SUSTG.com / Research

Discover stories, topics, and more about Saudi Arebia faster.

Browse Research Topics

Recent stories from sustg

  • Bloomberg Lands Another Wide-Ranging Sit-Down Interview with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
     

    Bloomberg‘s reporting team in Saudi Arabia landed another wide-ranging sit down interview with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, revealing the powerful leader’s thinking on many issues from Vision 2030 to the Saudi Aramco IPO and others. Bloomberg’s Senior Executive Editor for Economics, Stephanie Flanders, and five other Bloomberg journalists sat down with the […]

     
  • Kingdom’s Finances Trending Positively as Higher Oil Enables Government to Increase Spending by 7% in 2019
     

    Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Finance told reporters in Riyadh on Sunday the Kingdom would accelerate state spending next year in what he hopes will be a clear message to the private sector that the government is determined to support economic growth, according to reports. Saudi Arabia may spend SAR 100 billion ($26.6 billion) more than originally planned in 2019 […]

     
  • PIF Launches Plans to Build Amaala, a Brand New ‘Ultra-Luxury’ Tourist Destination to Compete with Riviera
     

    Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has announced the launch of Amaala, set to become an uber-luxury destination on the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia that the Kingdom hopes will compete with the French Riviera for tourism dollars when completed. Amaala is a new 3,800 square kilometer project that aims to create an all-new concept […]

     
  • Uptick in Saudi-Pakistan Relations Following Visit of New PM Khan to Riyadh
     

    New Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Saudi Arabia this week for meetings with high-level Saudi officials to discuss trade and diplomatic issues. Khan met directly with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit. As a result of the Prime Minister’s meetings, Pakistan has reportedly invited Saudi Arabia to become the third […]

     
  • Saudi private-sector growth in August is fastest this year: PMI
     

    Growth in Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector edged up in August to its fastest rate this year, according to reports, “suggesting a long-awaited recovery of the economy may have begun.” The seasonally adjusted Emirates NBD Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 55.1 last month from 54.9 in July; a level above 50 indicates expansion, Reuters […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia’s PIF Seeks $11 Billion Loan, FT Reports
     

    Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is set to choose international banks to lend the wealth fund $11 billion, according to a report in the London-based Financial Times. The FT reports that there is strong interest from major international lenders in participating in the loan to the PIF, including “[s]ome of the most senior names in international banking, including JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon, Morgan […]

     
  • 2.3 Million Attend Hajj in Saudi Arabia
     

    An estimated 2.3 million pilgrims reassembled in Mina on Tuesday in celebration of the Eid Al-Adha with the rest of the Islamic world, as part of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, a 5-day journey to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The pilgrimage represents one of the five pillars of Islam and is required of all able-bodied […]

     
  • Saudi Aramco Weighs Global Bond Sale to Finance Purchase of Sabic Stake from PIF
     

    Saudi Aramco is considering tapping the international bond market for the first time, Bloomberg and the WSJ report, in order to finance the acquisition of petrochemical giant Sabic. The move into global capital markets could offer an alternative to an initial public offering, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the talks. ‘The plans for a bond, […]

     
  • Jadwa Investment Raises Projected Economic Growth in Saudi Arabia to 2.2% in 2018
     

    Saudi Arabia’s economy is forecast to grow faster this year following a significant improvement in the global oil market, according to a recently released report by Riyadh-based Jadwa Investment. Jadwa Investment raised its forecasts for the Saudi Arabian economy’s growth in 2018 to 2.2%, compared with previous estimates for a growth rate of 1.5%. Jadwa expects Saudi production […]

     
  • Saudi Women Take the Wheel as Kingdom Marches to More Vibrant Society
     

    Saudi women exercised their new legal right to drive across the Kingdom for the first time in decades this weekend, with many taking to social media to document their experience. The new law allowing women to drive took effect on June 24th, with some newly licensed women drivers in the kingdom doing so right at […]

     

MUST-READS

  • Regional rail projects transforming urban development within the GCC

    “Rail infrastructure projects are more than just transportation solutions—they are economic catalysts. By creating efficient, interconnected transport systems, they unlock new opportunities for businesses, reduce congestion, and improve productivity. Such projects provide reliable, affordable mobility options, reducing commuting times and opening new doors for commerce, tourism, and industry.” “The construction phases of these large-scale rail projects generate thousands of jobs and supporting nationalisation, while their operational phases foster employment opportunities across multiple sectors. From retail to technology, robust transportation networks help cities become more attractive to investors and entrepreneurs, paving the way for economic diversification. This economic shift supports long-term ambitions for sustainable, thriving economies across the GCC.”

