Author: Dr Issac PJ
In a move set to transform the region’s digital finance landscape, O Gold, the UAE’s first Emirati app for fractional gold and silver ownership, has partnered with Botim, Astra Tech’s flagship AI-powered fintech and communications platform, to launch the Middle East and North Africa’s first integrated gold investment feature. The rollout, which follows an agreement signed in 2023, makes Botim the first fintech ecosystem in the Mena region to offer gold investment capabilities directly through its app. With more than 8.5 million active users in the UAE alone, Botim’s expansion into digital gold trading marks a significant milestone in the…
The global oil market is bracing for what the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns could be the biggest supply glut since the pandemic, with crude inventories projected to swell through late 2025 and early 2026. On Thursday, Brent crude futures were close to a two-week high and up 43 cents, or around 0.6 per cent, at $67.27 a barrel at 1203 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 45 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at $63.16 a barrel. Both contracts climbed over 1 per cent in the prior session. The draw signals resilient demand, yet gains remain…
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has significantly expanded its gold holdings, underscoring the precious metal’s growing strategic importance in the nation’s financial reserves at a time of global economic uncertainty.According to the regulator’s latest statistical bulletin, the UAE’s gold reserves rose 25.9 per cent in the first five months of 2025 to Dh28.93 billion ($7.9 billion). On a monthly basis, the central bank reported a modest 0.49 per cent increase in May, with holdings climbing to Dh28.79 billion compared to Dh28.65 billion at the end of April. The consistent accumulation highlights the regulator’s strategy of diversifying assets away…
India has taken a decisive step in reshaping the global currency order by enabling Brics nations to settle all their trade in Indian rupees, a move analysts believe could gradually erode the supremacy of the US dollar in international markets.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) this week issued a circular instructing banks to allow exporters and importers from Brics and other partner countries to conduct transactions entirely in rupees through special vostro accounts, without requiring prior approval. This is the first time India has opened the door for rupee-denominated trade at such scale. A vostro account is a domestic account…
Gold continues to play an outsized role in shaping economic security and financial stability across the world, and the latest rankings from the World Gold Council (WGC) show a familiar pattern of dominance with some striking new shifts. As of mid-2025, the United States remains the undisputed leader, holding 8,133 tonnes of gold, while India and the UAE are climbing the ladder at a record pace, underscoring the precious metal’s enduring strategic value.The US gold stockpile, stored largely at Fort Knox, represents the backbone of its monetary credibility. It underpins the dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency, bolsters Washington’s ability…
India is rethinking its decision to stay out of the world’s largest free trade bloc as it scrambles to cushion the blow from steep new tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.Officials in New Delhi confirmed that discussions have begun on whether India should return to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which it exited in 2019 over concerns about trade deficits and risks to farmers and small manufacturers.The rethink comes amid a worsening trade spat with Washington. US tariffs of up to 50 per cent are being levied on Indian exports in response to New Delhi’s increased purchases of…
Abu Dhabi’s residential property market is undergoing a telling transformation with buyers — ranging from families to investors—increasingly turning their gaze toward ready villas and townhouses, fuelling an upswing in secondary-market activity.According to realty experts, this shift, reflected in increased sales volumes and elevated prices, mirrors the shrinking presence of off‑plan transactions amid limited new supply.A report by Cavendish Maxwell shows that ready villa and townhouse sales in the first half of 2025 surged by an 72 per cent year‑on‑year, propelling volumes to their highest level since 2021. This rise translated into roughly 2,300 completed‑home transactions out of some 3,300 total…
Jerome Powell’s recent Jackson Hole address marked a notable shift in the Fed’s tone — one that has reverberated throughout markets and reinvigorated gold’s appeal.The Federal Reserve chair underscored mounting concerns about a cooling jobs market, while acknowledging inflation risks remain real — a delicate balancing act that traders greeted by pricing in an 85 per cent chance of a 25‑basis‑point cut in September, with further easing anticipated before year‑end. Financial markets were quick to react: US Treasury yields and the dollar both declined, setting the stage for broader asset gains.As this shift took hold, gold’s trajectory turned upward. After…
Gold prices are surging once again as investors grapple with a complex mix of economic and political uncertainties that continue to bolster the yellow metal’s appeal as a safe-haven asset. On Tuesday, spot prices climbed above $3,330 per ounce, consolidating in a narrow range as markets balanced expectations of a breakthrough in the Ukraine conflict against lingering doubts over the US Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.The rally comes in the wake of fresh tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, which have rippled through global markets. Tariff receipts in July alone topped $27 billion, a record high, but analysts note these…
Dubai has consolidated its position as the world’s capital of branded residences, outpacing legacy luxury real estate hubs such as Miami, London, and New York, as buyers increasingly seek homes that fuse lifestyle, identity, and community with prestige and long-term value.With 48,474 branded units spread across 144 developments, and more than 5,500 new residences added in the first half of 2025 alone, the emirate is leading a global transformation in luxury living that reflects the evolving priorities of a new generation of property buyers.Branded residences, luxury homes developed in collaboration with internationally recognised names, are no longer confined to partnerships…