Middle East Investment Watch

• UAE startups secured $1.3 billion in H1 2026, surpassing last year’s full total and retaking the regional top spot from Saudi Arabia.
• Three...

Bank of America highlights three MENA oil names with distinct operational drivers heading into late 2026.

• ADNOC Gas: Buy rating backed by 60%...

FAB's AED 100 billion blue finance commitment for 2026-2035 signals the UAE's strategic push to channel capital into water security and sustainable...

Dubai is positioning itself as the MEASA region's premier financial centre by launching Dubai Future Finance Week (2-6 November 2026), a platform with...

Reported attack on Saudi Aramco's Jazan refinery leaves damage assessment ongoing, with no independently verified effects on refining capacity, fuel supply, or energy-risk premiums disclosed.

Inmarsat's new platform merges three years of GMDSS distress calls with 106,975 safety broadcasts, exposing clear patterns in sea risk.

• Weather...

U.S. sanctions have not prevented Iran from building substantial drone and cyber capabilities, including low-cost Shahed drones and infrastructure...

PayTabs' acquisition of Amazon Payment Services' MENA operations for over $100 million creates a combined platform processing more than SAR 150...

The iShares MSCI UAE ETF delivers low-cost Gulf exposure at 9.6x earnings and a 4.5% yield, yet its 56% weighting in financials and real estate...

AI captured $678 million or 50% of MENA VC funding in H1 2026, despite deals dropping 56% year-on-year.

• UAE dominance: The country secured 93% of AI...

Tropical Storm Edouard's landfall near the Sabine Pass LNG hub risks compounding Middle East supply shocks by delaying exports and heightening price...

• $160 billion in bonds and sukuk issued YTD, on pace to surpass 2025’s $252 billion record
• Sovereign sales jumped 40% while banks led with $63...

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve has fallen to 289.7 million barrels, its lowest level since November 1982, after a 172-million-barrel release...

Gulf stock markets closed lower on Sunday as investors turned cautious after renewed U.S. rate-hike expectations following Warsh remarks, pointing to near-term pressure on liquidity, valuations, and positioning in the region.

MENA funds raised since 2024 hold $1.45B in undeployed capital, but most reflects young vintages rather than investor hesitation.

• Deployment pace...

• Diplomatic headway: Oman's foreign minister expects a temporary navigation corridor announcement soon, alongside step-by-step shipping rules and...

Four angles reveal the crisis's depth despite partial relief.

• Markets shrugged off U.S. sanctions on Iran, sending Brent down 4% to $88.34 as...

• Kinetic threat persists: An oil tanker was disabled by projectile off Oman, with Iran maintaining control and firing on vessels despite no claim of...

The Iran conflict has triggered the largest oil supply shock on record, with 5-7 million bpd disrupted through the Strait of Hormuz.

• Supply scale:...

Saudi Arabia's space economy is forecast to expand from $8.7bn in 2024 to $31.6bn by 2035, positioning satellite and digital technologies as core...