The Arabian Read — Daily Gulf Intelligence

Navigating volatility, supply risks, and market stability

In an Energy Connects studio interview at Gastech 2026, Amena Bakr, Head of Middle East & OPEC+ Insights at Kpler, discusses with Chiranjib Sengupta the growing importance of energy security amid geop

▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on OPEC sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.

📍 Gulf 🏷️ Markets

Egypt’s FM calls for diplomacy on Iran, discusses regional crises with UK security adviser

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for continued diplomatic efforts to contain escalation over Iran’s nuclear programme, while separately discussing increased British investment, trade, S

▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on AI sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.

📍 Egypt 🏷️ Markets

Microsoft announces technology framework with UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia at UNGA

▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on technology sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.

📍 Saudi Arabia 🏷️ Markets

CBE to decide on EGP interest rates Thursday amid expectations of fifth consecutive hold

The Central Bank of Egypt’s (CBE) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will hold its sixth scheduled meeting of the year on Thursday to decide on its key policy rates, a major indicator of the near-term di

▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on central bank sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.

📍 Egypt 🏷️ Finance

RBI Said to Conduct At Least $10 Billion FX Swaps to Drain Cash

India’s central bank carried out currency swaps worth at least $10 billion in recent weeks to reduce liquidity in the financial system, according to people familiar with the developments, as the autho

▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on inflation sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.

📍 Gulf 🏷️ Markets

Hormuz Supply Crisis to Change LNG Market Forever

The Strait of Hormuz crisis has turned roughly 20% of global LNG supply into something buyers now have to treat as interruptible. Nearly seven months after traffic through the strait collapsed, LNG ex

▪ Why it matters: Direct impact on LNG sector across Gulf markets. Regional implications are material.

📍 UAE 🏷️ Markets

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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.

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Finance

GCC bank profits up 18% YoY. NIMs stabilizing. Loan growth strongest in Saudi (22%) and UAE (16%). DIFC: 47 new fintech licenses Q1.

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Real Estate

Dubai residential transactions hit AED 42B in April — monthly record. Saudi giga-project awards reached $18B Q1.

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Technology

Gulf VC: $1.2B across 84 deals Q1. Saudi startups 37% of total. Fintech and logistics lead. 3 deals above $50M in Riyadh.

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5.6%

Non-Oil GDP

🇦🇪

56.8

Dubai PMI

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$12.8B

Budget Surplus

🇰🇼

$140B

Infra Plan

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3.2%

GDP Growth

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Ba1

Moody's

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22.4% ↓

Inflation

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$4T

GCC SWF

Mon Sep 28 GCC Finance Ministers — Riyadh

Tue Sep 29 OPEC+ Technical Committee — Vienna

Wed Sep 30 UAE-India CEPA Review — Abu Dhabi

Thu Oct 1 Arab League Economic Council — Cairo

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