| SAMI CEO: Advancing toward integrated, sovereign Saudi defense industry
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabian Military Industries is accelerating its push to deliver its 2030 strategy, aiming to anchor a sustainable national defense base built on deeper localization, advanced technology transfer and development, and an integrated industrial ecosystem spanning Saudi Arabia’s defense and security sectors. |
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| Empower awards design contract for Business Bay district cooling plant
United Arab Emirates: Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has announced that it has awarded the design contract for the fifth district cooling plant in Business Bay, Dubai. Once operational, the plant will have a production capacity of up to 44,000 refrigeration tons (RT). |
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| ONEIC lands Sultan Haitham City grid station contract
Oman: Oman National Engineering & Investment Company (ONEIC) has announced that it has secured a RO32 million ( ) contract from Oman Electricity Transmission Company for the construction of a 132/33kV grid station within the mega Sultan Haitham City development in capital Muscat. |
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| Saudi Arabia non-oil exports hit record high, driven by machinery and electrical parts
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports have surged to their highest quarterly level since 2017, reaching SR97.5 billion ($25.9 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to official data. |
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| AD Ports, Nimex break ground on new LPG storage terminal at Kezad
United Arab Emirates: AD Ports Group, a leading global enabler of trade, industry, and logistics solutions; and UAE-based Nimex Terminals, today (February 24) marked the groundbreaking of the UAE’s first private-sector Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) terminal hub at Khalifa Port |
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| IsDB announces $2.41bn in new financing for development sectors
Saudi Arabia: The Islamic Development Bank has approved $2.41 billion in new financing for a series of transformative projects during its 364th Executive Board meeting, chaired by IsDB President Mohammed Al-Jasser. |
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| Work completed on pontoons, floating facilities at Dilmunia Marina
Bahrain: Bahrain-based Ithmaar Development Company (IDC) has announced the completion of the pontoons and floating facility works at Dilmunia Marina in co-operation with United Marine Trading (UMT) - a prominent specialist in marina design, construction, and maintenance of marinas. |
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| LOBO brings modular work-at-height systems to the Saudi industrial sector
Saudi Arabia: UK-based LOBO Systems has completed its first deployment of modular work-at-height platform system in Saudi Arabia, thus marking a significant milestone in the continued international expansion and formal entry into the Middle East industrial market. |
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| Alba launches women-led Ramadan safety campaign
Bahrain: Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the world's largest aluminium smelter on one site, today (February 24) inaugurated the company’s Ramadan Safety Campaign being held under the theme 'Five Star Safety, One Spirit of Ramadan. |
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| Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia lead Islamic fintech as market eyes $341bn: report
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and the UAE are leading global Islamic fintech development as transaction volumes are projected to reach $341 billion by 2029, according to a new industry report. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s budget deficit widens to $25.3bn in Q4 2025 as spending rises
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s capital spending rose 18 percent year on year in the fourth quarter of 2025, while higher overall expenditure widened the Kingdom’s budget deficit to SR94.85 billion ($25.28 billion), official data showed. |
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| World Bank allocates $50m for transportation projects in Syria
Saudi Arabia: The World Bank has allocated $50 million to support vital transportation projects in Syria as the two sides discuss ways to enhance cooperation in the fields of railway and sustainable transport. |
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| Apparel Group expands Saudi presence with 25 new brands
Saudi Arabia: Apparel Group is seeking to strengthen its presence in the Saudi market through digital commerce expansion, adding 25 new brands to its portfolio, and plans to grow its store network by 200 outlets this year to reach a total of 1,000, CEO Neeraj Teckchandani told Al-Eqtisadiah. |
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| Ducab marks regional first successful test of extra high voltage cables
Unitted Arab Emirates: Ducab, a leading UAE-based end-to-end energy solutions provider and manufacturer of high-quality cables and wires, has marked a significant milestone. |
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| US trade policy uncertainty sees muted response from markets
Saudi Arabia: President Donald Trump renewed his condemnation of the US Supreme Court on Monday after it ruled against his sweeping tariff program last week, vowing to turn to other powers and licenses but giving no details. |
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| Mexico eyes trade expansion, targets Saudi market with premium rice exports
Saudi Arabia: Mexico is preparing to expand its trade ties with Saudi Arabia by exporting high-quality rice to the Kingdom, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s foreign reserves rise to a 6-year high of $475bn
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s foreign reserves climbed 3 percent month on month in January to SR1.78 trillion, up SR58.7 billion ($15.6 billion) from December and marking a six-year high. |
