Dubai’s economy grows 3.2%, driven by financial, trade and transport sectors

Dubai’s economy grows 3.2%, driven by financial, trade and transport sectors
Dubai’s economy continues its upward trajectory, with significant growth across key sectors. (Shutterstock)
Short Url
Updated 24 July 2024
Follow

Dubai’s economy grows 3.2%, driven by financial, trade and transport sectors

Dubai’s economy grows 3.2%, driven by financial, trade and transport sectors
  • Transportation, storage, financial and insurance activities sectors each posted a growth rate of 5.6%
  • Trade sector recorded a 3% increase

RIYADH: Dubai’s economy saw 3.2 percent year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2024, with its gross domestic product reaching 115 billion dirhams ($31.3 billion). 

The transportation and storage industry, as well as the financial and insurance activities sector, each posted a growth rate of 5.6 percent, while the trade sector recorded a 3 percent increase. 

This comes as Dubai’s economy continues its upward trajectory, with significant growth across key sectors, reflecting the government’s strategic agenda to enhance the emirate’s global economic standing and attract foreign investment. 

Dubai’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al-Maktoum said the latest GDP figures cement the fact that the emirate showcases robust economic indicators, the Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM, reported. 

“Dubai is progressing in accordance with a clear vision whose foundations were laid down and whose goals were defined by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. What we witness today is a practical reflection of this vision, which has placed Dubai among the leading economic and commercial centers of the world,” said Sheikh Hamdan. 

He added that the accomplishments of the emirate underscore the collaborative endeavors and teamwork of diverse stakeholders in achieving the goals set out in the emirate’s comprehensive development plans for 2033. 

The government’s plans include the Dubai Economic Agenda and Dubai Social Agenda 2033, both aimed at elevating overall well-being and quality of life, while strengthening the emirate’s position as a leading global economic hub and enhancing its appeal as a destination for foreign investments. 

“Dubai’s ambition is limitless, and its success story will remain a role model for cities wishing to create a promising future for their coming generations. Our goal is to sustain success and establish a culture of excellence and leadership across all sectors in the emirate to preserve these gains and move toward new horizons of excellence,” he added. 

Other sectors also contributed to the overall economic expansion, with the information and communications sector rising by 3.9 percent, the accommodation and food services sector increasing by 3.8 percent, and the real estate sector seeing growth of 3.7 percent.

Helal Saeed Almarri, director-general of the Department of Economy and Tourism said: “Dubai’s impressive quarterly growth performance underscores the sustained momentum and confidence within its dynamic business ecosystem, reflecting the robust diversification of our economic foundations.”

He added that initiatives such as the Foreign Direct Investment Development Program and the implementation of the Dubai Economic Model to monitor the city’s advancement will further help fuel the economy’s output.

“These measures will enhance collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders, propelling Dubai toward its goal of achieving top global status for economic growth and becoming a prime destination for business, talent, and investment,” Almarri further said.

In 2023, Dubai’s GDP reached approximately 429 billion dirhams, marking an annual increase of 3.3 percent.


Syria announces sweeping tax reforms to boost transparency, investment

Syria announces sweeping tax reforms to boost transparency, investment
Updated 11 sec ago
Follow

Syria announces sweeping tax reforms to boost transparency, investment

Syria announces sweeping tax reforms to boost transparency, investment

RIYADH: Syria’s Finance Ministry has announced a major overhaul of the country’s tax system, set to take effect in early 2026, as part of broader efforts to modernize fiscal policy, enhance transparency, and attract investment.

According to a statement carried by the state-run SANA news agency, the draft law for the new income tax system is currently open for public consultation until July 30. The reforms are designed to ease the burden on taxpayers, promote fairness, and stimulate economic activity through clearer and more equitable rules.

Under the proposed system, individuals earning less than $12,000 annually will be fully exempt from income tax, in a move aimed at supporting low-income earners.

Corporate tax rates will be tailored by sector, replacing the current “flat income committees” with a more transparent and structured mechanism.

The reforms will also unify multiple charges into a single tax fee to eliminate double taxation, while offering deductions for taxpayers who make verified social contributions.

Enhanced digital systems—including mandatory electronic invoicing and QR code integration—will be introduced to curb tax evasion and strengthen compliance.

