Nearly half of firms (48%) expected turnover to grow over the next 12 months in the first quarter of the year, up from 42% in the final quarter of 2025.
Dollar weakness matters enormously for emerging market equities because most of these companies earn revenues in local currencies. When the dollar softens, those earnings translate into more dollars for U.S.-based investors, giving the portfolio a currency tailwind on top of any underlying business performance.
A 'workable system' of transit and shipowner confidence in the security of the transiting vessels is essential. This includes availability of insurance for transiting vessels, facilitating commercial trade financing, and sustained outbound vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz.
Many UK nationals working in the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia are looking to return home. However, being in the UK increases the likelihood of being classified as a UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test (SRT).
While wealthy and glamorous influencers try to convince their followers that their upwardly mobile lives in Dubai are just peachy, in reality, many young Irish teachers and nurses are wondering whether it's time to pack up and return home.
Instead of trying to predict whiplashing oil prices, consider investing in energy ETFs like the Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF and First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure. These ETFs provide exposure to sectors such as pipelines and shipping, independent of oil price fluctuations.
We are closely monitoring the developments in the Middle East and the potential implications for our business. At this stage, we have temporarily suspended deliveries in the area, while managing few deliveries via airplane.
"This is a system shock," says Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group. "You have a material energy supply disruption and a structural shift toward fragmentation."
The ongoing conflict between the US and Israel against Iran is creating significant challenges for Gulf Arab nations, which are already feeling the economic strain from rising tensions and instability in the region.
Only recently, Environment Minister Carsten Schneider of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) traveled to Saudi Arabia; shortly thereafter, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) arrived and explained why: "When partnerships that one has relied on for decades begin to become a little fragile, we must look for new partners." Partners, for example, in energy and armaments projects. Reiche signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Saudi Arabian Energy Minister and posted the news on X.
Three years ago [when Web Summit Qatar began], people were talking about entering a multi-polar world. We are now living in a multi-polar world, said Paddy Cosgrave. As evidence, he referenced the fiery rebuke of Donald Trump given by the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, at Davos a few weeks prior. He pointed to the act that had preceded him on stage: dancing robots built by a Chinese company, which he called the most advanced in the world.
The global impact of the Gulf countries is not limited to oil. This region is a hub of the international economy and if it decides to focus on its defense and to start pulling investments and to stop its [economic] engagement with the international community, the effect will be felt in every household in the world.
Saudi Arabia just made its most aggressive move yet in that generational project. The kingdom announced a new $40 billion technology investment fund, developed in partnership with American venture capital heavyweight Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), aimed at positioning Saudi Arabia as a global hub for artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, and advanced computing.
The old playbooks for business growth are proving less effective in today's rapidly shifting economic landscape. What actually works now, instead? As CEO of TECOM Group, the developer of Dubai's 10 most vibrant business districts across six priority economic sectors, I've witnessed firsthand how diversification and agile strategies, particularly through purpose-built ecosystems, have become essential for sustainable growth. Today's economic landscape is shifting at a pace that requires businesses to respond with agility, adjusting once-reliable growth and expansion strategies to diversify and stimulate growth.
Generations of foreign workers in the GCC countries have significantly contributed to the workforce, including labourers, construction workers, household staff, security personnel, and cleaners, all vital to building the modern infrastructures that Gulf nations are known for. Millions consider the Gulf their home, despite holding nationalities from other countries.
UITP is closely monitoring geopolitical developments in the Gulf region in advance of the 2026 Summit, next month in Dubai. Over the past few days, we have remained in ongoing contact with the relevant authorities and our 2026 local hosts, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), as we carefully assess the situation in real time.
But what wonderful hospitality am I and thousands of others receiving as the UAE is battered daily by dozens of killer Iranian missiles and suicide drones, aimed indiscriminately at civilian, economic and military targets. Not only is life here still comfortable and as close to normal as it possibly can be with warheads gate-crashing breakfast at Mach 5 (3,300 mph), but our generous hosts are picking up the tab.
Arkham Intelligence says bitcoin mining operations linked to the UAE's Royal Group are sitting on roughly $344 million in unrealized profit, excluding energy costs. Arkham attributed about 6,782 BTC to wallets connected with UAE royal-linked mining activity, valuing the holdings at approximately $453.6 million at the time of analysis. The firm said the implied profit reflects the difference between current bitcoin prices and estimated production costs, though it noted the figure does not account for electricity and operational expenses.