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| APM Terminals unit to buy 37.5pc stake in Jeddah Port terminal
Saudi Arabia: APM Terminals, an independent subsidiary of Netherlands-based AP Moller-Maersk, has announced that it has sealed a strategic partnership with DP World, a leading provider of smart end-to-end logistics solutions, for the Southern Container Terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port. |
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| Saudi Arabia spearheading regional green building sector growth
Saudi Arabia: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has emerged as a regional leader in Green Building sector, achieving the highest performance score of 76.31 points and registering over 1.03 million sq m of certified areas, reported SPA. |
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| Oman awards $86m tenders for development projects
Oman: Oman's Tender Board has approved a range of tenders worth a total RO33 million ($86 million) aimed at advancing developmental projects across multiple sectors in the sultanate during its first meeting of 2026, reported the Oman News Agency. |
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| Gulf Air, Bahrain Airport Company seal landmark investment deal
Bahrain: Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) have announced a major milestone in their human capital transformation with the introduction of a market-benchmarked Compensation & Benefits Framework, alongside an enhanced Medical Insurance Program. |
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| Airport Show 2026 to showcase best-in-class ATM technology
United Arab Emirates: A wide range of cutting-edge Air Traffic Management (ATM) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) solutions for the Air Navigation Services Providers (ANSPs) and airport operators will be showcased at the 25th edition of the Airport Show at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 12 to 14, 2026. |
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| Dhs 6.625 billion in total value of lease contracts in Ajman in 2025
United Arab Emirates: The Municipality and Planning Department – Ajman announced remarkable growth in rental transactions during 2025, with the total value of lease contracts exceeding Dhs 6.625 billion |
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| Saudi POS stays above $4bn as Ramadan spending lifts outlays on home goods
Saudi Arabia: Saudi point-of-sale transactions remained above $4 billion in the week ending Feb. 14, with spending on furniture and home supplies rising ahead of Ramadan, central bank data showed. |
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| Armah Sports net profit up 62% on strong personal training demand
Saudi Arabia: Strong demand for personal training services and continued expansion in its membership base drove Armah Sports Co.’s net proft to shareholders up 62 percent to SR62 million ($16.53 million) in 2025. |
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| Keolis appoints new CEO for Middle East & Eastern Asia
United Arab Emirates: Keolis Group, a global leader in shared mobility and public transport, has appointed Youenn Dupuis as CEO Middle East & Eastern Asia. |
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| Licences must for petroleum, petchem activities: Saudi Ministry of Energy
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy has reiterated that all activities involving petroleum and petrochemical materials must obtain the necessary licences from the ministry. |
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| Celeros Flow Technology signs Corporate Procurement Agreement with Aramco
Saudi Arabia: Celeros Flow Technology (Celeros FT) has signed a Corporate Procurement Agreement (CPA) with Aramco, marking a key milestone in the two companies’ strategic partnership. |
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| Mubadala completes acquisition of 15pc stake in Egypt’s Nargis concession
United Arab Emirates: Mubadala Energy, the Abu Dhabi headquartered international energy company, has completed the acquisition from Eni of a 15 per cent participating interest in the Nargis Offshore Area (“Nargis”) concession, an offshore exploration block in Egypt. |
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| Elsewedy consortium achieves key Rabigh 1 expansion milestone with $1.4bn SEC dea
Saudi Arabia: A consortium of Elsewedy Electric and Siemens Energy has achieved a major milestone in the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s Rabigh 1 power plant following the signing of a SAR5.3 billion ($1.4 billion) energy conversion agreement by Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) and Saudi Power Procurement Company (Principal Buyer). |
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| Aldar issues $1bn hybrid notes to Apollo to support growth momentum
United Arab Emirates: Aldar Properties has issued a $1.0 billion in subordinated hybrid notes to Apollo Global Management through a private placement, raising additional capital to support its strong growth momentum. |
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| Data leak at Abu Dhabi finance summit exposes global figures, FT reports
United Arab Emirates: Former British Prime Minister David Cameron and hedge fund billionaire Alan Howard were among the hundreds whose passports and other identification papers were leaked online after they attended an Abu Dhabi conference, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. |
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| WAM Saudi 2026 concludes with global deals and industrial innovation momentum
Saudi Arabia: The World Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics (WAM) Saudi Summit and Expo 2026 has officially come to an end following three days of high-impact discussions, strategic collaborations, and cutting‑edge innovations. |
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| Moody’s establishes regional HQ in Saudi Arabia, deepening its Middle East footprint
