, non-sovereign assets perceived as safer stores of value.At the heart of this narrative is Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel, who has warned that the US economy is running on a “sugar high” of excessive fiscal stimulus and debt accumulation. Griffin’s comments, echoing growing institutional unease, suggest that investors are increasingly…

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has reaffirmed India’s economic resilience and growth ambition, declaring that the country remains firmly on track to achieve 8 per cent GDP growth despite global turbulence, trade wars, and Washington’s latest tariff move targeting Indian exports.Speaking recently at the inauguration of the fourth Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi, themed “Seeking Prosperity in Turbulent Times,” the minister said India’s strong domestic fundamentals, policy discipline, and structural reforms have equipped the economy to withstand and adapt to shifting global dynamics marked by sanctions, tariffs, and decoupling strategies.The minister’s upbeat growth projections align with the broad views…

Dubai’s flagship technology showcase, Gitex Global, returns for its 45th edition from October 13–17, 2025, reaffirming the city’s position as a global powerhouse of innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation.What began in 1981 as a modest exhibition with 46 participants and 3,000 visitors has evolved into the world’s largest technology and startup event, drawing together the global tech community at a scale never seen before in the region.Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), Gitex Global 2025 will span two iconic venues — Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Harbour — bringing under one banner more than 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800…

Abu Dhabi–based investment firm Lunate has entered into a strategic partnership with global alternative asset giant Blackstone to form a new platform — GLIDE (Gulf Logistics Infrastructure Development Enterprise) — aimed at developing and acquiring Grade A warehouse assets across the GCC. The announcement signals Lunate’s intent to play a central role in the accelerating infrastructure boom underpinning the region’s logistics transformation.The scale of ambition is significant. GLIDE is targeting $5 billion in high-quality warehouse investments across the Gulf, with a focus on greenfield development, portfolio acquisitions, and sale-and-leaseback deals with major regional firms. Blackstone, already the largest owner of logistics…

Air India Express has rolled out an irresistible festive offer for Indian expatriates across the Gulf, allowing passengers to carry 10 kilograms of extra baggage for just Dh1 on flights to India. The promotion — aimed at spreading festive cheer among the large Indian diaspora — is available for bookings made until October 31, 2025, for travel up to November 30, 2025. The offer applies to tickets purchased from all Gulf destinations, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar. Passengers can avail of this offer only at the time of booking; it cannot be added after the…

Gold surged past the historic $4,000-an-ounce mark on Tuesday, consolidating its position as the ultimate safe-haven amid a storm of geopolitical uncertainty, inflationary pressures, and growing fears over the global economic outlook. The record-breaking rally lifted gold futures to $4,005.80 per ounce, representing a gain of more than 50 per cent this year — its strongest annual run in decades.The surge comes as the US dollar index has weakened by about 10 per cent, while renewed trade tensions and policy unpredictability under President Donald Trump’s second term continue to rattle financial markets. Trump’s tariff escalations and his attacks on the Federal…

India is set to unlock a massive wave of foreign investments from Europe’s four-nation Efta bloc — Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein — worth up to $250 billion over the next 15 years, under a landmark trade pact that went into effect last week.The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (Tepa), operational from October 1, marks a milestone in India’s economic diplomacy with Europe, blending market access with a firm commitment for $100 billion in FDI inflows, which Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal believes could scale up by another $150 billion as confidence deepens.At the Prosperity Summit in New Delhi…