Skip to content
Friday, September 18, 2026GULF & MENA BUSINESS NEWS
Dijla News

Dijla News — GULF & MENA BUSINESS NEWS

Tech & AI

What is G42, Abu Dhabi's AI group

Founded in 2018, G42 spans sovereign AI, health, space and geospatial businesses, took Microsoft's $1.5 billion in 2024, and anchors the UAE side of the Stargate campus.

Hiroshi Nakamura
Executives celebrating a listing ceremony at a Gulf exchange
Markets & Finance

Inside the Gulf IPO boom

Lulu raised $1.7 billion on the ADX in November 2024 and Talabat followed with about $2 billion on the DFM in December. Gulf exchanges now host some of the world's most subscribed listings.

Christopher Lee
Berlin government district and construction cranes at sunset
World

UAE pledges 40 billion euros to Germany

Announced in Berlin on September 10, 2026, the UAE's 40-billion-euro investment pledge centres on data centres and AI, on top of 34 billion euros already invested, with 30 deals sealed.

Amara Okonkwo
World

UAE equities add Dh37 billion in August

Dubai and Abu Dhabi stocks added nearly Dh37 billion of market value in August 2026, taking combined capitalisation to Dh3.886 trillion, with DFM up 17.5 percent year-to-date.

Amara Okonkwo
Workers at a Gulf construction site at morning break
Gulf BusinessHow Gulf labour systems were reformed
Data centre hall and office towers of Abu Dhabi at dusk
Tech & AIWhat is G42, Abu Dhabi's AI group
Marina and residential units at an Omani coastal tourism complex
Real EstateBuying property in Oman: ITCs and musataha rights
Executives celebrating a listing ceremony at a Gulf exchange
Markets & FinanceInside the Gulf IPO boom
Flat infographic of expatriate household budget shares
Culture & LifeHow much can expatriates save in the Gulf
Berlin government district and construction cranes at sunset
WorldUAE pledges 40 billion euros to Germany

Gulf Business

More to read →
Workers at a Gulf construction site at morning break
Gulf Business

How Gulf labour systems were reformed

Qatar scrapped exit permits and the NOC in 2020, the UAE replaced unlimited contracts and the NOC in 2022, and Saudi Arabia opened job mobility in 2021. What changed, and what did not.

Khalid Okonkwo
Sep 16, 2026
Tech & AI
Data centre hall and office towers of Abu Dhabi at dusk

What is G42, Abu Dhabi's AI group

Founded in 2018, G42 spans sovereign AI, health, space and geospatial businesses, took Microsoft's $1.5 billion in 2024, and anchors the UAE side of the Stargate campus.

Hiroshi Nakamura
Sep 15, 2026
Markets & Finance
Executives celebrating a listing ceremony at a Gulf exchange

Inside the Gulf IPO boom

Lulu raised $1.7 billion on the ADX in November 2024 and Talabat followed with about $2 billion on the DFM in December. Gulf exchanges now host some of the world's most subscribed listings.

Christopher Lee
Sep 12, 2026
Real Estate
Central Business District towers of Egypt's new capital rising from the desert

Egypt's New Administrative Capital, explained

The 700-square-kilometre project east of Cairo broke ground in 2016, moved the government into its ministries by 2023 and is selling a financial district with Africa's tallest tower. Who is buying is another question.

Karim Al-Rashid
Apr 27, 2026
Markets & Finance
Tax documents and a calculator on a desk in an office in Dubai

What is the UAE corporate tax

The UAE charges 9 percent corporate tax on profits above AED 375,000 for financial years started on or after June 1, 2023, with a 0 percent rate for qualifying free zone income.

Christopher Lee
Jun 4, 2026
Real Estate
Flat infographic of a REIT distributing rental income to unitholders

What is a REIT in the Gulf

Gulf REITs bundle income-producing property into listed vehicles: Saudi Arabia hosts the region's largest set under CMA rules from 2016, the UAE counts ENBD REIT and peers, and payouts are mandated by regulation.

Karim Al-Rashid
Apr 23, 2026

Culture & Life

More to read →
Dubai Metro viaduct and skyline at sunrise
Culture & Life

Can you live in Dubai without a car

The Dubai Metro carried 275.4 million riders in 2024 and 294.7 million in 2025. Car-free living works in a band of districts along the Red and Green Lines, with caveats in summer.

David Morgan
Jul 6, 2026

World

More to read →
Berlin government district and construction cranes at sunset
World

UAE pledges 40 billion euros to Germany

Announced in Berlin on September 10, 2026, the UAE's 40-billion-euro investment pledge centres on data centres and AI, on top of 34 billion euros already invested, with 30 deals sealed.

