Author: Dr Issac PJ

Sharjah’s real estate sector recorded a total trading value of Dh27 billion in the first half of 2025 — a remarkable 48.1 per cent increase compared to Dh18.2 billion during the same 2024 period. The strong performance underscores the emirate’s growing appeal as a regional investment hub, supported by progressive legislation, world-class infrastructure, and investor-friendly policies, according to the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department (SRERD). The number of real estate transactions in the first six months of the year reached 48,059, up 3.3 per cent from 46,524 transactions in the first half of 2024. Sale transactions alone witnessed a significant…

The UAE has emerged as the world’s most attractive destination for wealth preservation, with Abu Dhabi and Dubai topping the newly released Tax Friendly Cities Index 2025 by global mobility platform Multipolitan. The report underscores the UAE’s status as a global hub for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) seeking stability, fiscal efficiency, and long-term wealth protection amid growing global tax pressures. Multipolitan’s “Wealth Report 2025: The Taxed Generation” ranks 164 cities based on their statutory taxation frameworks, legal governance, and treaty networks. Abu Dhabi takes the top spot, followed closely by Dubai in second place, outperforming traditional financial centres such as Singapore…

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the UAE’s largest lender and one of the world’s top-rated financial institutions, has reported a record net profit of Dh10.63 billion for the first half of 2025, marking a 26 per cent year-on-year increase and crossing the Dh10 billion milestone for the first time in a six-month period. The remarkable performance was underpinned by broad-based growth across business lines, accelerated customer acquisition, and expanding regional and global connectivity, the lender said in a statement. Total operating income rose 16 per cent year-on-year to Dh18.31 billion, driven by diversified revenue streams. Net interest income edged up…

Dubai’s luxury real estate sector continues to surge, but a new analysis reveals that the crown jewels of this market — penthouses — remain among the rarest and most coveted assets across the city.Despite Dubai being home to an expansive portfolio of upscale residences, penthouses account for just 0.8 per cent of all properties currently listed for sale, according to new research by eXp Dubai.Recommended For You Hyrox: What is this fitness event that came to Abu Dhabi last weekend?Dubai: Gold prices gain Dh5 per gram in 24 hours, hit one-month highVivo X200 FE to launch in UAE on July…

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (Adib) has reported a record net profit before tax of Dh4 billion for the first half of 2025, a 16 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The strong results reflect broad-based income growth, a surge in new customer acquisitions, and effective execution of a diversified business strategy. Net profit after tax for the six-month period stood at Dh3.5 billion, up 15 per cent year-on-year.Recommended For You Watch: How Qatar shot down multiple missiles during Iran attack on US base in JuneKuwait busts major corruption network exchanging bribes for illegal advantagesUAE jobs: Some Indian…

Dubai is spearheading a global shift in how investors access and trade gold, with the emirate’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (Vara) playing a pivotal role in bringing tokenised gold into the financial mainstream.As the appetite for stable, inflation-resistant assets grows, tokenisation — the process of issuing blockchain-based digital representations of real-world assets — is emerging as a game-changing solution, marrying the age-old appeal of gold with the speed and accessibility of modern finance.Recommended For You Mario Barrios holds off Manny Pacquiao, retains WBC welterweight crownUS announces leaving UN cultural body UNESCO due to ‘anti-Israel rhetoric’UAE leads GCC project market in…

Dubai’s real estate sector delivered a record-breaking performance in the second quarter of 2025, with surging transaction volumes and resilient investor appetite, even as price growth showed signs of deceleration and affordability constraints began to surface.The market’s dynamism was underpinned by strong off-plan sales, sustained demand for office and logistics space, and proactive government initiatives to boost homeownership.Recommended For You Dubai’s Al Futtaim buys 49.95% stake in Saudi Arabia’s Cenomi Retail for over Dh2.44 billionFact check: Will UAE see the longest total solar eclipse of the century on August 2?UAE: Passengers not wearing seatbelts? Why drivers will be fined for…

Abu Dhabi’s real estate market recorded strong performance in the first half of 2025, with property sales accelerating across affordable, mid-tier, and luxury segments amid rising prices and growing investor appetite. According to the latest data from dubizzle’s H1 2025 Abu Dhabi Property Sales Market report, the emirate continues to emerge as one of the most attractive real estate investment destinations in the region, thanks to large-scale infrastructure projects, increased transparency, and diversified off-plan offerings.Recommended For You CBSE mandates CCTV cameras in schools to ensure physical, emotional safetyIsrael and Syria agree on ceasefire after days of bloodshed in Sweida, says US…

Abu Dhabi Airports recorded more than 15.8 million passengers in the first half of 2025, a 13.1 per cent increase over the same period in 2024, underscoring the aviation sector’s remarkable upward trajectory.This marks the 17th consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in passenger traffic, firmly establishing Abu Dhabi Airports as a vital engine of the UAE’s economic diversification and global connectivity strategy.Recommended For You Dubai: Some Filipino workers frustrated by limited online contract verification slotsSharjah: Indian woman found dead in apartment days before joining new jobWidening financial literacy for women of colour in the UAEMan smuggling cocaine worth Dh17 million…

Dr. Azad Moopen, founder and chairman of Aster DM Healthcare, has been ranked among India’s top five cash-rich promoters in FY25, earning a dividend income of Rs 25.94 billion. He is the only entrepreneur from Kerala on the elite list, alongside industrial heavyweights like Mukesh Ambani, Anil Agarwal, and Azim Premji.Recommended For You UAE condemns Israel’s attack on Holy Family Church in GazaSt. James’s Place Middle East marks two years in DubaiDubai: Man jailed for impersonating police officer in Dh45,000 robbery attemptAstronomer breaks silence over viral video of CEO, HR Chief at Coldplay concertSaudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’: What happened to…