Saudi Arabia: IPO Magnet
Saudi Arabia cemented its role as the Gulf’s premier IPO hub in 2025, delivering 37 of the region’s 42 listings and raising roughly $4.2 billion. The Saudi Stock Exchange’s Main Market and its Nomu parallel market split the flow, with Nomu accounting for 24 deals. Recent regulatory tweaks, notably the removal of the Qualified Foreign Investor requirement, have broadened access for global capital. Despite geopolitical headwinds, domestic institutions remain the backbone of demand while foreign participation steadily climbs.
Q&A: How Lebanon’s Aviation Chief Keeps Beirut Airport Open Amid Iran War Chaos
Amid the US‑Israeli war on Iran, Beirut’s Rafic Hariri Airport remains operational despite daily Israeli strikes near the city. Captain Mohammed Aziz, head of Lebanon’s Civil Aviation Authority, says Middle East Airlines (MEA) is the sole carrier still flying, operating...
Corridor Of Power: China’s Inland Hub Connects to ASEAN
China’s New International Land‑Sea Trade Corridor (New ILSTC) moved 1.425 million TEUs in 2025, a 47.6% year‑on‑year rise, and generated $196 billion in trade value, up 17.9%. ASEAN’s share of Chinese exports climbed to 17.6% in 2025, while shipments to Southeast Asia jumped...
Going Deeper: Trade Finance In Asia
Asian demand for trade finance remains robust despite US tariff uncertainty, with exporters turning to supply‑chain finance (SCF) and green financing solutions. Forecasts show a 9.8% CAGR for overall SCF and an 18.6% CAGR for sustainable SCF through 2033, reflecting...
The Gulf’s Digital Transformation
The United Arab Emirates is positioning itself as the Gulf’s premier hub for digital assets, with regulators such as VARA, ADGM and the Securities and Commodities Authority creating a clear, activity‑based framework for tokenized securities, real estate and even oil‑backed...
New Frontier In The Gulf
Private credit in the Gulf is moving from a niche to a fast‑growing asset class, with the market expected to reach $11‑20 billion by 2030. A $250 billion financing gap for SMEs is driving sovereign wealth funds and regional managers to supply...
Hisham Ezz Al-Arab: Period of Transition
Egypt’s private sector now drives 78% of GDP and generated 94% of exports in 2023, with private investment hitting a record 65% of total capital. The government aims to boost private investment above 70% by 2030 and will list 20...
Middle East: Key Trends Shaping 2026
The US‑Israeli war with Iran has plunged the Middle East into its deepest crisis in decades, rattling Gulf economies, global oil markets and supply chains. Prior to the escalation, GCC growth was outpacing the world, with Qatar at 6.1% and...
Beyond Speed and Cost: The Push for Transparency in Cross-Border Payments
The cross‑border payments industry is shifting from a focus on speed and cost to a demand for total transparency, driven by the G20 roadmap and coordinated pressure from regulators, banks, fintechs, corporates, and consumers. Transparency comprises upfront fee and FX...
Boards Under Pressure, Insurers On Alert
Corporate boards are confronting a rapidly expanding risk matrix that includes tighter ESG and AI disclosure requirements, heightened geopolitical volatility, and a surge in shareholder activism. These pressures are driving an uptick in directors‑and‑officers (D&O) claims and causing premiums, which...
UniCredit Tests Germany’s Resolve On Commerzbank
UniCredit has moved to cross the 30% ownership threshold in Commerzbank by offering a share‑swap that values the German lender at roughly €35 billion ($40.5 billion). The proposal, which includes a modest 4% premium, would trigger a compulsory bid and let UniCredit...
AI: The Crowding-Out Effect
Capital expenditures for AI infrastructure are projected to more than double this year, reaching over $830 billion by 2026 and potentially $7 trillion within five years. This scale approaches half the volume of the U.S. investment‑grade bond market and two‑thirds of leveraged...
Global Salon: Transaction Banking’s Digital Pivot
Chad Wallace, a veteran of Mastercard, Goldman Sachs and Scotiabank, says transaction banking has moved from a back‑office function to a core growth engine. He highlights the 2015 cloud migration at Capital One and the creation of a fintech‑style platform...
Liquidity CEO Discusses UAE’s Strategic Advantage Despite Regional Turmoil
Liquidity, an AI‑driven fintech lender with a multi‑billion‑dollar portfolio, operates its largest office in Abu Dhabi and a second hub in Tel Aviv. Amid escalating US‑Israeli strikes on Iran, more than half of its staff are located in the conflict...
El Salvador Central Bank Launches 24/7 Banking Platform
El Salvador’s central bank launched Pay, a free 24/7 digital payment platform aimed at informal workers and small businesses. The system, already serving about 10,000 users, enables QR‑code payments, interbank transfers, and records income for future credit access. Users must...
