The ongoing conflict in the Gulf and severe disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are beginning to weigh heavily on the region’s construction sector, with contractors facing mounting cost pressures, delivery delays and heightened financial risk.
Escalating tensions in the Middle East have sent shockwaves through global markets, pushing oil and gold sharply higher and raising questions on near-term outlook for regional equities, said a financial expert. Brent crude surged by 13% to $82 a barrel driven by fears of disruption in Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf have disrupted some business activity in one of the world’s most trade-dependent regions, forcing temporary airport closures, interrupting port operations and unsettling financial markets , while the private sector remains resilient according to authorities.
Global markets are heading into a high-risk open on Monday after joint US and Israeli military operation against Iran, dramatically escalating tensions across one of the world’s most systemically important energy corridors. Brent crude closed the week near seven-month highs around $73 per barrel.
A $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, managed by Norway's Norges Bank Investment Management, has begun using AI to police its own portfolio, deploying a large language model to scan over 7,000 companies for links to forced labour, corruption and fraud, thus reshaping how ESG risk is detected and acted upon, said a report.
The Arab region is experiencing a gradual economic recovery despite mounting challenges, according to a new report issued by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
A resurgence in global private equity is gathering steam after a rebound in dealmaking last year that saw both buyout deals and exits surge ahead to register their second highest values on record, says a report from Bain & Company.
Saudi Arabia’s sweeping diversification drive has transformed the structure of its economy, but the next phase must focus on quality and productivity rather than scale, as oil market dynamics continue to shape non-oil performance, according to PwC.
The US has positioned forces in the Gulf region, pressuring Iran to accept a set of US demands. Diplomatic channels remain open, but miscalculation by either party could result in an escalation. CIO Office Viewpoint from Lombard Odier examines the potential implications if US-Iran tensions were to escalate.
Franklin Templeton, one of the world’s largest global asset managers, said investors should expect a prolonged period of more divergent investment outcomes across markets, with increasingly uneven performance across asset classes and strategies, as global markets adapt to structural shifts in interest rates, capital allocation and technology adoption.