To improve trust and streamline the resolution of tax disputes, the ministry plans to implement simplified procedures, with complex cases referred to a specialized tax court. Notably, the burden of proving income sources will shift from the taxpayer to the tax authority—a significant change from the existing framework.

In addition, incentives will be introduced for timely payment, and a separate initiative will address the settlement of outstanding tax dues to protect public funds without overburdening taxpayers.

The Finance Ministry said the changes reflect its commitment to building a fair, flexible, and modern tax environment that can support Syria’s broader economic recovery.


Saudi MSME lending surges 31% in Q1 amid digital optimism and financial reform

Saudi MSME lending surges 31% in Q1 amid digital optimism and financial reform
Updated 18 min 17 sec ago
Follow

Saudi MSME lending surges 31% in Q1 amid digital optimism and financial reform

Saudi MSME lending surges 31% in Q1 amid digital optimism and financial reform
  • Total value of facilities reached SR383.2 billion
  • 95.12 percent was disbursed by banks

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s lending to small, medium, and micro enterprises rose by 31 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2025, according to recent data from the Saudi Central Bank. 

The total value of facilities reached SR383.2 billion ($102.18 billion), up from SR293.43 billion in the same period last year. 

Of this, 95.12 percent was disbursed by banks, while the remaining 4.88 percent came from finance companies, highlighting the formal sector’s growing involvement in SME credit provision. 

Medium-sized companies — defined as those with revenues between SR40 million and SR200 million and 50–249 employees — accounted for the largest share of loans, receiving SR190.18 billion. 

Small enterprises followed with SR139.6 billion, while micro-enterprises received SR53.43 billion. Notably, micro-enterprises saw the fastest growth, with loan volumes surging by 82 percent year on year, compared to 35 percent for small enterprises and 18 percent for medium-sized firms. 

The lending boom reflects the expanding role of SMEs in Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification strategy under Vision 2030. 

Monsha’at, the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, has played a pivotal role through programs like Kafalah — a loan guarantee initiative designed to de-risk lending to SMEs by assuring a portion of the loan value to participating financial institutions. 

This has been instrumental in extending access to credit, particularly for micro and first-time borrowers. 

Despite rising loan volumes, credit access remains a structural challenge. According to the World Bank, SMEs across the Middle East and North Africa region receive only 8 percent of total bank credit, compared to 22 percent in high-income economies. In Saudi Arabia, SMEs accounted for just over 9 percent of total loans in 2024 — far below the Vision 2030 target of 20 percent. 

New players are helping bridge the gap. Saudi-based fintech platform Erad recently raised $16 million in a pre-Series A funding round to expand its Shariah-compliant, data-driven SME financing offering, according to Wamda in April. 

The company, which provides funding in as little as 48 hours, says over 60 percent of its clients are first-time credit takers. Since launch, it has processed more than SR100 million in funding and received over SR2 billion in applications, underscoring pent-up demand for fast, flexible finance. 

Meanwhile, digital optimism among Saudi entrepreneurs is on the rise. According to the 2025 Mastercard SME Confidence Index, 93 percent of surveyed SMEs expressed confidence in the year ahead. 

The adoption of digital payments has risen sharply, with 99 percent now accepting them, up from 88 percent in 2023. SMEs cited faster access to revenues, enhanced credibility with financial institutions, and more streamlined transactions as key benefits. 

Data and AI are also seen as enablers of smarter, more inclusive lending. Nearly 97 percent of surveyed SMEs said better data and analytics tools were essential to scaling operations. 

A growing number are prioritizing AI, automation, and cybersecurity in their growth strategies — trends that align with broader efforts to digitize financial infrastructure. 

Lending models must evolve alongside SME needs. Traditional bank lending often requires fixed-asset collateral and extensive documentation, limiting access for tech-oriented or service-based SMEs, according to a June article by International Banker. 

Risk assessment remains based on backward-looking financials, rather than dynamic indicators like sales or payroll data. Fintechs like Erad are disrupting this model by using real-time revenue data to underwrite loans. 

Globally, the credit gap for SMEs stands at $5.7 trillion, with Gulf Cooperation Council countries accounting for roughly $250 billion of that, according to International Banker. Saudi Arabia’s efforts to close this gap are gaining momentum. In addition to loan guarantees and fintech innovations, open banking frameworks, SME-focused digital banks, and embedded finance models are helping to lower access barriers. 

