Saudi-based Shalfa Facilities Management Company has sealed a sharia-compliant credit facilities agreement with Saudi Awwal Bank for its operational activities and to fund its future projects. The funding will also be used for issuing bid bonds, letters of credit and project progress payment finance.
Estithmar Holding, a leading Qatari public listed company with a diverse portfolio of over 100 companies, has reported a 54% increase in revenue to QAR6.4 billion ($1.75 billion) in 2025, compared with QAR4.2 billion in 2024.
Iran’s attacks on GCC countries, and the resulting closure of airspace and main shipping route, are unlikely to affect the existing ratings of state-owned companies in the region. This reflects the strong likelihood that the governments will support their key operating companies, according to Fitch Ratings.
Free Zones Authority of Ajman has recorded exceptional financial and operational results in 2025, achieving a major surge in the number of registered companies compared to 2024. Revenues also rose by 17% due to the growth in the number of investors, while occupancy rates reached 95%.
Saudi-based International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, signed a $1 billion framework agreement with Mauritania covering the 2026–2030 period to strengthen cooperation and support the country’s economic development priorities through strategic trade finance and capacity-building initiatives.
Oman Investment Bank has completed a $130 million minority investment in Uzum, Uzbekistan’s leading digital services ecosystem, by a consortium of investors led by sovereign entities of Oman.
The US dollar and Treasury yields could come under pressure as sentiment shifted after indications that the conflict in the Middle East could move toward a quicker resolution than previously expected. The expectations of a decrease in tensions triggered a pullback in oil prices, said an industry expert.
Ardian, a global private investment firm, has reached an agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), to launch a new real estate secondaries platform.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict risks pushing global inflation higher, after oil prices surged more than 30 per cent in Asian trading to their highest levels since 2022.
Saudi Arabia’s real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.5% in 2025 compared with 2024, driven by growth across all economic activities, with oil activities rising 5.7%. The total GDP at current prices reached SAR4,789 billion ($1275.70 billion) in the year.
