Real Estate Jumeirah Village Circle: ‘Where the normal people live’ It might not have the glamour of the Palm but JVC has its own enduring appeal and was Dubai's busiest location for ready-home sales in 2024 January 6, 2025
Construction Dubai launches $1.5bn housing projects Dubai has launched housing projects worth AED5.4 billion ($1.5 billion) across the emirate. The projects will result in 3,004 new homes being built for Emiratis, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. Of these, 1,181 homes will be in Latifa City for beneficiaries under the housing loan category. For beneficiaries in the housing grant category, […] January 7, 2025
Analysis Real Estate Pricey homes and packed hotels: the year in GCC real estate The story of the Gulf property market this year was about decreased housing affordability and a growing gap between top-quality properties and second-tier ones. Meanwhile, surging numbers of international visitors in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar brought thriving hospitality and retail sectors in the main tourist hotspots. Industry observers expect 2025 to bring more […] December 27, 2024
Analysis Tax Buoyant property market puts billions in Dubai’s coffers Dubai authorities have recorded a five-fold surge in the sums they earn from fees related to real estate transactions over the past five years to almost $4 billion, as the emirate’s property market grows stronger and prices rise sharply, AGBI has calculated. The transfer fee, payable to the Dubai Land Department (DLD) upon a sale, […] November 8, 2024
Analysis Real Estate Mid-range housing leapfrogs affordable competition in Dubai Sales of affordable housing in Dubai declined over the past six years as a share of total transactions amid changing developers’ preferences and broader cost-of-living increases, industry professionals say. Properties below AED1 million ($272,000) peaked at 46 percent of all residential deals in the emirate in the third quarter of 2018. That figure has steadily […] October 16, 2024
Analysis Retail Majid Al Futtaim IPO could ease succession strains Taking Majid Al Futtaim Holding public could provide a way to resolve the succession challenges facing the Dubai-based family conglomerate, but also risks fracturing the tight-knit structure that has long defined one of the Gulf’s most prominent family businesses. “The best way to solve family disputes is [to] list all the shares,” says Obediah Ayton, […] June 10, 2025
Transport Dubai breaks ground on Blue Line metro project The Dubai government has broken ground on the expansion of its driverless metro line, aimed at reducing traffic, cutting emissions and contributing to economic growth. The foundation stone of the project was laid in the presence of Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported. He also approved […] June 10, 2025
Analysis Real Estate Land prices surge as Dubai’s developers scramble for plots A wave of land acquisitions by Dubai developers has driven up prices by more than a third so far this year. Fierce competition for prime plots and off-plan sales is pushing investors into emerging districts, industry professionals say. The land rush, fuelled by constrained supply in central areas and a growing population, has underpinned the […] June 10, 2025
Tech Gulf investors help finance growth of Turkish data centres Turkey’s data centre sector is riding a wave of new investment that is likely to support expansion in the country’s digital economy, with much of the funding coming from the Arabian Gulf. Last month, Turkish e-commerce platform Trendyol announced it was partnering with the UAE’s Castle Investments, headed by Gulf Data Hub founder Tarek Al […] June 10, 2025
Finance Dubai takes control of Majid Al Futtaim amid succession dispute The Government of Dubai has stepped in to take control of Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Holding, a pillar of Dubai’s consumer economy. A new board has been appointed to lead the group in an emirate-backed effort to resolve a long-running family succession battle. Founded in 1992, MAF is one of the largest closely held companies […] June 9, 2025
Finance EIB to seek trading halt on Dubai bourse Emirates Islamic Bank (EIB) said it will seek suspension of its share trading on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) from June 10, as it prepares to be fully merged with a rival lender. The decision comes after EIB or Emirates NBD (ENBD), Dubai’s largest bank by assets, received no objections to the latter’s mandatory acquisition announced […] June 9, 2025
Retail Dubai gold sales rise 10% during Eid al-Adha Gold sales in Dubai reportedly registered double-digit growth during Eid al-Adha, defying a rise in global prices. Sales of the precious metal rose by 10 percent year on year during the Eid holiday period, driven by strong demand from locals and tourists, Tawhid Abdullah, chairman of the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group, told Al Bayan, […] June 9, 2025
