Dubai skyline

Dubai reveals five new initiatives to support and cut costs for SMEs

The initiatives also seek to boost public-private partnerships in the emirate

Saudi Arabia has deposited $334m in Jordan central bank

Saudi, Kuwait and the UAE put together a $2.5bn package in June to help shore up Jordan’s struggling economy

Bahrain, Manama, Cityscape view of Bahrain World Trade Center and Bahrain Financial Harbor

Bahrain sees budget deficit falling to $1.6bn in 2020

The GCC state released a plan last year to fix its debt-burdened finances after securing a $10bn Gulf aid pledge

Saudi January consumer prices fall 1.9% as deflation returns

Prices had continued to rise throughout 2018 after the introduction of VAT

IMF sees no credit crunch in Oman, advises speedy fiscal reforms

Rating agencies Fitch and S&P both class Oman’s bonds as ‘junk’

Saudi Crown Prince to embark on Pakistan visit later this week

Deals worth billions are anticipated to be signed during the two-day visit

Saudi allocates $3.1bn to help companies with expat fee hikes

Only companies that had a higher or equal number of Saudi employees versus expats will be eligible for the reimbursement or waiver of fees

Saudi Arabia signs entertainment sector deals in London

A number of global theatrical shows such as ‘Thriller’ have been planned

Saudi winds down 15-month anti-corruption campaign

The kingdom said had recovered more than $106bn through settlements with senior princes, ministers and top businessmen

IMF says Kuwait’s economic growth to strengthen on the back of oil prices

The Gulf state’s non-oil growth is projected to increase to about 3.5 per cent in 2020

Saudi expat workforce shrinks in Q3 as local unemployment rate drops

The number of expats working in the kingdom reduced from 10.18 million in Q1 to 9.5 million in Q3

UAE to establish payment linkage systems between GCC states

The law has also been amended to allow trade agencies that allows them to become public and private shareholding companies

Saudi seeks to attract SAR1.6 trillion with industrial development programme

The programme will cover project in industry, mining, energy, logistics, military, chemicals and small businesses industries

Saudi will support Lebanon “all the way” – finance minister

Lebanon has one of the world’s highest levels of public debt as a proportion of national output

Bahrain, Manama, Cityscape view of Bahrain World Trade Center and Bahrain Financial Harbor

Bahrain got first funds from GCC aid last year

Saudi, Kuwait and the UAE pledged to give $10bn to Bahrain to avoid the risk of a debt crisis

Kuwait to boost spending, eyes oil price at $55-$65 per barrel

Kuwait said the new plan aims to drive economic growth by maintaining a capital expenditure ratio of 17 per cent of the budget

Saudi government says 99% of private sector contractors paid within 60 days

The kingdom’s finance ministry says it remains committed to making payments on time

Cryptocurrency, SME platform among initiatives launched by Saudi-UAE alliance

The seven new measures cover integration in the fields of financial markets, tourism, aviation, entrepreneurship, customs and security

Here’s why the global economy is headed for a recession in 2019

A hard landing is likely unless something happens to kickstart global growth, writes Reuters columnist John Kemp

Saudi to begin construction at $500bn NEOM development in 2019

The work on the first phase of NEOM Bay, an urban project, will be completed in 2020

Dubai skyline

Dubai’s non-oil sector growth eases, with job cuts in construction, travel and tourism

The Emirates NBD Dubai economy tracker index fell to its second-lowest reading in over two years in December

UAE and Oman to be ‘fastest growing economies in GCC’ – report

A report by the IIF predicts real GDP growth of 3.1 per cent for both countries in 2019

Different Arab money

Startup funding up by 31% in MENA region to reach $893m in 2018

A total of 366 investments were made in regional startups by 156 institutions last year

Pakistan says UAE’s financial assistance to shore up economy

Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed visited Islamabad on Sunday and confirmed a $3bn loan package

UAE’s real GDP ‘to grow 3.7%’ in 2019

The IMF’s latest outlook figures predict growth in the UAE but decline in the US and China

Sheikh Mohammed issues eight principles of governance in Dubai

Dubai is a business capital that will continue to attract new talent and focus on economic diversification, says ruler

Five industries to watch for future investments

Are these industries on the cusp of a boom?

Dubai issues 1,882 ‘instant’ business licences in 18 months

The instant licences are issued within five minutes

Saudi cabinet approves space agency, new entities for military industries and trade

Plans for the Saudi Space Agency were first announced last week as part of a cabinet reshuffle

Dubai reveals 2019 budget with marginal rise in spending, support for SMEs

The government expects to generate Dhs51bn in public revenues, an increase of 1.2 per cent