Amara Okonkwo
Sep 11, 2026
Flat infographic of UAE market performance in August 2026
World

UAE equities add Dh37 billion in August

Dubai and Abu Dhabi stocks added nearly Dh37 billion of market value in August 2026, taking combined capitalisation to Dh3.886 trillion, with DFM up 17.5 percent year-to-date.

Amara Okonkwo
Sep 2, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dijla News?
Dijla News is an English-language publication covering Gulf and wider Middle East business: deals, sovereign funds, real estate, technology and markets across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and neighboring economies, with every number attributed and every news item dated.
What countries does the Gulf region include?
The Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf region, includes the six GCC states — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman — plus Iraq and Iran on its shores. Business coverage usually focuses on the GCC six, the region’s largest trading and investment bloc.
What is a sovereign wealth fund?
A sovereign wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund that holds and grows a country’s surplus revenues, usually from oil or gas. The Gulf runs the world’s largest, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the UAE’s ADIA and Qatar’s QIA.
Which are the largest sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf?
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) are the Gulf’s largest sovereign funds, each managing hundreds of billions of dollars in global assets across equities, real estate, infrastructure and technology.
How much does it cost to start a business in Dubai?
A Dubai free-zone license typically costs from about AED 10,000–25,000 (roughly $2,700–$6,800) per year including registration, while mainland setups start near AED 15,000–30,000 with visa and office costs added. Total first-year budgeting of $6,000–15,000 is a practical starting range.
What is a free zone in the UAE?
A free zone is a designated UAE jurisdiction where foreign investors can own 100% of a company, with streamlined licensing, customs exemptions and their own regulators. Dubai alone has more than 20 free zones, each specialized — from media (Dubai Media City) to finance (DIFC) and commodities (DMCC).
Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?
Yes. Foreigners can buy, sell and rent out property in designated freehold areas of Dubai and Abu Dhabi with full ownership rights, including apartments, villas and off-plan units. Purchase costs add roughly 4% transfer duty plus agent and trustee fees; no annual property tax applies.
What is Saudi Vision 2030?
Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia’s national plan to diversify its economy away from oil — building new sectors such as tourism, entertainment, logistics and mining, developing projects like NEOM, and growing the Public Investment Fund into one of the world’s largest sovereign investors.
What is the Saudi Public Investment Fund?
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and the main engine of Vision 2030. It manages over $700 billion in assets, anchors giga-projects such as NEOM, owns stakes in global companies and has transformed Saudi football, gaming and entertainment sectors.
Which stock exchanges operate in the Gulf?
The Gulf’s main exchanges are the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) — the region’s largest — the Dubai Financial Market and Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in the UAE, the Qatar Stock Exchange, Kuwait’s Boursa and the Muscat Stock Exchange. Several are included in emerging-market indexes.
What is the Tadawul?
Tadawul is the Saudi Exchange, the largest stock market in the Middle East. Its headline listing is Saudi Aramco, the world’s most valuable listed company at its 2019 IPO. Tadawul is tracked by global index providers and opens to foreign institutional investors under QFI rules.
Is cryptocurrency legal in the UAE?
Yes, with regulation. The UAE licenses virtual-asset firms through ADGM in Abu Dhabi and VARA in Dubai, and the central bank frames digital-asset rules. Licensed exchanges operate legally; unlicensed activity and marketing are restricted. Bahrain and Saudi rules differ, with Saudi Arabia banning crypto trading.
What are the biggest industries in the Gulf?
Oil and gas remain the Gulf’s core industries, followed by sovereign-fund investment, banking and finance, real estate and construction, logistics and ports, tourism, petrochemicals and — fastest-growing — technology and renewable energy under national diversification programs.
Why is Dubai real estate so expensive?
Dubai property prices are driven by limited prime land, strong foreign demand — including golden-visa buyers — tax-free yields that attract investors, and record transactions since 2021. Prime areas such as Palm Jumeirah and Downtown command the region’s highest per-square-foot prices.
What currency is used in the Gulf?
Each Gulf state has its own currency pegged to the US dollar: the UAE dirham (AED), Saudi riyal (SAR), Qatari riyal (QAR), Kuwaiti dinar (KWD), Bahraini dinar (BHD) and Omani rial (OMR). The dollar peg keeps exchange-rate risk minimal for business.
How do I advertise on Dijla News?
Dijla News accepts advertising and sponsored placements through the VUGA Network. Options include display placements and sponsored editorial across the network’s publications; contact the team via the Advertise page for current rates and availability.