| Oman rating affirmed at BBB- by S&P as fiscal buffers offset Gulf risks
S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Oman’s “BBB-” long-term foreign and local currency sovereign ratings with a stable outlook, citing its improving fiscal position despite ongoing geopolitical risks in the Middle East. |
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| Burgan Bank shareholders approve 6 fils cash dividend, 5% bonus shares for 2025
Burgan Bank KPSC (“Burgan Bank” or “the Bank”) held its 62nd Annual General Assembly meeting on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at its headquarters, with a quorum of 83.122 percent of shareholders present, exceeding the minimum threshold of more than 50 percent as prescribed by regulatory guidelines and the Bank’s bylaws. |
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| Mideast Stocks: Most Gulf markets ease on fears of broader Iran conflict
Most Gulf stock markets slipped on March 29, as fears of a broader Iran-linked conflict weighed on investor sentiment after Yemen’s Houthis launched their first attacks on Israel since the conflict began and the US deployed additional forces to the Middle East. |
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| Saudi Arabia extends container fee waiver to support exports
Container availability is set to improve in Saudi Arabia after authorities extended fee exemptions on inbound empty containers at two key eastern ports, a move aimed at easing supply constraints and supporting exporters. |
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| Saudi land ports record 88k truck movements to GCC in 25 days
Saudi Arabia’s land customs ports recorded notable activity in outbound truck traffic to Gulf Cooperation Council countries, with a total of 88,109 trucks between March 1 and March 25, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority told Al-Eqtisadiah. |
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| Aldar on track to handover more than 3,500 units in 2026
Aldar has maintained strong project delivery momentum across its development portfolio and remains on track to handover more than 3,500 units in 2026, the Abu Dhabi realtor said on Thursday. |
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| Emaar Development announces 100% dividend payout of Dh4 billion
Emaar Development shareholders on Thursday approved the Board of Directors’ proposal to distribute a dividend of Dh4 billion, representing 100 per cent of the share capital. |
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| Saudi Arabia advances environmental restoration, sustainability goals
Saudi Arabia is accelerating efforts to restore degraded land, expand vegetation cover, and strengthen ecological balance as part of its long-term environmental strategy. |
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| Saudi, foreign vessels temporarily exempt from document validity requirement
Saudi Arabia’s Transport General Authority has temporarily waived documentation requirements for issuing and renewing marine navigation licenses and work permits for 30 days, with extensions possible if safety and environmental standards are upheld. |
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| Dubai luxury home market thrives, defying regional jitters
Dubai’s luxury property market is continuing to attract deep-pocketed global investors despite heightened regional tensions, underlining the emirate’s status as one of the world’s most resilient prime real estate destinations and reinforcing confidence in its long-term growth story. |
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| Dubai property market unlikely to see '2008-style' crash, says S&P
Dubai’s property market will not see a 2008-style market crash due to the ongoing regional military conflict, S&P analysts said. |
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| 50 new hotels planned in Saudi Arabia by 2029 under $1bn project
Executives announced at the Future Investment Initiative annual conference in Miami on Thursday the launch of AYARA, a hospitality platform and business partnership that plans to develop a network of 50 international, brand-name business hotels across Saudi Arabia by 2029. |
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| Saudi investment strategies unimpacted by Mideast wars: PIF governor
The chairman of Saudi Aramco and governor of the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund gave assurances at the Future Investment Initiative’s Priority Summit that the current Middle East wars have not impacted the country’s vision for growth and engagement. |
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| Latin America emerges as new frontier for investment opportunities, FII summit hears
Brazil and several Latin American countries have become the “epicenter of innovation” and investment, representatives from more than 100 countries declared at the fourth edition of the FII Priority Summit, which opened on Wednesday in Miami. |
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| High airfares threaten to ruin holiday season, rising by up to 560%
Travelers hoping for lower long-haul flight prices this summer are in for a rude awakening. |
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| Saudi POS spending holds near $4bn
Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale transactions held near the $4 billion mark in the week ended March 21, underscoring resilient consumer spending even as overall activity declined. |
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| Saudi Arabia launches Bahrain shipping link as Gulf routes face war turmoil
