What’s behind the m-commerce boom in the Gulf?
From pizza to amphibious limousines, and from diamond-studded toilets to street-legal Batmobile replicas, the list of things you can purchase from your phone in Dubai knows no bounds.
Opinion
Economy
News
Aldar reports AED 30bn active tenders and 3,500 unit handovers targeted for 2026
Abu Dhabi-listed Aldar Properties has 172 active tenders valued at AED 30 billion (USD 8.2 billion) across its development portfolio, with construction underway across 141 sites spanning Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.
Economy
News
HEISCO to acquire 50% stake in Pure Works & Services for USD 24m
Kuwait-listed Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding (HEISCO) has received board approval to acquire a 50% stake in Pure Works & Services Company for KD 7.3 million (USD 24 million).
Economy
News
Blackstone makes AED 918m UAE debut with payments firm ADGT
US investment giant Blackstone has committed AED 918m to Advanced Digital Gaming Technology (ADGT), a UAE-headquartered payments and data-intelligence company – marking its first regional investment since the onset of the Iran conflict.
News
Saudi Arabia’s social responsibility initiatives surpass SAR 5bn in development value
Dubai has reached its highest ever position in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), rising to seventh place globally among 137 assessed centres – the only Middle East financial hub to rank in the top 10, according to Z/Yen Group.
Economy
News
Dubai climbs to seventh in global financial centres ranking
Dubai has reached its highest ever position in the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), rising to seventh place globally among 137 assessed centres – the only Middle East financial hub to rank in the top 10, according to Z/Yen Group.
News
UAE online sales surge as conflict keeps shoppers at home
UAE consumers are shifting rapidly to e-commerce as security concerns stemming from the Iran conflict reduce footfall at malls and public spaces, according to Redseer Consulting.
News
CBUAE foreign assets top AED 1.084tn as balance sheet surpasses AED 1.119tn
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) closed January 2026 with foreign assets of AED 1.084 trillion, up from AED 1.058 trillion at the end of December 2025.
News
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain launch new maritime link via MSC Gulf Shuttle
The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has launched a direct maritime service between King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam and Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Bahrain, operated by MSC under its Gulf Shuttle service.
News
Real Estate
Dubai real estate transactions surge 29.7% to AED 50.58bn during Ramadan 2026
Dubai's property market defied its traditional Ramadan slowdown, recording 15,196 transactions worth AED 50.58 billion between 18 February and 19 March – a 29.7 percent year-on-year increase in value and a 5.63% rise in volume.