Author: Dr Issac PJ

A wave of war-risk insurance cancellations is sending fresh tremors through global energy shipping, with tankers and LNG carriers anchoring in growing numbers off the UAE’s eastern seaboard as the Gulf conflict escalates.Several leading marine insurers — including members of the 12-strong International Group of Protection and Indemnity Clubs — have issued notices terminating war-risk cover for vessels entering the Gulf and adjacent waters, effective March 5. Clubs such as Gard, Skuld, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club have confirmed that cover related to war, terrorism and conflict-linked damage will no longer automatically apply in designated high-risk…

Oil markets opened the week in turmoil, with crude prices surging more than 8 per cent amid mounting fears that an escalating US–Iran conflict could severely disrupt supplies through the Strait of Hormuz  — the world’s most critical energy chokepoint — propelling prices to $100 per barrel.West Texas Intermediate climbed to about $72.79 per barrel in early trade, up 8.6 per cent from Friday’s close near $67, according to CME data. Brent crude, the global benchmark, jumped roughly 9 per cent to trade around $79.41 per barrel, compared with $72.87 at the end of last week — levels not seen…

Bitcoin slid sharply over the weekend, dropping below $63,000 after news of a joint US–Israel military strike against Iran rattled global markets and triggered a broad risk-off move across digital assets.The world’s largest cryptocurrency fell more than 6 per cent in 24 hours, wiping out much of its recent recovery and extending its year-to-date losses. Ethereum and other major tokens followed suit, reflecting what analysts described as a classic flight to safety rather than a crypto-specific shock. Bitcoin was trading around $62,800 in late Sunday dealings, down from levels above $67,000 earlier in the week. The pullback comes amid an already…

Global oil markets are heading into one of their most precarious reopenings in years after coordinated US-Israel strikes on Iran triggered an aggressive retaliation from Tehran and effectively paralysed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil chokepoint.Brent crude, which settled near $82 a barrel on Friday and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate at around $78, is now expected to gap sharply higher when trading resumes. Early indications from market participants and energy consultants suggest prices could jump by $10 to $20 per barrel in a single session if tanker flows remain disrupted. That would potentially propel…

In a world where capital is increasingly restless — unsettled by abrupt tax changes, geopolitical friction and policy unpredictability — the UAE has transformed stability into its strongest economic currency and Dubai into the destination global investors and high-net-worth individuals keep returning to. What was once seen largely as a regional commercial hub has evolved into a full-spectrum global wealth centre: a place where entrepreneurs base headquarters, family offices anchor long-term capital and millionaires build multi-jurisdictional lives with the Emirates at the core.The wealth shiftThe shift is unmistakable in both capital flows and migration patterns. Greenfield foreign direct investment into the…

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) is set to become one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing platforms after signing a definitive agreement to acquire Macquarie AirFinance in an all-cash transaction valued at about $7 billion, marking one of the most significant aviation finance deals of the year.The acquisition will create a combined fleet of 1,029 owned, managed and committed aircraft, serving 191 airline customers across 79 countries.  Narrow-body aircraft — the workhorses of global aviation — will account for about 70 per cent of the enlarged fleet, reflecting continued demand for fuel-efficient jets as airlines rebuild capacity and expand regional networks.The…

Bitcoin has staged a sharp rebound after a week of heavy selling, climbing about 5–6 per cent to trade near the $68,000–$70,000 range and briefly revisiting its previous 2021 peak around $69,000. The recovery has helped the world’s largest cryptocurrency recoup nearly 12 per cent from its February lows, but analysts caution that the move may represent a technical rebound rather than the start of a sustained bull run.The latest rally was triggered largely by forced liquidations in the derivatives market rather than fresh bullish catalysts. Data from Coinglass shows that more than $571 million in crypto positions were liquidated in…

Small and medium enterprises across the UAE are set to drive a strong surge in online retail activity during Ramadan 2026, as digital adoption, cultural spending patterns and a rapidly expanding e-commerce ecosystem converge to create one of the busiest trading seasons for local businesses.SMEs remain the backbone of the UAE’s diversification strategy, accounting for more than 94 per cent of all companies operating in the country and contributing over 63 per cent to the non-oil economy. With the government targeting the creation of one million SMEs by 2031 — a projected rise of nearly 79.5 per cent — the…

Dubai’s prime office shortage is fuelling a sharp rise in commercial property acquisitions as investors and corporates race to secure Grade A space, even as the emirate’s residential sector shifts into a more mature growth phase marked by value-driven demand and longer holding strategies.Fresh data from Engel & Völkers Middle East shows Dubai’s real estate market entering 2026 on solid footing, with activity increasingly concentrated in high-quality assets across both residential and commercial segments. The commercial office market in particular is witnessing a surge in capital deployment, driven by limited supply of ready prime offices in core business districts and…

The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has taken another major stride in reshaping the nation’s financial landscape with the launch of the world’s first sovereign financial cloud services infrastructure — a secure, nationally controlled digital platform designed to host and protect the country’s critical banking data, applications and services.Fintech experts explained that at its core, the sovereign financial cloud acts much like a highly fortified digital vault and operating system for the UAE’s financial sector. Unlike traditional cloud environments that often rely on third-party global providers, this home-grown cloud keeps sensitive financial data within national borders and under direct…