Vision 2030 sets a clear target: raise SME contribution to GDP from 30 percent to 35 percent. With over 1.8 million SMEs now operating in the Kingdom, financial empowerment of this sector is not just a policy goal — it is a macroeconomic imperative. 

The path ahead will require deeper ecosystem alignment, tailored credit models, and continued innovation. But the first quarter of 2025 has already signaled a strong start — one that reflects both institutional commitment and entrepreneurial momentum across the Kingdom. 


Oil Updates — prices up as demand expectations, economic data lift sentiment

Oil Updates — prices up as demand expectations, economic data lift sentiment
Updated 17 July 2025
Follow

Oil Updates — prices up as demand expectations, economic data lift sentiment

Oil Updates — prices up as demand expectations, economic data lift sentiment

SINGAPORE: Oil prices rose on Thursday, reversing declines in the previous three sessions, buoyed by stronger-than-expected economic data from the world’s top oil consumers and signs of easing trade tensions.

Brent crude futures rose 8 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $68.60 a barrel at 8:30 a.m. Saudi time. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 16 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $66.54. Both benchmarks fell more than 0.2 percent in the previous session.

US President Donald Trump has said letters notifying smaller countries of their US tariff rates would go out soon, and said on Wednesday that he would probably put a blanket 10 percent or 15 percent tariff on smaller countries.

New agreements with Indonesia and Vietnam were announced this week.

Trump also offered renewed optimism about prospects of a deal with Beijing on illicit drugs and hinted that a trade deal with India was very close, while an agreement could possibly be reached with Europe as well.

“Trump softened tones on China and proposed lower tariff rates on smaller countries, which are seen as positive developments in the global trade outlooks,” said independent analyst Tina Teng.

“China’s better-than-expected economic data and the US’s larger-than-expected oil inventory draw have both been bullish factors for oil prices.”

US crude inventories fell by 3.9 million barrels to 422.2 million barrels last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday, a steeper decline than forecast for a 552,000-barrel draw, suggesting stronger refinery activity, tighter supply, and increased demand.

However, larger-than-expected builds in gasoline and diesel inventories capped price gains. This raised concerns of weakening demand from summer travel, ANZ analysts said in a note on Thursday.

The latest snapshot of the US economy by the central bank, released on Wednesday, showed activity picked up in recent weeks. However, the outlook was “neutral to slightly pessimistic” as businesses reported that higher import tariffs were putting upward pressure on prices.

Meanwhile, China data showed growth slowed in the second quarter, but not by as much as previously feared, in part because of front-loading to beat US tariffs, easing fears over the state of the world’s largest crude importer’s economy.

Data also showed that China’s June crude oil throughput was up 8.5 percent from a year ago, implying stronger fuel demand.

“Support has come from the positive news pertaining to some easing of trade tensions between China and the US with President Trump lifting the ban on the sale of AI chips to China along with the announcement of a trade deal with Indonesia,” said John Paisie, president of Stratas Advisers. 


Most Gulf markets in red on US inflation concerns, rate uncertainty

Most Gulf markets in red on US inflation concerns, rate uncertainty
Updated 16 July 2025
Follow

Most Gulf markets in red on US inflation concerns, rate uncertainty

Most Gulf markets in red on US inflation concerns, rate uncertainty
  • Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index dropped 0.5%
  • Dubai’s benchmark index jumped 1%

DUBAI: Most Gulf markets ended lower on Wednesday as investors weighed US trade policy developments and signs that tariffs may be fueling inflation, while awaiting cues on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy. 

US consumer prices rose at the fastest pace in five months in June, raising concerns that tariffs were beginning to pressure inflation. 

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said letters notifying smaller countries of their tariff rates would be sent soon. 

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index dropped 0.5 percent, hit by a 0.4 percent fall in Al Rajhi Bank. Oil giant Saudi Aramco fell 0.7 percent. About 217.4 million shares changed hands, compared with an average of 314.3 million shares over the previous 10 sessions. 

Oil prices — a catalyst for the Gulf’s financial markets — fell by about 1 percent, as signs of stronger Chinese crude consumption were outweighed by investor caution about the wider economic impact from US tariffs. 

