Saudi Edition 
Egypt Edition 
UAE Edition 
MENA <> India Corridors 
Logistics (MENA) 
Climate (MENA) 
Industries
Home / Industries
Agriculture
Nadec unit breaks ground on SAR 2 bn livestock facility in Hail
Nadec had secured a SAR 1.1 bn loan to finance the project
Smart food city is in the works in Najran
The Najran Investment Forum wrapped up with SAR 639 mn in signed agreements
Over SAR 428 mn in Saudi-Dutch agriculture agreements signed in Amsterdam
Among them is a SAR 76 mn investment to establish a French fries factory
Agreements + initiatives worth SAR 8.5 bn signed at Hail Investment Forum
The forum brought together government entities, the private sector, and international investors
Automotive
Trump says regional war is approaching its end
Morgan Stanley upgraded Saudi’s rating to “overweight”
Jazan hits the gas on EUR 10 bn auto project
The new deal follows a 12-day investment mission to China
Tesla debuts in Saudi Arabia, riding the wave of rising EV demand
Riyadh’s center is now open, with Jeddah’s set to follow by year-end.
Hyundai launches first Middle Eastern plant in Saudi
The plant is projected to contribute some USD 5 bn to Saudi’s GDP by 2045
Banking
Net foreign assets dip slightly in February
Sama’s net foreign assets remained nearly flat at SAR 1.7 tn
Iran war could prompt dividend halving to protect GCC banking capital
If you’re holding bank stocks for the dividends, you might want to brace for a…
Banks face a USD 152 bn liquidity gap as regional tensions threaten to spike funding costs
A prolonged regional conflict could trigger between USD 111-260 bn in deposit outflows across the…
THIS MORNING: Jafurah condensates set to hit Asian shores by early March
FII organizer RA&A prepares for a USD 1 bn IPO
Basic materials
More flights to China in the cards? Plus: Tourism, healthcare, manufacturing
Plus: Amazon pays USD 1.9 mn to contract workers after finding labor issues in its…
Capital markets
A wobbly ceasefire puts spanner in EM equities’ recovery
Stock markets were seeing a rally in the wake of the ceasefire news
Markets across the Middle East jump on ceasefire news
Good morning, all. The two-week ceasefire is looking increasingly fragile by the hour and we’re…
Saudi debt issuers hold off due to war premium pricing strike
The Iran war appears to have stalled issuers’ willingness to pay, not their ability to…
TASI’s March rise could be masking weak investor appetite
Total trading value hit SAR 103.9 bn across roughly 4.8 bn shares, with flows largely…
Climate
Saudi leads the fight against new IMO levy on shipping emissions
A Saudi-led statement to the IMO warned that the new levy could “endanger exports from…
Environment Fund unveils SAR 1 bn green financing initiative
The program aims to attract private sector investment
FDI + oil ports make the rounds
Ras Tanura and Yanbu oil ports are threatened by rising sea levels
COP16 drought talks end without agreement
Twelve days of talks come to a close with no agreement on strategies to fight…
Commodities
BIS flags bubble-like conditions in gold, US equities
The bank noted this is the first time in at least five decades that equities…
Sabco, Bechtel Australia tapped for new Maaden gold mine
The 3.6 mn-ounce mine is set to produce 300k ounces annually
Trump’s steel, aluminum tariffs plan sees non-US metal stocks fall and US steel stocks rise
Analysts are warning of stagflation risks as Trump's new trade war escalation fuels market uncertainty
MC4 hits the Tadawul today
PLUS: You can now submit bids to invest in national parks
Construction
War jitters hit Saudi tenders as March awards slump
Only 25 major contracts worth USD 11.8 bn were awarded during the month
Neom terminates multi-bn USD Trojena lake contracts
Construction at the USD 19 bn resort stalls at 30% completion following the loss of…
Hormuz choke + oil volatility is forcing a new construction calculus
The situation has left contractors unable forecast future costs, triggering high risk premium bids and…
Data centers dominate project awards in January
Just six projects worth more than SAR 3 bn were awarded in December 2025
E-commerce
Dar Al Majed + SPM secure shariah-compliant financing
PLUS: Naqel Express taps India’s Unicommerce for e-commerce logistics
Lifestyle malls, digital adoption drive Saudi retail market
Riyadh leads Saudi retail with 4.17 mn sqm GLA and 2.2 mn more due by…
Parsons secures SAR 210 mn contract for Diriyah Phase 2 development
ALSO- 2P locks in a SAR 426.3 mn shariah-compliant credit facility from Saudi Awwal Bank
Salasa earmarks USD 30 mn for Saudi, GCC expansion -Alhazmi
Salasa is implementing a multi-pronged approach for the next two years that begins with deeper…
Education
Almasar Education wraps up Tadawul IPO, with retail portion 1.2x oversubscribed
The company is set for a SAR 2 bn market cap at listing.
