Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf have disrupted some business activity in one of the world’s most trade-dependent regions, forcing temporary airport closures, interrupting port operations and unsettling financial markets , while the private sector remains resilient according to authorities.
Global markets are heading into a high-risk open on Monday after joint US and Israeli military operation against Iran, dramatically escalating tensions across one of the world’s most systemically important energy corridors. Brent crude closed the week near seven-month highs around $73 per barrel.
A $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, managed by Norway's Norges Bank Investment Management, has begun using AI to police its own portfolio, deploying a large language model to scan over 7,000 companies for links to forced labour, corruption and fraud, thus reshaping how ESG risk is detected and acted upon, said a report.
The Arab region is experiencing a gradual economic recovery despite mounting challenges, according to a new report issued by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
A resurgence in global private equity is gathering steam after a rebound in dealmaking last year that saw both buyout deals and exits surge ahead to register their second highest values on record, says a report from Bain & Company.
Saudi Arabia’s sweeping diversification drive has transformed the structure of its economy, but the next phase must focus on quality and productivity rather than scale, as oil market dynamics continue to shape non-oil performance, according to PwC.
The US has positioned forces in the Gulf region, pressuring Iran to accept a set of US demands. Diplomatic channels remain open, but miscalculation by either party could result in an escalation. CIO Office Viewpoint from Lombard Odier examines the potential implications if US-Iran tensions were to escalate.
Franklin Templeton, one of the world’s largest global asset managers, said investors should expect a prolonged period of more divergent investment outcomes across markets, with increasingly uneven performance across asset classes and strategies, as global markets adapt to structural shifts in interest rates, capital allocation and technology adoption.
The 2026 CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) predictions made one point unmistakable: large-scale disruption is not hypothetical; AI increases both the likelihood and the blast radius of failure. Because of this, business continuity planning will need to evolve accordingly.
The GCC real estate market is poised to sustain its upward trajectory into the first half of 2026, building on strong momentum recorded in the latter part of 2025, according to a new report by Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz).
