The Gulf region cannot afford to remain trapped in a prolonged state of “neither war nor peace”, with its stability and future dependent on fragile arrangements and repeated efforts to contain crises after they erupt, Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to His Highness the UAE President, said at a key forum on Monday.
The long-awaited Unified Gulf Tourist Visa is set to be launched soon, allowing international visitors to travel more easily across the six GCC countries, Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi said, according to Saudi Gazette.
Growth in the non-oil private sectors of GCC economies accelerated in August, with output and new orders increasing at a faster pace and supplier delivery times improving, despite continued geopolitical uncertainty, according to top ratings agency S&P Global.
Regional diplomatic efforts to ease the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz appeared to stall on Monday after a meeting between Iran and other Gulf countries was postponed, as fresh attacks on shipping and Saudi Arabia's closure of a key oil pipeline heightened concerns over global energy supplies.
The Gulf stock markets recorded trading in approximately 401.7 billion shares during 2025 recording a 19.5% jump over the previous year, with the value of shares traded surging to hit $618 billion, according to the latest data released by the GCC Statistical Centre.
Dubai’s tourism industry is increasingly demonstrating its strength, with the city’s hotel sector delivering sustained performance growth, said a report ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026. The hotel occupancy reached 66% in August, representing 89% of last year's city occupancy levels.
Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after US President Donald Trump suspended plans for military strikes against Iran and announced that negotiations with Tehran would resume, raising hopes of reducing the risk of disruptions to global crude supplies.
Business travel and entertainment spending across the Gulf remained resilient this summer, with MENA business travel bookings rising 34.2% year on year, led by Saudi Arabia, according to data from Tumodo and Platinumlist.
As the world awaits details of a potentially punishing new round of US sanctions against Iran, Tehran has warned that it could shut the Strait of Hormuz and halt all oil shipments through the Arabian Gulf if neighbouring countries join President Donald Trump’s economic campaign against it.
Renewed Gulf export disruptions have derailed the global oil market recovery, prompting the International Energy Agency (IEA) to cut its 2026 supply and demand forecasts. Global oil demand is now expected to decline by 1.6 million barrels per day as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
