Tag: Economy
UAE Central Bank: Economy Set for 5.6% Growth in 2026 as Banking Assets Surpass AED 5.47 Trillion
The UAE Central Bank projects 5.6% GDP growth for 2026, with banking sector assets exceeding AED 5.472 trillion, credit rising to AED 2.63 trillion, and non-oil foreign trade hitting AED 2,530 billion in the first nine months of 2025 — while Moody's and S&P maintain top-tier credit ratings.
UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement Signed: First G7 Nation Seals Gulf Deal Worth £3.7 Billion a Year
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%.
UAE PMI 52.6 in May 2026: Business Expansion Continues Despite Hormuz Delivery Delays at Worst Since April 2020
The UAE's non-oil PMI reached 52.6 in May 2026, maintaining expansion, but supplier delivery times deteriorated to the worst level since April 2020 as Hormuz shipping disruptions extend import lead times across the economy — forcing businesses to rethink inventory and supply chain strategies.
Bahrain Non-Oil Economy at 85% of GDP: How the Kingdom Became the GCC’s Most Diversified Economy
Bahrain's non-oil sectors now represent approximately 85 per cent of GDP — with financial services alone at 17 per cent — making the Kingdom the GCC's most structurally diversified economy by this measure, built on the foundations of Vision 2030, a unified financial regulator, and early-mover regulatory innovation.
Qatar Economy 2026: Best Sectors for Expat Investors, Business Setup Guide and LNG Growth Outlook
Qatar's economy in 2026 is entering a multi-year growth phase as the North Field LNG expansion approaches first production, GDP growth is projected to exceed 5 per cent from 2027, and new foreign ownership rules have driven a 66 per cent surge in new company formations in Q1 2026.
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How the UAE Left the FATF Grey List — and What Did Not Change
The UAE came off FATF monitoring on 23 February 2024 with three other countries — and was never blacklisted. What delisting did not change for businesses.
Al Wathba Wetland Reserve: Abu Dhabi’s Flamingo Sanctuary
The flamingo figure everyone quotes is a seasonal peak. The real story is 1,000 nests — and the GCC’s first IUCN Green List site almost nobody mentions.
UAE Commercial Agency Law: What Federal Law 3 of 2022 Changed
The 2022 agency law did not open agencies to foreign ownership, and the transition is not two years. What the Ministry’s own text actually says.
The UAE Data Protection Law: What the PDPL Actually Requires
The PDPL is in force but its Executive Regulations are not issued — so the fines, the breach clock and your compliance deadline do not yet exist in law.


