1
Passenger demand at Middle East airlines falls 48% in April
Oil prices fell in early Friday trade, driven by hopes for a possible extension of the US-Iran ceasefire. Brent crude futures were down 1.2 percent at $92.57 a barrel by 02:30 GMT, while US West Texas
▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on oil price sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.
📍 Gulf 🏷️ Markets
2
Turkey powers deeper into Africa’s electricity sector
Oil prices surged nearly 4 percent early on Thursday after the US attacked an Iranian military site late the previous day and Iran retaliated with strikes on an American airbase, despite a fragile cea
▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on oil price sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.
📍 Gulf 🏷️ Markets
3
Charting the Global Economy: Inflation Hits Incomes and Spending
India needs to be vigilant on the inflation outlook in the country, officials at India’s finance ministry said just days ahead of a monetary policy decision by the country’s central bank, highlighting
▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on inflation sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.
📍 Gulf 🏷️ Finance
4
Oil Prices Suffer Biggest Weekly Collapse in Two Months
Brent crude is heading for its biggest weekly drop in two months as markets bet on a 60-day ceasefire extension and partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. ICE Brent is set to post its largest week
▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on oil price sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.
📍 Gulf 🏷️ Energy
5
India's Central Bank Warns Oil Shock Threatens Growth
India's economy remains resilient to the external shocks, but the oil price surge amid the global supply disruption poses near-term downside risks to economic growth and upside risks to inflation
▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on oil price sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.
📍 Gulf 🏷️ Finance
6
US sanctions target Iran’s Hormuz transit authority
US artificial intelligence company Anthropic has raised $65 billion in a funding round that trebles the startup’s valuation to almost $1 trillion, leapfrogging rival OpenAI as the world’s most valuabl
▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on AI sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.
📍 Gulf 🏷️ Markets
🛢️
Energy
Brent holding $80-85 range. OPEC+ discipline intact through Q3. Non-OPEC supply growth slowing. Asian demand forecast revised up 0.4% by IEA.
🏦
Finance
GCC bank profits up 18% YoY. NIMs stabilizing. Loan growth strongest in Saudi (22%) and UAE (16%). DIFC: 47 new fintech licenses Q1.
🏗️
Real Estate
Dubai residential transactions hit AED 42B in April — monthly record. Saudi giga-project awards reached $18B Q1.
💻
Technology
Gulf VC: $1.2B across 84 deals Q1. Saudi startups 37% of total. Fintech and logistics lead. 3 deals above $50M in Riyadh.
Wed May 14
GCC Finance Ministers — Riyadh
Thu May 15
OPEC+ Technical Committee — Vienna
Fri May 16
UAE-India CEPA Review — Abu Dhabi
Sun May 18
Arab League Economic Council — Cairo
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