Good morning, friends. It’s finally the last workweek of January — is it just us or has the month gone by at an excruciatingly slow pace? — and the events calendar continues to grow and bring more traffic to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This week’s culprit for the excess Dubai traffic? Gulfood.

Over the weekend, Emirati firms have both expanded further abroad while others have taken a step back. DP World is pushing further into India, with a new inland logistics hub planned in Madhya Pradesh, just as the two countries plan to broaden their partnership and double trade, while Global South Utilities on the other hand has withdrawn from Yemen.

Meanwhile, ADX-listed Orascom Construction and OCI Global’s merger, which would lead to a new Abu Dhabi-based infrastructure and investment platform if approved, was cleared by Orascom Construction’s shareholders, leaving the ball squarely now in two independent directors’ court, after a Dutch court mandated their appointment due to concerns over conflicts of interest.

Plus: We look again into our crystal ball and ask what’s in the cards for the ADX and the DFM this year, as new headwinds are set to impact both energy and financials stocks, while an ongoing property boom could continue to support real estate stocks into 2026.

PSA

Heads up, flyers — Beijing-Abu Dhabi just got another direct flight: Air China has launched the first Chinese-operated direct route between the two capitals, flying four times a week on a Boeing 787, state news agency Xinhua News reports. The service shortens travel on a key China-UAE corridor and supports trade and travel links under the Belt and Road framework.

Speaking of flying… some European flights have suspended flights to GCC amid US + Iran tensions: A number of European airlines have suspended flights to Dubai and other GCC destinations following escalating geopolitical hostility between the US and Iran, after the Pentagon said it was deploying naval assets to the region, as well as continued threats of launching airstrikes on Iran due to its violent crackdown on protestors.

Which airlines? KLM Royal Dutch Airlines halted flights to Dubai, Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Tel Aviv, and is avoiding flying through regional airspace until further notice, according to a statement. Luxembourg’s Luxair, British Airways, and Dutch carrier Transavia are also among those suspending flights to the emirate. Air France temporarily canceled flights between Paris and Dubai on Friday, but resumed services on Saturday.

WEATHER- Expect slightly clearer conditions after a rainy day in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with conditions set to be mostly sunny and temperatures peaking at 24°C in Dubai and 25°C in Abu Dhabi. Dubai will see a low of 17°C overnight, while Abu Dhabi will see lows of 15°C.

Watch this space

LNG — The Ruwais LNG facility could open ahead of schedule, state news agency Wam reports. Work on the plant, which is set to double Adnoc Gas’ current LNG production to 15 mn tonnes once commissioned, is moving faster than planned, meaning it could launch earlier than its initial 2H 2028 target.

REMEMBER- The state-owned player, which agreed to acquire a 60% stake in the plant, has been securing sales agreements for the plant with international firms including Shell, Indian Oil Corporation, Germany’s Sefe, German energy infrastructure firm EnBW, Malaysia’s state-owned oil and gas firm Petronas, and Japan’s Jera and Osaka Gas. Some 80% of planned production is now already allocated.

ENERGY — The UAE and Cyprus inked an MoU for a comprehensive strategic partnership in the energy sector, as part of Cypriot Foreign Affairs Minister Constantinos Kombos’ visit to the UAE, according to a press release. Beyond energy, the two sides discussed expanding cooperation across trade, investment, renewable energy, and technology. Collaboration across desalination and advanced tech was also on the table, Cypriot newspaper Politis reports, citing Kombos.

Background: Cyprus is among the nations expected to have its electricity grid linked to the GCC via the GCC interconnection project. Bilateral energy cooperation was also discussed during an official meeting last June, and back in 2024 Adnoc was reportedly exploring investments in Cyprus’ natural gas sector.

Data point

88.7% — that’s the y-o-y surge in Sharjah’s industrial real estate transaction value in 2025, as transactions jumped to AED 9.2 bn, state news agency Wam reports, citing data released by the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department. The emirate saw 4.4k industrial properties trade hands during the year, reflecting a sharp rise in investor appetite for factories, warehouses, and integrated industrial assets.

In context: Officials attribute the jump to flexible regulation, expanding industrial infrastructure, and Sharjah’s growing role in regional supply chains. The emirate now hosts around 40% of the Emirates’ industrial establishments and more than 2.8k factories across 21 industrial zones, reinforcing its position as a logistics and manufacturing hub as industrial land tightens elsewhere.

Happening this week

Gulfood is back — and this time it’s taking place in two different venues: Dubai World Trade Center and Dubai Exhibition Center in Expo City. The massive F&B event will gather food distributors, producers, government officials, and investors and startups alike under, now, two roofs.

Abu Dhabi is hosting the International Bar Association’s (IBA) Annual Arbitration Day Conference on Wednesday and Thursday at the Rosewood Abu Dhabi. Law professionals and international industry players will meet for panel discussions on trends in the arbitration practice globally.

Plus: The World Customs Organization’s Technology Conference is on from Wednesday to Friday at the Adnec Center in Abu Dhabi.

Our fellow photo nerds in the UAE will want to circle 29 January to 4 February on their calendars. This year’s Xposure, the global celebration of visual storytelling, features a who’s who of talented photographers — including our friend Romany Hafez, whose haunting analog work explores memory, presence, and sacred spaces. Romany will be giving a talk on Saturday, 31 January headlined Between Memory and Light. Don’t miss it if you love black and white photography as much as we do.

The big story abroad

It’s a quiet Monday morning in the global business press, with a single story dominating the headlines — another fatal shooting of a US citizen by federal agents in Minneapolis, the second of its kind this month. The resulting backlash from Democrats and wavering enthusiasm from Republicans signals the possibility of another government shutdown, as well as raising the stakes for the year’s midterm elections.

AND IN MARKETS- Gold hits fresh high: Gold jumped past the USD 5k mark for the very first time as investors and central banks look to the safe haven asset amid geopolitical tensions. The metal has been steadily rising for some time now, jumping 8% last week alone, its largest spike since the 2008 financial crisis.

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Market watch

India continues Gulf oil spree: India’s top refiner picked up 1 mn barrels of Abu Dhabi’s Murban from Shell, and 2 mn of Upper Zakum from Mercuria for March loading, alongside other grades, Reuters reports, citing trade sources. The purchase comes as Indian refiners cut Russian intake to a two-year low, tilting back toward Middle East and Atlantic Basin barrels to stay sanctions-clean and protect re-export flows.

Circle your calendar

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

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