Saudi Arabia’s labor market skill gap is costing us
Automation disruption is responsible for half of the losses
Al Jouf Agricultural bags loan to expand French fries factory
ALSO- Roshn Group to cooperate with the Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Ministry to…
Al Muhafaza Education taps Adel Al Maghdawi as its new CEO
Al Maghdawi brings over 33 years of experience in teaching and has held several administrative…
Energy
Saudi’s safety valve for oil exports takes a hit
Disruption of the East-West pipeline stifles the Kingdom’s only oil export workaround and reduces throughput…
Can the Gulf just snap back its energy system?
The potential bill for repairing energy infrastructure across the Gulf stands at USD 25 bn
Aramco slaps record USD 20 premium on Asian crude as Hormuz chokehold tightens
The premium never cracked the USD 10 mark over the past 26 years.
Aramco Ventures backs energy efficiency startup in USD 36 mn round
Other backers include Embark Ventures and Safar Partners
Finance
Railways galore
Plus: Globalization is dead, Mohamed El Erian says
Show me the Money 20/20
The agreements cover funding, investments, e-commerce, fintech, and more
Lendo secures USD 690 mn facility led by JP Morgan
The funding will be earmarked to boost Lendo’s lending capacity
SVC backs Jadwa Investment’s SAR 2 bn PE fund
The fund will target a mix of high-potential private equity opportunities in the GCC
Food
The Iran war could force a rewrite of Saudi ’s food security strategy
Saudi still relies heavily on imports to meet its food security needs
Tihama to acquire Dan Diamond Real Estate for an estimated SAR 90.7 mn
ALSO- Umm Al Qura sold a 2.7k sqm land plot for SAR 145.1 mn within…
Almarai finalizes SAR 1 bn takeover of Pure Beverages
ALSO: Dammam adds 162 new industrial units to fire up SME growth
Almarai to acquire full stake in Pure Beverages for SAR 1 bn. PLUS: Acwa eyes Kahrabel assets in Kuwait
The transaction is valued at over SAR 1 bn
Healthcare
Health Ministry inaugurates health projects worth over SAR 1.6 bn in Hail
PLUS: Aqaseem Factory to acquire 40% of Leader Express
Almoosa Health awards construction contract for Alkhobar hospital
Excavation and site leveling are already complete, with construction now ready to kick off
Akdital Holding to invest USD 1.6 bn to expand into Saudi, UAE
The firm plans to open eight new hospitals in the two countries by 2030
Almoosa Health lines up Saudi Awwal Bank facility to fund Specialist Hospital
The 10-year facility will finance one of the Eastern Province’s largest private healthcare projects
Infrastructure
GCC water security emerges as a frontline risk amid ongoing regional war
Riyadh would require a total evacuation within seven days if the Jubail desalination plant were…
Alkhorayef clinches SAR 94 mn contract for stormwater network
Alkhorayef Water and Power Technologies secured an SAR 93.6 mn contract from Jeddah Amana Municipality,…
Marafiq reaches financial close on SAR 1.9 bn wastewater plant in Jubail 2
The facility will use advanced treatment and recovery technologies to process industrial effluents
Under-construction data centers tap ratings to fund AI buildup
Developers are securing investment-grade ratings to unlock new pools of capital
Hospitality + tourism
A Saudi-US venture is building a 50-hotel network in Saudi Arabia
Ayara will add 5k-7k rooms to our hotel room capacity by 2029
Marriott to develop five new hotels + Governata raises USD 4 mn in seed round
The Marriott projects will add more than 2.7k rooms to the market
PIF transfers USD 12 bn of stakes in gaming companies to Savvy Games
PLUS: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman lobby US against Iran attack
Tourism employment up 4% y-o-y in 2Q 2025 to 997.4k workers
Hospitality facilities surged 58% y-o-y to 5.3k by the end of 2Q 2025
Law
Coco Gauff takes home WTA Finals trophy in Riyadh