Dubai’s benchmark index jumped 1 percent to 5,974 dirhams, having crossed the mark for the first time in nearly 17.5 years. Financial stocks led gains with a 3.7 percent jump in Emirates NBD after concluding 3.9 billion dirhams in syndicated loans for Dubai Metro’s Blue Line Project. 

Abu Dhabi index added 0.3 percent, helped by a 2.6 percent increase in top lender First Abu Dhabi Bank. Strong bank earnings lifted sentiment across both Abu Dhabi and Dubai financials. 

Qatar’s stock index inched 0.1 percent lower. In the US, data on Tuesday showed consumer prices rose 0.3 percent in June, in line with forecasts, but the largest gain since January. 

Trump, however, reiterated his call for lower interest rates from the Fed, saying that consumer prices remain low. Monetary policy in the Gulf tends to mirror the Fed’s moves, given the region’s currency pegs to the US dollar. 

Outside the Gulf, Egypt’s blue-chip index, which is trading at a near all-time high, dropped 1 percent, weighed by a 5.3 percent slide in tobacco monopoly Eastern Company. 

Egypt’s progress on structural reforms under an $8 billion International Monetary Fund loan agreement has been mixed, the fund said, citing the public sector’s continued dominance of the economy as a problem.


IMF says Egypt makes mixed reform progress, cites state dominance of economy 

IMF says Egypt makes mixed reform progress, cites state dominance of economy 
Updated 16 July 2025
Follow

IMF says Egypt makes mixed reform progress, cites state dominance of economy 

IMF says Egypt makes mixed reform progress, cites state dominance of economy 

CAIRO: Egypt’s progress on structural reforms under an $8 billion International Monetary Fund loan agreement has been mixed, the fund said, citing the public sector’s continued dominance of the economy as a problem.

In its long-delayed staff report for the fourth review of Egypt’s program, the IMF said there had been limited headway in reducing the role of state- and military-owned firms which enjoy preferential treatment in the form of tax exemptions, access to prime land and cheap labor.

These companies remain largely shielded from public scrutiny, with “very limited transparency about their financial condition,” the fund said.

Egypt’s reliance on a state-led growth model, centered on mega-projects and public investment, was curbing job creation and stifling the private sector in an increasingly volatile global environment, it said.

“The resulting financial and resource distortions have left Egypt with a large informal economy and few buffers against growing global financial, geopolitical and climate shocks,” the fund said.

The report was published late Tuesday, four months after the board approved the review and unlocked a $1.2 billion disbursement. Total disbursements are around $3.5 billion.

The 46-month facility was signed in March 2024 following more than a year of severe foreign currency shortages and inflation that peaked at 38 percent in September 2023.

The fund said last week it would merge the fifth and sixth program reviews into one later this year to give Egypt more time to implement critical reforms.

The fund forecast that Egypt’s external debt would rise from $162.7 billion in 2024/25 to $202 billion by 2029/30. Public debt overall “poses a high risk of sovereign stress,” it said, urging authorities to broaden the tax base, phase out untargeted subsidies and increase oversight of off-budget entities such as the state oil company EGPC and the urban development authority NUCA.

The report also cited “persistent and successive external shocks” that it said had “complicated policy execution,” including the war in Sudan which has pushed hundreds of thousands to flee to Egypt, as well as trade disruptions in the Red Sea which reduced foreign exchange inflows from the Suez Canal by $6 billion last year. 

Egypt finance minister reacts

Egypt's Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk said on Wednesday he is confident Egypt is hitting targets set by the IMF over the country's $8 billion loan programme and expects the next review to be completed by September or October.

"Both sides, are working on the expectation that this should be happening in September, October," Kouchouk said on the sidelines of an event at the London Stock Exchange.

"The IMF is after certain targets - and that's what's important."

A successful agreement on a review and subsequent sign off by the Fund's executive board triggers payment of a tranche.

Kouchouk also said he expected the government to complete three to four privatisation transactions before the end of the current financial year that started earlier this month.

The IMF has made increasing the role of the private sector in the economy a requirement of an expanded $8 billion loan, and Egypt's cabinet said earlier this year it would offer stakes in military-owned companies through its sovereign wealth fund to help comply with the Fund's requirements.

"It will be across a lot of sectors, but we have shared also a very strategic plan, a medium-term plan with the international institutions, including the IMF and others, with a very clear, visible timeline," added Kouchouk.