Good morning, lovely people, and welcome to the start of a new month. September brings with it plenty of news, a ton of events, and lots of DIFC traffic as people head back to the office.

We kick off the month with a busy issue, filled with plenty of moves abroad from the likes of DP World, which is expanding in Pakistan and Canada, as well as from the government, which is set to take on operations of Islamabad International Airport. Plus: Adnoc wrapped its sale of a 3% stake in Adnoc Logistics and Services, which raised AED 1.2 bn, and Sidara is finally acquiring the UK’s Wood Group after year-long negotiations.

WEATHER– Dubai will see a high of 40°C today, dipping to 31°C overnight, while the mercury in Abu Dhabi is forecast to reach 37°C with a low of 32°C. Humidity will make conditions feel hotter, rising to 73% in Dubai and 78% in the capital.

PSA-

Fuel prices rise slightly in September, while diesel drops: The Fuel Price Committee increased prices for fuel and lowered diesel’s price for September, according to a post on X. The increase comes after fuel prices dipped slightly in August, while diesel was up 5.7% from the previous month.

Here’s the new breakdown per liter:

• Super 98 petrol now costs AED 2.70, up from to AED 2.69 in August (+0.4%);
• Special 95 petrol is now AED 2.58, up from AED 2.57 (+0.4%);
• E-Plus 91 petrol is now AED 2.51, up from AED 2.50 (+0.4%);
• Diesel is AED 2.66, down from AED 2.78 (-4.3%).

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- UAE + other small nations to launch trade bloc: The UAE is preparing for the launch of a new trade bloc focused on “trade openness and international trade rules” with other small and medium-sized World Trade Organization (WTO) members, one official involved in the talks told the Financial Times. The group — which aims to focus on rules-based international trade — is expected to be launched in November via a virtual meeting, with an in-person event to follow next July.

Who’s involved? The new group — to be named the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT-P) — is set to be made up of 10 countries, including the UAE, Singapore, and New Zealand standing out as core founding members. Other members could potentially include Morocco, Rwanda, Malaysia, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Panama, Paraguay, and Norway, officials and diplomats involved told the news outlet. The final sign-up sheet for the group has yet to be confirmed.

What’s their common ground? The FIT-P is tapping smaller countries with the aim of developing a tight-knit forum brought together through common understandings on areas like digital documents, e-signatures, and regulation on electronic trade, an official told FT. The group will take a focus on digitizing trade, pushing to place equal importance on paper and digital-based trade documents. The alliance comes as the US continues to roil global trade with the introduction of reciprocal tariffs, which have hit Asian and African countries the hardest.

#2- Americana eyes regional acquisitions: Americana Restaurants, the Middle East’s largest fast-food franchise operator, is looking to acquire and grow homegrown brands in a bid to diversify away from a focus on Western brands amid local boycotts, Chairman Mohamed Alabbar told the Financial Times.

In context: Americana’s US-linked chains have been hit by consumer boycotts after Israel’s war on Gaza, sending FY net income down nearly 40% y-o-y in 2024. Revenues rose 15.6% in 1H 2025, but remain below 2023 levels despite network expansion. The situation “strengthened our belief that we need to go and nurture and buy […] Middle Eastern brands and grow them,” Alabbar said, adding that the group has “heavily” cut costs to absorb weaker margins.

The company is in talks with “a lot of” targets, he said without mentioning details, though he mentioned a lot of “beautiful brands” in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Lebanon. Raising capital for the M&A push is also on the cards thanks to its low leverage position, he added.

REMEMBER- The company is already making moves: Americana recently signed an exclusive franchise agreement with Greek F&B brand carpo in July covering Kuwait and Qatar, with further rollout planned in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. It was also in talks to acquire a stake in Dubai-based Cravia, the MENA operator of Five Guys, Cinnabon, and Zaatar w Zeit.

#3- Orascom Construction will switch from Nasdaq Dubai to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) on Thursday, 11 September, the company said in a statement. The move will see the company delist from Nasdaq Dubai and shift its primary listing to ADX, while maintaining its secondary listing on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX). Shareholders signed off on the migration last month, approving resolutions to move the listing and to transfer the company’s incorporation from the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) to ADGM.

Trading transition dates: Shares will trade on Nasdaq Dubai until Wednesday, 3 September, at which point trading and share transfers between Nasdaq Dubai and EGX will be halted. The Nasdaq Dubai listing will be canceled on Wednesday, 10 September, with ADX trading commencing the next day under the ticker ORAS. The opening price on ADX will be set at Orascom’s last EGX close on 10 September, converted into AED using the Central Bank of the UAE’s published rate.

HAPPENING TODAY-

#1- The annual Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition is running till Sunday at the Adnec Center. The event, organized by the Adnec Group in cooperation with the Emirates Falconers’ Club, gathers local and international participants from 15 different sectors, including hunting tools, outdoor gear, equestrianism, conservation, arts, and heritage, according to a press release.

#2– The UAE is presiding over an Arab League Council session of permanent representatives in Cairo today, ahead of Thursday’s foreign ministers’ meeting, state news agency Wam reports. The agenda will cover the Gaza war, including state recognition efforts and reconstruction, alongside regional security and economic coordination.

#3- The Spring/Summer edition of Dubai Fashion Week will run from Monday, 1 September until Saturday, 6 September at Dubai Design District (d3), ahead of the New York, London, Milan, and Paris fashion weeks. The edition will showcase more than 30 brands from the UAE, Europe, India, and beyond, with runway shows, private events, and an expanded buyers’ program.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Trade news is dominating the global front pages this morning after India and China agreed to stabilize relations previously disrupted by tensions over their Himalayan border. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed that their nations are “partners not rivals” and to strengthen trade ties amid US tariff pressures on India and shifting global economic conditions. (Reuters | FT | AP | NYT | Bloomberg | CNN)

What do improved relations between the two countries mean? The two sides agreed to resume direct flights between the two countries, which have been suspended since 2020, and ease tourist visa restrictions. China had previously agreed to lift export restrictions on rare earths, fertilizers, and tunnel-boring machines.

MEANWHILE- Stocks are bracing for the September blues after posting strong gains in August. While September is usually the worst-performing month for stocks, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and tech-heavy Nasdaq incurring their worst losses during the month, some market experts are optimistic about what’s to come. UBS Global Wealth Management’s Mark Haefele expects “an economic soft landing, solid corporate earnings, and lower interest rates to support markets over the next 12 months.” CNBC has the story.

IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS- Israel said it killed Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida on Saturday. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X that forces have “eliminated” the masked spokesman. Hamas is yet to confirm or deny the news. (Bloomberg | Washington Post | NYT | Wall Street Journal)

Also making headlines: Over 1 mn people were evacuated in Pakistan’s Punjab province due to severe flooding submerging more than 1.4k villages and damaging key grain crops, Reuters reports.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The International Government Communication Forumis happening on Wednesday, 10 and Thursday, 11 September at Expo Center Sharjah. Hosted by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), the two-day forum will include panel discussions, workshops, and keynote speeches focused on using strategic communication to develop five global priorities: food security, public health, education, environmental sustainability, and green economy.

TheWater, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition will run from Tuesday, 30 September to Thursday, 2 October at the Dubai World Trade Center, according to the Dubai Media Office. The exhibition — organized by Dubai’s Supreme Council of Energy and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority — will bring together industry leaders, investors, and government officials to discuss water, energy, smart cities, green mobility, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation.

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