PLUS: Sama cuts rates, following in the Fed’s footsteps
Saudi-Brazilian venture eyes 26% stake in Addoha Poultry
PLUS: Ades Holding closes Southeast Asia’s jack-up rigs acquisition
Manufacturing
Supply chain woes halt production at Sadara’s Jubail complex
The ongoing conflict with Iran is strangling the region’s supply chains
Masar Destination construction is back on + A USD 200 mn battery material plant from Northern Graphite
PLUS: PIF partners with RSAH to build aluminum complex in Yanbu
Saudi industrial growth rides on oil
Industrial Production Index rose 10.4% y-o-y in November, the strongest pace in months
Industrial production climbed 8.9% y-o-y in October
Non-oil activities saw 4.4% y-o-y growth during the month
Mining
Mining stocks are winning as AI boosts demand for metals
Demand for metals is increasingly decoupling from traditional economic cycles
Jeddah Metro plans are getting back on track
PLUS: Lots of Saudi-led defense pacts across the region
A USD 110 bn roadmap
The National Investment Strategy now aims to raise annual mining capital to SAR 92 bn
Drilling push pays off with more gold
New discoveries in the Kingdom’s largest gold mine, Mansourah Massarah, and satellite mines could turn…
Oil + gas
Oil production ramp-up could trim Saudi’s deficit in 2026, says ADCB
Higher oil prices and a post-conflict production ramp-up may trim the Kingdom’s budget gap more…
Could Hormuz closure disrupt global crop yields?
While Gulf growers have several weeks of buffer stock, prolonged blockages will inevitably filter into…
A more nuanced look into the impact of the Strait of Hormuz’s closure on the GCC
Hormuz typically accounts for around 25% of global seaborne oil trade and some 20% of…
Aramco officially kicks off gas production at Jafurah, processing at Tanajib
The Middle East’s largest unconventional gas field has begun production, launching a USD 15 bn…
Petrochemicals
Farabi inaugurates USD 950 mn petrochem plant in Yanbu
The facility expands Farabi’s annual LAB capacity by 120k tons
New petroleum law requires companies, exporters to obtain license
The new law enforces strict penalties, including fines up to SAR 30 mn and prison…
KSA + Philippines ink energy MoU on energy
PLUS: Petro Rabigh and China’s Jiahua Chemicals mull new petrochem facility in Rabigh
Aramco reportedly scraps plans for Ras Al Khair refining and chemical plant
The oil giant is gearing its downstream operations towards Asia
Private equity
Western private credit markets face a stress wave over AI and transparency concerns
Some funds limited withdrawals to avoid selling illiquid loans at large reductions
Global private equity activity slows down due to AI-related risks, geopolitical tensions
Buyout activity dropped by 36% q-o-q to USD 172 bn in 1Q 2026, while exits…
Private capital hasn’t frozen in MENA — but the exit playbook could change if the war drags on
PE and VC-backed companies were already pivoting to local exchanges before the war. That wager…
Financing investment funds to list on Tadawul
On the main market, borrowing is capped at 15% of net asset value, while funds…
Real Estate
Real estate market to weather geopolitical headwinds -Knight Frank
USD 6.3 bn in private global capital will target the real estate market
Under the hood of the Kingdom’s shift to digital real estate deeds
Government platforms will grant digital tokens the same legal weight as physical deeds
Arabian Dyar, Al Rajhi Capital launch SAR 4.5 bn real estate fund
Alatawi says the fund could eventually deploy up to SAR 20 bn
Investors to set up USD 3 bn mixed-use district at King Salman Park
The project also saw over USD 3.8 bn in fresh commitments from undisclosed private sector…
SMEs
Hassan Allam’s Grova Developments establishes footprint in Riyadh with SAR 3.3 bn project
The project will feature more than 3k units across 228k sqm in Riyadh.
