Author: Dr Issac PJ

ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, reported a powerful start to 2026, with assets under management (AUM) surging 57 per cent in the first quarter as global capital continued to flow into the UAE amid rising international investor confidence.The strong performance highlights Abu Dhabi’s growing prominence as a global financial hub at a time when geopolitical uncertainty and economic fragmentation are prompting investors and institutions to seek stable and well-regulated markets.ADGM said total active licences exceeded 13,353 by the end of the first quarter, including 961 new licences issued during the January-March period, reinforcing its position as one…

Dubai’s property market is entering a new phase of recalibration, with buyers remaining strongly committed to purchasing homes even as expectations of a price correction gather pace after years of rapid appreciation.A new survey released by propertyfinder.ae showed that nearly two-thirds of active property seekers in Dubai plan to buy within the next six months, underlining sustained confidence in the emirate’s long-term real estate prospects despite growing expectations of softer prices.The latest edition of the Property Finder Market Pulse, based on responses from 4,735 users surveyed during March and April 2026, found that 68 per cent intend to purchase property…

Gold’s spectacular rally has entered a volatile phase in 2026, but leading banks, commodities strategists and market analysts remain overwhelmingly bullish on the precious metal’s long-term trajectory, arguing that the structural forces driving the rally are still firmly intact.After surging to record highs earlier this year, spot gold has retreated sharply in recent weeks as rising oil prices, stubborn inflation, higher US Treasury yields and a stronger dollar weighed on investor sentiment.Gold briefly climbed above $5,500 an ounce in January before slipping below the key $4,600 level this month. Spot prices were trading near $4,543 an ounce heading into the…

Dubai’s property market is showing early signs of stabilisation and renewed confidence, with fresh data from major real estate platforms and brokerages indicating a gradual recovery in buyer demand, leasing activity and investor engagement after weeks of regional uncertainty.Industry executives say the market is moving into a phase of “normalisation rather than disruption”, supported by resilient end-user demand, disciplined supply levels and long-term confidence in Dubai’s economic and infrastructure outlook.According to data from betterhomes, Dubai’s secondary property market recorded improving activity in April, with Dubai Land Department transactions rising nearly 2 per cent month-on-month — the first positive movement since…

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest visit to the UAE has underscored the rapid transformation of India-UAE ties into one of the world’s most strategically important economic partnerships, as both countries move beyond the $100-billion trade milestone and target bilateral trade of $200 billion over the next decade.The visit, which produced a sweeping set of agreements in energy security, defence, artificial intelligence, infrastructure and maritime cooperation, comes at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East and growing concerns over global supply-chain resilience.Analysts say the agreements signal a decisive shift from a traditional oil-and-trade relationship to a deep…

Dubai-based global ports and logistics giant DP World is accelerating plans to modernise Syria’s Port of Tartous under an ambitious $800 million investment programme aimed at rebuilding the country’s trade infrastructure and restoring its role as a strategic regional maritime gateway.The move comes as Syria intensifies efforts to revive its economy and reconnect with regional and international trade corridors after years of conflict and economic disruption.At a high-level meeting in Dubai, Essa Kazim, chairman of DP World, and Qutaiba Ahmed Badawi, chairman of Syria’s General Authority for Borders and Customs (GABC), reviewed progress on the redevelopment of Tartous port and…

Sharjah reinforced its position as one of the UAE’s fastest-growing investment destinations in 2025 after attracting Dh7.74 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), driven by a sharp rise in project numbers, expanding industrial activity and growing investor confidence in the emirate’s diversified economy.According to data released by the Sharjah FDI Office, also known as Invest in Sharjah, the emirate recorded a 45 per cent year-on-year increase in foreign investment projects during 2025, while capital inflows rose 8.8 per cent from the previous year.The latest figures, based on data from Financial Times-owned fDi Markets, underline Sharjah’s growing importance as a regional…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to the UAE on May 15 — his eighth trip to the country since taking office in 2014 — comes at one of the most volatile moments in the Gulf region in recent years, underscoring the extraordinary strategic importance New Delhi now places on its rapidly expanding defence and energy partnership with Abu Dhabi.High-stakes visitThe visit, the opening leg of Modi’s five-nation diplomatic tour spanning the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy, is expected to focus heavily on defence cooperation, energy security, maritime stability and trade resilience against the backdrop of escalating regional…

[Editor’s Note: Follow the media live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.]India’s decision to sharply raise import duties on gold and silver to 15 per cent from 6 per cent is reshaping the economics of bullion buying across the Gulf and setting up what could become one of the busiest summer seasons for UAE jewellery retailers in years.The move comes at a sensitive time for the regional gold trade — just weeks before the annual holiday and wedding travel rush, when millions of Indian expatriates traditionally buy gold in the UAE before flying…

India has sharply increased import tariffs on gold, silver and other precious metals to 15 per cent from 6 per cent, in a move aimed at curbing non-essential imports and protecting the country’s foreign exchange reserves amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty and rising global bullion prices.The revised tariff structure, which took effect from midnight on Wednesday, includes a 10 per cent basic customs duty and a 5 per cent Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC), according to a notification issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.The decision comes against the backdrop of growing concerns within the government over…