Saudi Ports Authority has launched a new maritime link with Bahrain via MSC’s Gulf Shuttle service, as regional shipping routes come under strain from escalating conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. |
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| Kingdom Holding, developer of world’s tallest tower, sees profit jump 73%
Kingdom Holding Co., the developer behind what is set to become the world’s tallest building — Jeddah Tower — reported a 73 percent jump in annual profit driven by investment gains and rising portfolio valuations. |
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| EMEA ports have rating headroom to weather Hormuz closure: Fitch
Ports across Europe, the Middle East and Africa are broadly well-positioned to absorb the economic shock of a prolonged Iran conflict and a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with most maintaining sufficient rating headroom, Fitch Ratings said. |
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| Middle East energy infrastructure repairs could exceed $25bn, analysts warn
Energy infrastructure repair and restoration bills across the Middle East could reach at least $25 billion, according to a new analysis as the cost of the Iran conflict continues to grow. |
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| GCC sukuk liquidity shows mixed impact as Iran conflict weighs on markets: Fitch
Global sukuk and debt capital markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council are facing varied liquidity headwinds as the ongoing conflict in Iran continues to influence investor sentiment, according to Fitch Ratings. |
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| Middle Eastern funds reap record gains from Chinese AI companies
Middle Eastern funds have reaped exceptional gains from their bets on newly listed Chinese artificial intelligence companies, defying a broader sell-off in global stock markets triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Gulf. |
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| Kingdom opens new shipping route to Bahrain
The Saudi Ports Authority, known as Mawani, launched a maritime link with Bahrain through the Gulf Shuttle shipping service operated by MSC, via King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. |
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| Aramco awards $371m supercomputing contract, signs pipe deals
Saudi Aramco has inked a SR1.39 billion ($370.6 million) deal with Arabian Internet and Communications Services Co., known as solutions by stc, for a supercomputing project dedicated to exploration and production. |
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| Saudi, foreign vessels temporarily exempt from document validity requirement
Saudi Arabia’s Transport General Authority has temporarily waived documentation requirements for issuing and renewing marine navigation licenses and work permits for 30 days, with extensions possible if safety and environmental standards are upheld. |
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| World Economic Forum postpones Jeddah meeting amid Middle East conflict
The World Economic Forum has postponed a meeting scheduled in Jeddah next month on global cooperation and growth, citing current regional developments. |
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| Suspension of operations on some GCC rigs will be short-term, says ADES
Oil drilling firm ADES Holding Co. said the suspension of operations at several Gulf Cooperation Council rigs triggered by the ongoing regional conflict will be short-term. |
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| Iran tensions drive warehouse demand in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi market is witnessing a rapid surge in demand for warehouses and storage space, as companies move to increase inventory levels as a precautionary measure against the impact of geopolitical tensions in the Gulf, which have disrupted transportation and supply chains in recent weeks. |
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| QatarEnergy declares force majeure on LNG contracts
QatarEnergy on Tuesday declared force majeure on some of its affected long-term LNG supply contracts, with counterparties including customers in Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China. |
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| Closing Bell: Saudi main index edges up to 10,949
Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index edged up on Tuesday as it gained 3.12 points, or 0.03 percent, to close at 10,949.38. |
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| Large companies outperform small and medium ones on Tadawul, here’s how
Large companies have shown clear superiority over small and medium firms in the Saudi stock market since the launch of various market component indices in Sept. 2023, with large-cap indices rising while the latter declined. |
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| Saudi Arabia adds 5 shipping services to bolster trade links amid Hormuz disruptions
Saudi Arabia’s ports authority has added five new shipping services with major global carriers, including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, to help combat disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. |
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| Saudi Ports Authority expands support for Gulf shipping with new services
Saudi Arabia’s ports authority has rolled out additional support for vessels operating in the Arabian Gulf, aiming to streamline services and sustain maritime activity as regional shipping conditions tighten. |
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| ADNOC Gas adjusts LNG operations over Strait of Hormuz disruption
