Economy

Saudi Arabia's PIF 2026-2030 strategy targets stronger returns and private-sector growth as non-oil GDP hits record highs and over one million jobs are created.

Bahrain's Economic Development Board attracted a record USD 3.5 billion in Foreign Direct Investment during 2025, with the Kingdom's financial services, ICT, manufacturing and logistics sectors all recording new entrants as Bahrain leverages its strategic Saudi gateway position, competitive costs and regulatory excellence to compete for Gulf FDI.

Gulf Cooperation Council sovereign wealth funds have collectively crossed USD 4 trillion in assets under management in 2026, with Abu Dhabi's ADIA, Saudi Arabia's PIF, Kuwait's KIA, Qatar's QIA, Mubadala and ADQ among the world's most active investors reshaping global real estate, technology, infrastructure and private equity markets.

GCC neobanks and digital banking platforms have collectively surpassed 15 million customers in 2026, led by UAE's Wio Bank and YAP and Saudi Arabia's STC Pay and Tabby, as the Gulf's young, tech-savvy population drives a digital finance revolution that is reshaping the region's banking landscape.

Oxford Economics forecasts GCC real GDP growth of 4.4% in 2026, driven by strong domestic demand, non-oil sector expansion across all six states, and elevated credit growth supported by interest rate cuts — with the region's combined economy worth over USD 2.1 trillion.

The UK and GCC signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement on June 8, 2026 — the first trade deal between the Gulf bloc and any G7 nation — eliminating 93% of GCC tariffs on British goods and unlocking £3.7 billion in annual trade gains, with total bilateral trade of £53 billion set to grow 20%.

Two cities. Two visions. Two Gulf states reshaping global business, tourism and investment. Dubai and Doha are the GCC's most internationally connected cities, and...

GCC nations are fast-tracking pipelines, port expansions, and rail connections to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, the UAE's Habshan-Fujairah bypass, Oman's Indian Ocean ports, and Etihad Rail are all being accelerated as the 2026 Hormuz disruption makes alternative routing a commercial and strategic emergency.

A potential SpaceX IPO is generating sustained Gulf sovereign fund attention because Starlink — the world's most commercially advanced satellite internet constellation — represents the connectivity layer that is conspicuously absent from portfolios that already cover AI models, chips, and data centre infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia has undergone one of the most dramatic tourism openings in the modern history of travel. In just six years since the kingdom...

Salaries in the Gulf Cooperation Council states remain among the highest in the world for professional expatriates, driven by the zero-income-tax environment, strong employer...

Gulf sovereign wealth funds deployed nearly $26 billion across global assets in March to May 2026 — treating regional volatility as a buying opportunity rather than a deterrent. AD Ports Group's AED 3 billion acquisition of Brazil's CLI port terminal operator anchors the infrastructure theme.