|
QUOTED
“Sectors most vulnerable to this trade war include construction, real estate, and manufacturing. Many GCC nations are investing heavily in infrastructure projects as part of their Vision 2030 initiatives. Rising material costs could hinder progress; Saudi Arabia’s ambitious NEOM project, for instance, may face delays or budget overruns due to increased raw material costs driven by US tariffs.” Will GCC get caught in a global trade war crossfire? [Khaleej Times]
|
|
|
|
TOP STORY
Fitch Ratings has affirmed Saudi Arabia’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating at ‘A+’ with a Stable Outlook. [more]
|
|
MORE TOP STORYLINES
Via Yara Abi Farraj in economymiddleeast.com: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy started 2025 on a high as business conditions improved substantially. This improvement was largely due to the fastest increase in total new orders since June 2011, which encouraged rapid expansions in activity and stocks. The headline seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 60.5 in January, from 58.4 in December. Not only did the index signal a considerable expansion in operating conditions at the start of 2025, but it was also at its highest since September 2014. “This strong performance underscores the resilience of the non-oil private sector, fueled by surging new orders and a significant rise in business output,” stated Naif Al-Ghaith PhD, chief economist at Riyad Bank.
|
Via Tala Michel Issa in arabianbusiness.com: Strategic inbound and domestic M&A activity in the region surged 88 per cent year-on-year to reach $36 billion during the first 10 months of 2024, according to new research from Bain & Company, contrasting sharply with more modest global deal growth of 7 per cent. “The Middle East’s exceptional M&A growth underscores the region’s transformation into a global investment powerhouse,” Grégory Garnier, Middle East Head of Bain’s Private Equity and Sovereign Wealth Fund practices, told Arabian Business. The surge was particularly pronounced in key sectors throughout 2024, with energy and natural resources seeing a 140 per cent increase, technology investments rising 90 per cent, and advanced manufacturing services recording a remarkable 300 per cent growth compared to 2023.
|
Via Agnes Helou in breakingdefense.com: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has allocated $78 billion for defense spending in 2025, up from $75.8 billion spent in 2024, Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) Ahmad Al-Ohali said in a statement Saturday. “The Kingdom allocated approximately $78 billion to the military sector in the 2025 budget, which constitutes 21% of total government spending and 7.1% of Saudi Arabia’s gross product,” he said, according to the statement. The statement further noted that the Kingdom has witnessed a 4.5 percent annual defense growth since 1960, adding that it has become the fifth largest defense spender worldwide and the largest in the Arab world.
|
|
|
|
|
|
MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND
|
|
|
|
|
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday. The two leaders held an official session...[via arabnews.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The total non-oil commodity exports, including national exports and re-exports, between Saudi Arabia and GCC states surged to hit SAR9.5 billion ($2.5 billion) in November...[via zawya.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
68.1m international tourists visited the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries by the end of 2023, according to data issued by the Statistical...[via arabianbusiness.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
"Ultimately, we're going to see the seasonal dance: Gas prices are going to go up this spring regardless of tariffs or not, they're going to...[By Julie Hyman and Josh Lipton via yahoo.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Pakistan has signed an agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development to defer a $1.2 billion payment on the country's oil imports by one year,...[By Alex Kimani via oilprice.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
A recent analysis by Capital Economics highlights the consequences of these tariffs and their broader implications for global trade dynamics. The administration's agenda to...[By Issac John via khaleejtimes.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
While Egypt became the most visible manifestation of the divergence of Gulf approaches, with first Qatar (in 2012) and then Saudi Arabia and the...[By Kristian Coates Ulrichsen via agsiw.org]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Verifying the numbers quoted by Trump, Al-Jadaan, and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is not easy. Definitions are not always clear, data on Saudi investment...[By Tim Callen via ]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
After years of regulatory uncertainty under both Democratic and Republican administrations, Trump has pledged to protect bitcoin ownership and encourage blockchain...[By Carla Sertin via agbi.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Since China is the US’s third-biggest export destination for food and agricultural products after Canada and Mexico, Beijing may retaliate by...[By Martin Keulertz via agbi.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The delegation consists of nine technical teams covering various sectors, including goods, services, investment, general provisions, e-commerce, intellectual property, government procurement, rules of origin, and...[via spa.gov]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Valued at more than $200 billion globally – larger than the film and music industries combined – the gaming industry has evolved far...[via linkedin.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Ongoing transformation in the global screen industry has created an opportunity for GCC countries to establish themselves as prominent players. As the industry grapples with...[By Tarek Matar, Karim Sarkis and Maansi Sagar via strategyand.pwc]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The IPO proceeds are to be deployed for funding the infrastructure, land settlements, and development of the MASAR Destination, a major Makkah redevelopment project valued...[via arabianbusiness.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Figures from the General Authority for Statistics released in 2023 show that 63 percent of the Kingdom’s population is under 30 years old, and the government...[By Nadin Hassan via arabnews.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Some of the Kingdom’s prominent military branches are participating in the drills, including forces from the Presidency of State Security and the Saudi Arabian National...[via arabnews.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
The Saudi Arabia Council of Health Insurance (CHI) has announced penalties against several employers for failing to meet mandatory health insurance...[By Roxanne Libatique via insurancebusinessmag.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Israel began its military campaign in Gaza in response to the Oct. 7, 2023 attack when Hamas gunmen killed around 1,200 people...[By Ramadan Abed and Dawoud Abu Alkas via reuters.com]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
In his confirmation hearing in January, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previewed his priorities for an outcome in Syria that is favorable to US interests and, more importantly,...[By Diana Rayes via atlanticcouncil.org]
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