Logistics China’s Meituan to expand drone delivery service in Dubai Chinese company Meituan is expanding its drone delivery service in Dubai, its first overseas test market. The company will launch up to three new routes for drone deliveries in the second half of the year with the potential to add more, vice president Yinian Mao told Bloomberg News. The service will be offered on the […] June 9, 2025
Markets Dubai’s FIVE considers London or New York listing Dubai party hotel operator FIVE Holdings is considering listing in London or New York, sources have said. The company, which owns the Pacha hotel and nightclub, has been exploring an initial public offering (IPO) in Dubai, it said. Chairman and founder Kabir Mulchandani said last year the company was worth up to $3 billion and was considering […] June 5, 2025
Economy United Arab Emirates economy The latest economic indicators and demographic trends for the United Arab Emirates, including the UAE's GDP, inflation, oil prices, trade, population, expats, unemployment and more June 4, 2025
Real Estate Emaar’s Indian unit expands amid sale talks The Indian subsidiary of Dubai-listed Emaar Properties has launched a new housing project in the state of Uttar Pradesh amid buyout talks with the local business Adani Group. The launch follows reports in March that the Dubai developer was planning to sell its Indian venture for $1.4 billion to a conglomerate led by billionaire Gautam […] June 4, 2025
Aviation Dubai airlines lead GCC bid to revive Syrian economy Dubai-based airlines are resuming services to Syria after a gap of nearly 13 years as the Gulf states unite to support the war-torn country’s economic recovery. Low-cost carrier Flydubai resumed operations to Syria, with the first flight landing at Damascus International Airport on Saturday, a move aimed at building ties between the UAE and Syria. […] June 3, 2025
Aviation Dubai Aerospace secures $300m loan from Bank of China Aircraft leasing company Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has secured a $300 million loan from the Bank of China. The money will be used for general corporate purposes and support upcoming financing requirements, the company said in a statement on Monday. The three-year unsecured term loan was issued by the lender’s Dubai, London and Hong Kong branches. […] June 3, 2025
Video length: 04:09 VIDEO Telecoms Veon boss reveals why the telco swapped Europe for Dubai Telecom and digital services company Veon delisted from the Amsterdam stock market last year and moved its operations to Dubai, becoming the largest Nasdaq-listed company with headquarters in the UAE. AGBI spoke to the company’s CEO, Kaan Terzioglu, about its plans to dual-list in Dubai within the next three to five years. “I am bullish […] June 2, 2025
Real Estate Emaar Development buys new land in Dubai for $790m Emaar Development, the UAE development arm of Emaar Properties, has acquired a new land plot in Dubai for the potential expansion of its master communities. The land, the size of which was not disclosed, was acquired for AED2.9 billion ($790 million) from Amlak Property Investment in Ras Al Khor, the developer said in a statement. The […] June 2, 2025
Real Estate Dubai property optimism remains despite price correction warnings Real estate professionals in Dubai are maintaining a cautiously optimistic outlook on the market, even as fresh warnings of a potential double-digit correction cast a shadow over the city’s record-breaking property surge. Ratings agency Fitch forecast this week that Dubai’s residential property market is likely to cool through the second half of 2025 and into […] June 2, 2025
Real Estate Dubai issues Middle East’s first tokenised property certificate Dubai has issued its first tokenised property certificate, moving tokenisation of real estate from the realm of theory to practice. Tokenisation is the process of creating and trading digital tokens that are backed by real-world assets on a blockchain. It enables direct and verifiable peer-to-peer transactions. The certificate’s launch follows the successful sale of the […] May 30, 2025
Banking and Finance Shuaa Capital sues former executives for $70m over losses Investment bank and asset manager Shuaa Capital has filed a lawsuit against former executive managers, seeking approximately $71 million (AED 260 million) in compensation for alleged misconduct that the company claims contributed to its financial losses. The legal action, disclosed in a filing to the Dubai Financial Market, is part of Dubai-based Shuaa’s broader efforts […] May 30, 2025
Opinion Leisure & Hospitality Peak Dubai: Jumeirah’s Marsa Al Arab draws the crowds Whilst setting a new standard for Dubai luxury, the hotel's popularity is creating a traffic nightmare May 30, 2025
Aviation Dubai Aerospace to sell 75 aircraft to realign portfolio Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), the Middle East’s largest aviation leasing and engineering company, has agreed to sell 75 aircraft to two unnamed buyers as part of its plan to realign its fleet. A portfolio of 50 Embraer E-Jets will be sold to a specialist lessor, DAE said in a statement on Wednesday. Another 25 out-of-production […] May 28, 2025