  • Premier League will not review Saudi Newcastle deal after Bin Salman claims

    Leaked WhatsApp ­messages from the former Newcastle minority co-owner Amanda Staveley obtained by the Telegraph suggest the buyout hinged on the approval of Bin ­Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader. Although the £305m ­takeover led by Saudi’s Public Investment Fund in 2021 was approved only once the Premier League received “legally binding assurances” that the Saudi state would not control Newcastle, it is understood the governing body will not be re-examining its legitimacy.

  • What’s behind Algeria’s suspension of Saudi-owned Al Arabiya news?

    Algeria's recent move against Al Arabiya came just one day after Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission revoked the license and closed the office of Saudi media conglomerate MBC Group, the parent company of Al Arabiya. The decision came after MBC aired a controversial report on Friday calling recently slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qasem Soleimani and others terrorists. The report has since been removed from all MBC platforms.

  • Yahya Sinwar’s death alone won’t end the war

    The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed while battling Israeli soldiers in the southern Gaza town of Rafah last Wednesday, is a potential inflection point in the now year-long war that has seen at least 42,000 Palestinians killed and most of the Gaza Strip reduced to rubble. As the architect of the Oct. 7 attack and the ultimate arbiter over whether and when to accept a cease-fire, Sinwar’s death represents a major accomplishment for Israel’s military, which has racked up numerous tactical victories but has so far failed to achieve a decisive victory over Hamas. Both US and Israeli leaders have cast Sinwar as the primary obstacle to a cease-fire and hostage release deal, which has been stalled for many weeks.

  • The Presidential Election’s Implications for Gulf Oil Exporters

    With less than a month before Americans go to the polls to elect a new president, the global oil market is in turmoil because of geopolitical developments in the Middle East. The risk of an oil price shock should Israel target Iran’s energy infrastructure in response to Iran’s October 1 missile attack would have repercussions beyond the region. Oil prices immediately surged to register the highest weekly increase in more than a year after the October 1 attack, as the market braced for Israel’s response. Any further increase in the price of oil might influence voters come the U.S. election in November with the incumbent Democratic Party at risk of being penalized at the polls if there is a spike in U.S. gasoline prices.

  • Saudi Arabia and BRICS—a balancing act?

    Russia last month invited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to attend the Oct. 22-24 BRICS summit it is hosting in Kazan. The summit is the bloc’s first since its expansion last year when six new members—Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—were invited to join. While countries such as Iran have been quick to accept the invite, the Kingdom has yet to confirm its formal alignment with BRICS. Most likely, Saudi strategists are still weighing all pros and cons of membership—with factors in favor and against broadly balanced.

  • Putin hosts BRICS summit in Russia under shadow of Ukraine war

    Russia wants the BRICS summit to showcase the rising clout of the non-Western world, but Moscow's partners from China, India, Brazil and the Arab world are urging President Vladimir Putin to find a way to end the war in Ukraine. The BRICS group now accounts for 45% of the world's population and 35% of its economy, based on purchasing power parity, though China accounts for over half of its economic might.

  • How Saudi parents rationalize the choice of schoolfor their children

    In societies where education holds high significance and parental ambitions for their chil-dren’s academic achievements are profound, understanding the rationale behind parental school choice becomes crucial. This study aims to explore the question: Are Saudi parentsrational in selecting their children’s schools? Through an in-depth analysis of preferences and decision-making factors, this research endeavors to shed light on the intricate dynamicsinfluencing parental school choice within the Saudi Arabian context.

  • Saudi Arabia: Parsons, OBMI signs contracts with ARDARA

    ARDARA‘s flagship destination is AlWadi – the exciting mixed-use waterfront development in the heart of Downtown Abha. Elegantly designed homes, thriving commercial spaces, vibrant retail hubs, and exhilarating entertainment outlets that will entice residents and visitors throughout the seasons.

  • UK-based dissident can sue Saudi Arabia for alleged spyware, court rules

    A prominent Saudi dissident who accuses Saudi Arabia of targeting him with spyware can sue the kingdom in London, his lawyers said on Monday. Yahya Assiri, a founder of the opposition National Assembly Party (NAAS) who lives in exile in Britain, alleges his electronic devices were targeted with surveillance software between 2018 and 2020. He is suing Saudi Arabia at London's High Court, saying the country used Pegasus - made by Israeli company NSO Group and sold only to nation states - and other spyware made by lesser-known Israeli firm QuaDream because of his work with dissidents.