UAE’s ADNOC Gas has made temporary adjustments to its liquefied natural gas and export-traded liquids production due to shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, as the ongoing conflict in the region continues to escalate. |
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| Saudi Arabia gears up to export green hydrogen
Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a major exporter of green hydrogen as the world seeks cleaner fuels for heavy industry, shipping, and power generation. |
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| UAE central bank support package lifts lenders shaken by Iran war
Shares of UAE-listed banks jumped on Wednesday after the Central Bank of the UAE announced measures to support their liquidity as the Iran crisis hits Gulf economies. |
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| Saudi Arabia construction costs rise 1.4% in February: GASTAT
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s construction sector maintained stable cost growth in February, with the index rising 1.4 percent year on year amid steady increases in residential and non-residential building expenses, official data showed. |
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| Saudi Arabia’s US Treasury holdings rise over 6% to $134.8bn in January
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s holdings of US Treasuries rose 6.22 percent from a year earlier to $134.8 billion in January, even as they declined from the previous month, US Treasury data showed. |
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| Oman’s economy expands 2.3% in 2025 on non-oil growth: NCSI
Oman: Oman’s economy grew 2.3 percent in 2025, supported by steady expansion in non-oil sectors and a rebound in natural gas activity, official data showed. |
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| Adnoc, OMV forge ahead with big Borouge Group International merger
United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and OMV Aktiengesellschaft (OMV) have announced strong progress towards the formation of Borouge Group International, including the signing of an asset usage agreement for the Borouge 4 (B4), an integrated polyolefins production complex in Abu Dhabi. |
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| Saudi contractor Unimac seals partnership deal with ProGrowth Company
Saudi Arabia: United Maintenance and Contracting Company (Unimac), a specialised heavy civil contracting company, has announced that it has officially signed the pre‑bid consortium agreement with ProGrowth Company. |
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| Abu Dhabi confirms readiness, efficiency of energy, water ecosystem
United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Department of Energy has confirmed the readiness and efficiency of the emirate's energy and water ecosystem following field visits by its senior officials to several of its vital structures across the emirate. |
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| Saudi Ports Authority expands support for Gulf shipping with new services
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s ports authority has rolled out additional support for vessels operating in the Arabian Gulf, aiming to streamline services and sustain maritime activity as regional shipping conditions tighten. |
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| Abu Dhabi, Dubai approve $2.59bn housing benefits to citizens
United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi and Dubai have approved major housing benefits totalling AED9.52 billion for their citizens, ahead of Eid-Al-Fitr. |
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| Adnec teams up with Ewec to power Adnec Centre Al Ain with clean energy
United Arab Emirates: Adnec Group, a unit of Abu Dhabi group Modon has announced a strategic partnership with Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec), a leading company in the integrated co-ordination of planning. |
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| Acwa Power buys entire 32pc Badeel stake in Shuaibah Water and Electricity Company
Saudi Arabia: Global utility major Acwa Power has announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of the entire 32% stake of Water and Electricity Holding Company (Badeel) in the Shuaibah Water and Electricity Company - through its key unit Alwaha Projects Company. |
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| Arabian Travel Market 2026 latest to postpone event due to Iran conflict
Saudi Arabia: Arabian Travel Market, a major international tourism and trade show, has been postponed by three months from its originally scheduled May dates due to safety and well-being concerns. |
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| Saudi listed healthcare firms post 18% revenue growth as expansion weighs on margins
Saudi Arabia: The revenues of healthcare companies listed on the Saudi financial market achieved their highest growth rate in four years, continuing to record unprecedented levels by the end of last year. |
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| Kuwait records solid progress in road infrastructure, building works
Kuwait: Kuwait's Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) has reported significant progress in its projects during February, with infrastructure and construction works advancing steadily across several housing cities. |
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| UAE central bank support package lifts lenders shaken by Iran war
United Arab Emirates: Shares of UAE-listed banks jumped on Wednesday after the Central Bank of the UAE announced measures to support their liquidity as the Iran crisis hits Gulf economies. |