GCC

Abu Dhabi, Dubai ranked top liveable cities in Middle East and Africa

Among the top-ranking GCC cities were Kuwait City, Doha and Bahrain in the 3rd, 4th and 5th places, respectively

Bahrain’s economy posts solid 3.3 percent growth, lifting Q1 2024 GDP to $9.55 million

The oil sector grew by 3.4 percent and the non-oil sector by 3.3 percent at constant prices

8.6 million GCC tourists in Saudi Arabia spend over $4 billion in 2023

The total number of inbound tourists reached 27.4 million tourists in 2023, setting a new record high for Saudi Arabia

Qatar’s tourism sector booms with visitor numbers up 28 percent in H1 2024

Qatar’s travel and tourism sector is set to contribute $25 billion to the country’s economy this year

Sharjah’s real estate market soars to $4.95 billion with 10,809 transactions in H1 2024

Seven new real estate projects launched in the emirate, including residential complexes and towers.

GCC, Indonesia initiate talks for comprehensive deal to boost trade and investment

The proposed agreement aims to enhance cooperation, streamline investment regulations, and create new jobs

Qatar reports $711.58 million budget surplus on $16.39 billion total revenues for Q2 2024

The surplus was directed towards reducing public debt, and therefore there is no cash surplus

MENA sees 321 M&A deals worth $49.2 billion in H1 2024, UAE and Saudi Arabia lead

The UAE and Saudi Arabia reported 94 deals, accounting for 61 percent of the overall domestic M&A deal volume

UAE faces 11.7 percent rise in malware detections as email attacks surge 293 percent globally: Report

Cybersecurity experts stressed the need for improved vigilance and protective measures against growing threats

Kuwait’s real estate market reports $300.86 million in transactions, 14 percent rise week-over-week

The surge is equivalent to an additional KWD13 million compared to the previous week's trading value of KWD79 million 

Oman bans plastic bag imports, new regulation effective this date

The prohibition covers both biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastics

Kuwait sees deficit of $5.23 billion in FY 2023/24 despite non-oil revenue growth

The country's total revenue in fiscal year 2023-2024 was KWD23.645 billion

Kuwait’s inflation slows to 2.8 percent in June, lowest since 2020, as food and rent costs cool

Price rises in the food & beverages sub-component eased to a still-elevated 5.6 percent down from 6.1 percent in May

Indian travelers may soon make UPI payments in Qatar

New partnership will let Indian tourists use their preferred payment methods at retail, attractions, leisure, duty-free, and hotels

Oman’s GDP expands 1.7 percent in Q1 2024, reaching $24.77 billion

Crude petroleum activities declined by 3.3 percent, recording OMR2.55 billion

Oman Central Bank issues T-bills worth over $80.93 million

The value of the 28-day maturity treasury bills allocated was $38.97 million

Global sukuk issuances rise to $91.9 billion in H1 2024, says S&P

The total volume of sustainable sukuk issuances reached $5.2 billion during H1 of 2024

Top 5 GCC IPOs by proceeds during H1 of 2024

GCC region raised total proceeds of $3.6 billion from 23 IPOs during the first six months of 2024

GCC companies raise $3.6 billion from 23 IPOs in H1 of 2024: Report

The Kingdom raised $2.1 billion from 19 offerings, making up 59 percent of total GCC IPO proceeds

Kuwait announces massive oil and gas discovery estimated at 3.2 billion barrels

This discovery has raised hopes of finding additional hydrocarbons to boost the country's energy resources

Sustainable investments could unlock $2 trillion for GCC countries by 2030: Report

Green finance is surging in the GCC, with over $8.5 billion in green and sustainable bonds and Sukuk issued in 2022

Top summer 2024 travel destinations for UAE residents revealed

Data showed a significant uptick in both domestic and international travel