The Kingdom is shifting toward Makkah amid scaling back of desert gigaprojects
Global financial giants like BlackRock and HSBC are entering a property market that now rivals…
Dammam is getting SAR 98 bn seaside urban development
The project covers a total of 32 mn sqm
Enaya shareholders reject the Salama tie-up, SFD expands its industrial footprint in Oman
Shareholders block the Enaya-Salama merger, marking another rejection for the insurer
Sports
F1 axes its races in Saudi and Bahrain
Neither of the two Grands Prix is expected to be replaced or rescheduled
SRMG’s Thmanyah set to stream Saudi football across MENA for SAR 2.3 bn
Thmanyah will broadcast the King’s Cup, Pro League, Super Cup, and First Division League across…
Who’s the first non-Saudi owner of a local club?
Harburg led US-based sports-focused investor Harburg Group fully acquired Al Kholood Club last July
Real Estate Price Index declines for the first time in five years
PLUS: Easing tensions with the UAE?
Tech
Cisco appoints Bader Almadi as new vice president
Almadi will oversee strategy and commercial operations, focusing on AI infrastructure and partnerships
Iran threats blur the line between tech infrastructure and military targets
The risk profile of the AI boom is changing overnight
Iran war weighs down on Meta’s subsea cable plans in the Gulf
Even when the shooting stops, the rollout won’t resume immediately
UPDATE: AWS signals its Mideast services aren’t coming back online soon after taking three drone strikes
Amazon is telling clients to move services out of the Middle East for now
Telecoms
Dubai’s data center outage exposes vulnerable region ecosystem
Data sovereignty issues and the cost of infrastructure make data centers a highly centralized risk…
Battery energy storage, grid infrastructure investments are needed to support the massive data center and energy buildout that’s coming -Actis’ Sherif El Kholy
Actis is eyeing investments in data centers and supportive infrastructure in the UAE, Saudi Arabia,…
Software selloff deepens as AI worries rattle markets
The rout was fueled by fears that even market heavyweights like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Oracle…
How off-balance-sheet financing is masking the true cost of the AI boom
Big Tech has pushed over USD 120 bn of AI data-center debt off its balance…
Trade + Logistics
Non-oil exports jump in January, but trade surplus narrows
Merchandise trade surplus fell 17.5% y-o-y in January 2026
Officials are modeling a worst-case oil price scenario
The ongoing conflict has already withheld mns of barrels from the global supply
Saudi launches a land-bridge workaround to Hormuz
Saudi pitches a Red Sea-land bridge for Gulf trade
Trade surplus rises on oil sector + re-export growth
Non-oil exports, including re-exports, jumped 18.6% y-o-y in 4Q
Transport
Riyadh competes with Muscat as the region’s primary transit point
The 10-hour drive from Dubai to Riyadh is being bypassed by travelers who opt for…
Saudi Arabia orders more high-speed trains from Talgo
The new passport will record each camel’s identity, ownership, breed, and health history
More passenger capacity on Eastern, Northern train lines + A handful of loans
SAR to expand Eastern and Northern train lines Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) kicked off the…
Road network overhaul enters phase 3 + Maaden-Hancock JV to explore Makkah gold belt
The new projects are expected to be delivered in three to four years.