News•Mar 10, 2026
Uzbekistan’s Foreign Arrivals Jump Sixfold From 1.9mn in 2021 to 11.7mn in 2025
Uzbekistan’s inbound tourism surged to 11.68 million arrivals in 2025, a six‑fold rise from 2021 and a 47 % year‑on‑year increase. Visits to relatives dominated, accounting for 67.3 % of trips, while leisure, business and medical travel also grew. Outbound travel by Uzbek citizens expanded 22 % to 7.56 million trips, again led by family visits. The government has set a target of welcoming 12 million foreign visitors in 2026, underscoring the sector’s strategic importance.
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 10, 2026
Hormuz Closure Would Cost Gulf States Average 3.8% of GDP, Marex Warns as Bahrain Most Exposed
Marex warns that a three‑month shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz would erode the average current‑account balance of Gulf states by 3.8% of GDP. Bahrain, lacking alternative export routes, would see its surplus flip to a 3.2% deficit, while Saudi...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 10, 2026
UAE Homebuilders to Prioritise Cash Conservation After Geopolitical Shock, Fitch Warns
Fitch Ratings warned that UAE homebuilders will shift focus to cash conservation after the regional conflict, as property viewings have already declined. The agency noted that pre‑sale escrow accounts provide short‑term stability for projects already under construction, but future developments...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 9, 2026
Gulf States Ask for Ukrainian Interceptor Drones as Patriot Stocks Dwindle
Ukrainian drone makers SkyFall and TAF Industries are fielding interceptor drones to Gulf states as U.S. Patriot missile stocks run low after intense use in the Middle East. The drones, costing a few thousand dollars each, offer a cheap alternative...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 9, 2026
Iran Denies Striking Turkey, Azerbaijan and Cyprus, Says 'False Flag'
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei denied that Iranian forces struck Turkey, Azerbaijan and Cyprus, calling the reported attacks a staged false‑flag operation. The denial follows Azerbaijan’s claim that Iranian drones hit Nakhchivan airport and a Turkish missile intercept on March 4,...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 8, 2026
War Jitters Drain Liquidity From Iran’s Markets as Rial Pricing Fractures
Iran’s financial markets entered a pronounced lull after US and Israeli strikes heightened geopolitical risk, leaving many trading venues partially shut and liquidity thin. Online dollar pricing via USDT surged to IRR 1,550,000 per dollar, yet physical dollar dealers accept roughly...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 7, 2026
ASH: Iran War - Who Needs Nukes when You Have Drones?
Iran’s low‑cost, $20,000 drones are emerging as a more disruptive strategic weapon than its nuclear program, targeting the Gulf’s diversified economic assets. The drone campaign threatens energy, logistics, tourism, real‑estate and financial sectors, raising the risk of capital flight and...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 5, 2026
Annual Inflation in Uzbekistan Ticks up 0.1pp to 7.3% in February
Uzbekistan’s annual inflation ticked up to 7.3% in February, a modest 0.1 percentage‑point rise from January and still 2.8 points below the 10.1% recorded a year earlier. Monthly inflation eased to 0.6% month‑on‑month, while core inflation rose to 0.5% month‑on‑month, pushing...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 5, 2026
Middle East War Could Trigger Currency Shock Across Africa - Fitch
Fitch Solutions warns that a broader US‑Iran conflict could trigger a sharp currency shock across sub‑Saharan Africa. In a prolonged escalation, Brent crude is projected to trade between $110 and $130 per barrel, raising energy costs and disrupting shipping routes....
By bne IntelliNews
_5.jpg)
News•Mar 3, 2026
Saudi Arabia Condemns 'Cowardly' Iranian Drone Attack on US Embassy in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry condemned Iran’s drone strike on the U.S. embassy in Riyadh as “cowardly” and a breach of international law, warning that such attacks could heighten regional escalation. The drones caused a fire and minor damage but no...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 3, 2026
Kazakh Manufacturing Hit by Marked Fall and Elevated Inflationary Pressures in February, PMI Shows
Kazakhstan's manufacturing PMI fell to 48.1 in February, down from 49.8 in January, indicating sector contraction. The decline reflects weaker domestic demand, higher tax pressure from a January VAT increase, and firms cutting staff, purchases, and inventories. Despite the downturn,...
By bne IntelliNews
.jpg)
News•Mar 3, 2026
Iran Says Intelligence Services Know Location of Netanyahu
Iranian Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi announced that Iran’s intelligence services have "complete oversight" of U.S. and Israeli targets and can pinpoint the locations of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meetings on March 3. He accused the United States of serving Israel’s interests,...
By bne IntelliNews
_3.jpg)
News•Mar 3, 2026
IAEA Confirms Damage to Iran's Natanz Nuclear Site Entrance, No Radiation Leak Detected
The International Atomic Energy Agency verified that recent strikes damaged the entrance buildings of Iran’s Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant, based on satellite imagery, but found no radiological release. The underground enrichment hall remains intact, limiting immediate safety concerns. Natanz, already...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 2, 2026
Indonesia’s Geothermal Quest: Where Massive Potential Meets Structural Reality
Indonesia holds roughly 24‑29 GW of technically recoverable geothermal resources but operates only about 2.71 GW, a fraction of its potential. A new partnership between Star Energy Geothermal and US firm SLB aims to de‑risk the Sekincau field and assets in North...
By bne IntelliNews
News•Mar 2, 2026
South Korea Faces Renewable Energy Safety Concerns
South Korea’s National Assembly approved amendments that dramatically reduce setback distances for renewable‑energy installations, shifting authority from local governments to the central government. The change comes amid a spate of high‑profile accidents, including a wind turbine collapse, a turbine‑blade fire,...
By bne IntelliNews
Deals•Feb 19, 2026
PicPay Files to Acquire Brazil Insurer Kovr Seguradora
Brazilian fintech PicPay, part of J&F Group, has filed a request with the antitrust regulator CADE to acquire insurance provider Kovr Seguradora, aiming to expand into insurance, capitalisation products and private pensions. The transaction value was not disclosed and still...
bne IntelliNews