Author: Dr Issac PJ

The GCC economies have entered 2026 with renewed growth momentum, underpinned by a broad-based expansion in non-oil activity and a gradual recovery in hydrocarbon production, with the UAE emerging as one of the region’s strongest performers.According to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report, economic growth across the GCC is forecast to accelerate to 4.4 per cent in 2026, rising further to 4.6 per cent in 2027, reflecting the region’s success in diversifying beyond oil while maintaining energy-sector strength.The UAE is expected to be at the forefront of this upswing. World Bank projections indicate that the country’s economy will…

The rapid rise of the mBridge platform is reshaping how cross-border payments are executed, with transaction volumes surpassing $55 billion and positioning the UAE at the centre of a new generation of central bank digital currency (CBDC)-based settlement infrastructure.Developed as a multi-CBDC bridge connecting central banks in Asia and the Middle East, mBridge enables real-time international payments using sovereign digital currencies, bypassing traditional correspondent banking networks. The platform is jointly used by the People’s Bank of China, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Bank of Thailand, the Central Bank of the UAE and the Saudi Central Bank, with more than…

Dubai’s derivatives marketplace recorded a sharp expansion in activity in 2025, with the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) reporting a 30 per cent surge in traded volumes and nearly $47 billion in contract value, underlines the emirate’s growing importance as a regional and international hub.Total traded volumes on DGCX climbed to 2,048,556 lots in 2025, while the value of contracts traded reached $46.96 billion, reflecting stronger participation from institutional investors, regional hedgers and international trading firms. Average daily volumes rose to 7,940 lots, and average open interest stood at 13,015 lots, pointing to deeper market liquidity and sustained engagement…

As global leaders convene in Davos for the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting under the banner “A Spirit of Dialogue,” attention is sharply focused on how the world can unlock fresh sources of growth amid mounting economic headwinds, geopolitical uncertainty, and rapid technological change.At the heart of many discussions, as global headwinds weigh heavily, is the role of the GCC countries — in particular, the UAE and Saudi Arabia — which are increasingly being seen as engines of global momentum through bold diversification, deep investment in AI and green energy, and resilient economic planning.According to the IMF’s October 2025…

Tourism across the GCC has surged well beyond pre-pandemic levels, reinforcing the sector’s growing role as a pillar of economic diversification, with the UAE emerging as the region’s primary growth engine.International tourism revenues in the GCC climbed to $120.2 billion in 2024, marking a 39.6 per cent increase compared to 2019 and an 8.9 per cent rise from 2023, according to the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (Gulf-Stat).The strong revenue performance reflects a sharp rebound in visitor flows and spending across the region. Gulf-Stat data show that international tourist arrivals reached 72.2…

Private equity firms across the Mena region are preparing for a major shift in how they build value in their investments, with more than half of all portfolios expected to integrate artificial intelligence-driven value creation by the end of 2026, according to new data from Ento Capital.In simple terms, this marks a turning point where AI moves from being an experimental or “nice-to-have” tool to becoming a core part of how businesses are run, improved and scaled.For private equity firms, which buy, grow and eventually sell companies, AI is increasingly seen as a practical way to improve productivity, cut costs…

The Indian rupee’s steady weakening is pushing the UAE dirham closer to the psychologically important Rs25 mark, raising expectations of stronger remittance inflows from the Gulf and giving expatriate workers a timely exchange-rate boost.With the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signalling it will not defend any specific currency level and markets forecasting further rupee depreciation, traders increasingly see downside pressure as difficult to avoid in the near term.At current levels, the shift is already working in favour of overseas earners. With the rupee trading around 90.87 to the dollar, the UAE dirham — pegged at roughly 3.6725 to the greenback —…

Gold is charging into 2026 with unprecedented momentum, fuelling growing conviction across global markets that the precious metal is on the cusp of breaking decisively above the psychologically powerful $5,000-an-ounce mark.After delivering a stunning 64 per cent gain last year and adding more than 6 per cent in the first two weeks of the new year alone, bullion has transformed from a traditional defensive hedge into the centrepiece of a new “real assets” supercycle driven by geopolitical risk, monetary easing, relentless central bank buying and a structural shift in portfolio allocation.Standard Chartered has emerged as one of the most influential…

The UAE banking sector is poised to remain one of the most profitable and resilient in the region in 2026, even as interest margins begin to normalise following several years of exceptional performance, according to a new outlook from S&P Global Ratings.S&P expects the financial profiles of UAE banks to remain broadly stable next year, underpinned by solid economic growth, strong credit expansion, benign asset quality trends and ample liquidity. While profitability is likely to ease modestly from the peak levels recorded between 2023 and 2025, the rating agency believes earnings will remain structurally sound and well above pre-pandemic averages.“The…

The UAE is sharpening its lead as the Gulf’s most mature and globally connected startup hub, with strong deal flow, rising exits and deeper international investor participation reinforcing its central role in regional venture capital, according to new data from MAGNiTT.While Saudi Arabia delivered the fastest growth in funding volumes in 2025, the UAE continued to anchor the Middle East’s venture ecosystem through consistency, liquidity and breadth. UAE-based startups recorded 231 venture deals during the year, keeping the country among the region’s most active markets and underlining its ability to attract capital even as global investors became more selective.Saudi Arabia…