#Economy

Bahrain attracts recordbreaking FDI flows in 2023 Getty-Images-1471641887

Bahrain attracted record FDI inflows of $6.8bn in 2023

The top countries contributing to Bahrain’s FDI stocks as part of a diverse portfolio include Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE

Egypt sees progress on loan program

Egypt will have access to about $820m subject to IMF Board approval, fund says

The IMF said its Executive Board would consider the staff agreement and disbursement in the coming weeks

Emiratisation UAE

UAE government records revenues of $18.03bn in 2023

The figures were part of the consolidated financial statement published by the UAE’s Ministry of Finance

Egypt’s central bank keeps key interest rates unchanged

Egypt’s central bank keeps key interest rates unchanged

The monetary policy committee left the lending rate unchanged at 28.25 per cent and the deposit rate at 27.25 per cent

UAE

UAE economy grew 4.3% in fourth quarter of 2023

Financial and insurance activities, transportation and storage, real estate and construction sectors were among the top growth sectors

IMF sees UAE’s GDP expanding by 4% in 2024

UAE economy to grow by 4% in 2024, says IMF

The fund had projected in April that the country’s economy would grow by 3.5 per cent this year

Indonesia, UAE sign agreement to use of local currencies for trade

Indonesia, UAE sign agreement to use local currencies for trade

Dirham-rupiah trade is expected to reduce transactional costs for businesses while strengthening financial cooperation

Saudi Arabia posts SAR12.4bn deficit Q1 2024

Saudi Arabia posts budget deficit of SAR12.4bn in Q1 2024

Oil revenues reached SAR181.9bn, while total revenues were SAR293.4bn as non-oil revenues edged higher, although oil still dominates

Egypt

Egypt’s outlook upgraded to positive on reduced external financing risks: Fitch

Fitch said Egypt’s initial steps to contain off-budget spending should help to reduce public debt sustainability risks

Qatar

Qatar’s economy grew 1.2% year-on-year in Q3 2023

The Gulf state posted a budget surplus of QAR1.4bn in the final quarter of 2023, which was used to reduce public debt

saudi arabia - Vision 2030 - IMF

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 projects to be adjusted as needed: Finance Minister

Saudi Arabia is accelerating efforts to diversify its economy away from oil under a plan known as Vision 2030

Egypt’s finance minister says cutting inflation is priority

Egypt’s finance minister says cutting inflation is priority

Inflation dipped to 33.3 per cent in March from a record 38.0 per cent in September

World leaders need to avoid protectionism, said International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva Image courtesy IMF

IMF chief urges global policymakers to avoid protectionism

Addressing the Atlantic Council, Georgieva highlighted the pandemic’s lingering effects, including a staggering $3.3tn in global output losses since 2020, with vulnerable nations disproportionately impacted

Consumer spending rises in 2023 shows Majid al Futtaim State of the UAE retail economy report

UAE consumer spending rises 13% in 2023, reveals retail report

The report showed that e-commerce spending continued growing in 2023, with a 15 per cent growth rate since 2022

UAE reportedly considering 10-year golden business licences

UAE reportedly considering 10-year golden business licences

The new trade licences are expected to increase government revenue, ensure business continuity, and promote economic growth

Bahrain holiday

Bahrain: Golden licence initiative attracts $2.4bn in investments

With Bahrain’s FDI stock relative to GDP surpassing the global average at over 81 per cent, international investors continue to trust its competitive value proposition

Saudi Arabia’s real GDP contracts 0.8% in 2023

Saudi Arabia’s real GDP shrinks 0.8% in 2023, oil sector weighs

The latest data shows that the economy contracted by 4.3 per cent in Q4 2023 after a 16.2 per cent year-on-year decrease in oil activities

Saudi Arabia transfers 8% Aramco stake to PIF

Saudi Arabia doubles sovereign fund’s stake in Aramco

The fund has held a 4 per cent stake in Aramco since 2022 and indirectly holds another 4 per cent that was transferred last year to Sanabil

Emaar’s Dubai Mall welcomes 105 million visitors in 2023

Dubai Mall becomes most visited place in 2023, with 105 million visitors

The latest figures from Emaar Malls shows that a record 20 million people visited the mall in the first two months of this year alone

UAE’s non-oil trade hits record Dhs3.5tn in 2023

UAE non-oil trade expands to record Dhs3.5tn in 2023

The country has initiated a raft of bilateral trade, investment and cooperation deals with several fast-growing economies

Saudi Arabia posts 2023 budget deficit of $22bn - capex

Saudi Arabia posts 2023 budget deficit of $22bn

The government had estimated a deficit of SAR82bn in its December budget statement and is forecasting a deficit of SAR79bn in 2024

Egypt raises minimum wage by 50% as part of ‘urgent’ package

Egypt raises minimum wage by 50% as part of ‘urgent’ package

The Egyptian pound, fixed at EGP30.85 to the dollar since March, traded on the black market earlier this month as low as EGP71 to the dollar

BRICS: Dubai ranks 3rd among top 10 wealthiest cities, see full list here

Dubai lives up to its reputation as the ‘City of Gold’, hosting 72,500 millionaires, 212 of whom are centi-millionaires and 15 billionaires

saudi arabia GDP

Saudi Arabia’s real GDP contracts 3.7% Q4 2023

The preliminary data shows that Saudi Arabia’s economy contracted at a slower pace in Q4 2023 after a decline of 4.4 per cent in the previous quarter

Kuwait’s 2024/25 budget projects $19.1bn deficit

Kuwait approves 2024/25 budget, forecasts $19.1bn deficit

The projected deficit for the next fiscal year is 13.5 per cent lower than that forecast in the current year

Dubai D33 agenda on track, GDP growth rises 3.3% from Jan-Sep 2023

Accommodation and food services activities witnessed a strong 11.1 per cent growth in the first nine months of the year

UAE economy to grow by 5% in 2024

UAE economy to grow by 5% in 2024, says S&P Global

The rating agency is projecting continued strong momentum in Dubai’s hospitality, and financial services sectors to drive growth in 2024/25

Insights: Rethinking a new social welfare model for GCC countries Image: Supplied

Insights: Rethinking a new social welfare model for GCC countries

GCC welfare systems can be enhanced by strengthening coherence among social protection programmes, expanding the social insurance offering, and focusing on the economic activation of social assistance beneficiaries

linkedin - hiring and retaining

These 5 companies are the UAE’s ‘best’ employers

Top companies in the UAE continue to invest in creating a highly-engaged workforce with an average engagement score of 81 per cent, says a survey

Saudi Arabia e-visas now available to residents of 63 countries photo-courtesy-WAM

New business registrations surged in Saudi Arabia in 2023

In its latest bulletin, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce announced a 23 per cent rise in company registrations for the final quarter of 2023