Saudi Arabia: Global risk assessment firm Moody’s Corp. announced on Feb. 18 the establishment of a new regional headquarters in Riyadh, aiming to deepen the company’s presence in Saudi Arabia. |
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| Saudi Public Investment Fund cuts US equity holdings to $12.9bn
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund reduced the value of its US-listed equity holdings to $12.9 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, down from $19.4 billion at the close of the third quarter, according to its latest filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. |
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| Arab Energy Fund arranges $346m financing for Iraq oil field expansion
Saudi Arabia: The Arab Energy Fund has led and closed a $346 million reserve-based financing facility for Kuwait Energy Basra Limited, the operator of Block 9 in southern Iraq, in a move that will support the next phase of expansion and development at the field, |
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| Qatar CPI sees monthly drop in January as annual inflation rises 2.28%
Qatar: Qatar’s consumer price index climbed 2.28 percent in January from a year earlier, official data showed, while registering a 2.22 percent drop from the previous month. |
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| Emirati GSU launches 5 MWp solar plant in Berbera
United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi-based Global South Utilities (GSU), a resources investment company, has inaugurated a 5 MWp grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Berbera and launched the Green Berbera Vision |
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| RTA completes work on major street near Dubai Silicon Oasis
United Arab Emirates: Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has completed the work related to Al Rowaiyah Street, extending 3.5 km, directly linking Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road with Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street near Dubai Silicon Oasis and Nadd Hessa. |
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| Alba 2025 profit surges 18.5pc to $582m on higher production, record sales
Bahrain: Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the world’s largest aluminium smelter on one site, has announced solid results for FY 2025, recording a net profit of BD218.7 million ($582 million), up 18.5% over BD184.5 million ($490.8 million) the previous year |
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| Oman announces plans for $3.8bn development projects
Oman: Oman's Projects, Tenders and Local Content Authority has announced that the total value of the government’s upcoming development projects is estimated at more than RO1.5 billion ($3.8 billion), covering both approved and under-study schemes. |
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| Saudi minister launches $810m infrastructure and industrial projects
Saudi Arabia: Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources and Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, known as MODON, Bandar Alkhorayef, launched capital projects valued at approximately SR3 billion ($810 million), covering infrastructure, water, electricity, and ready-built factories. |
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| Saudi-French cooperation to localize veterinary vaccine manufacturing
Saudi Arabia: In the presence of sector leaders, the National Livestock and Fisheries Development Program signed a memorandum of understanding with French company Ceva under the patronage of Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli, who also chairs the program’s board. |
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| Islamic syndicated financing to sustain momentum in 2026: Fitch Ratings
Saudi Arabia: Islamic syndicated financing is set to remain a key funding source in 2026 for Saudi Arabia and the UAE, due to its lower complexity compared to sukuks and bonds, according to an analysis. |
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| Sharjah to launch feasibility study for air taxi and cargo transport project
United Arab Emirates: Chaired by Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, the Sharjah Executive Council has approved the initial allocation of land plots for Emirati citizens scheduled for 2026, marking a major step in supporting housing and investment opportunities across the emirate. |
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| Saudi consumer inflation eases to 1.8% in January: GASTAT
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s inflation softened to 1.8 percent in January, signaling contained price pressures even as housing rents remained the main driver of consumer costs, official data showed. |
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| Sharjah records strong growth in business services, investment
United Arab Emirates: Hamad Ali Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Chairman of the Sharjah Economic Development Department and Member of the Sharjah Executive Council, affirmed that the results of 2025 marked a pivotal milestone in the department’s journey |
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| Arab Energy Fund closes $346m financing for Iraq’s Block 9
Kuwait: The Arab Energy Fund, a multilateral impact financial institution, has led and closed a $346 million Reserve-Based Financing (RBL) Facility for Kuwait Energy Basra Limited (KEBL) |
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| Amarak Chemicals launches new sulphur manufacturing unit in Jafza
United Arab Emirates: Amarak Chemicals FZC, an associate company of the Aries Group of Companies, has commenced operations at a fully automated sulphur manufacturing facility at Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) in Dubai. |
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| Nasdaq Dubai posts record year as Sukuk listings soar past $100 billion
United Arab Emirates: Nasdaq Dubai attracted a record number of Sukuk listings in 2025, supported by sustained issuance activity from regional and international issuers and continued global investor demand for Sharia-compliant debt instruments. |