Good morning, wonderful people. Maybe it’s just us, but the final workweek of Ramadan seems to be moving at an excruciatingly slow pace — though we can’t say the same for the news…

We have another busy issue for you this morning, led by a handful of M&A updates from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, which acquired a minority stake in a European outdoor accommodation provider, and Warner Bros’ acquisition of a stake in OSN Streaming. We also have an earnings update from UAE conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim, and a new funding round for an Abu Dhabi fintech.

So, when do we eat? Maghrib is at 6:35pm today in Dubai and 6:39pm in Abu Dhabi. You’ll have until fajr prayers at 4:59am in Dubai and 5:03am in Abu Dhabi tomorrow to finish your suhoor.

⛅WEATHER- Temperatures are still on the cooler side today, peaking at 26°C in Dubai and 22°C in Abu Dhabi, according to our favorite weather app and the National Center of Meteorology’s forecast (pdf). Dubai will hit an overnight low of 20°C, while Abu Dhabi will cool to 20°C.

PSAs-

#1- Say hello to polymer AED 100 banknotes: The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has introduced a new AED 100 polymer banknote as part of the third issuance of the national currency project, according to a statement(pdf). You can expect to find prominent cultural symbols on the banknote, including the Um Al Quwain National Fort and Port of Fujairah, along with the Etihad Rail. The polymer note is more durable, and incorporates security features like spark flow dimensions and kinegram colors to combat counterfeiting, as well as Braille symbols to aid visually impaired users. The note entered circulation yesterday alongside the existing AED 100.

#2- Dubai Land Department’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency is throwing property owners who are late on service fee payments a lifeline with a new program offering installment plans in coordination with jointly owned property management firms, according to a press release. Installment plans can range from six months to longer, and come as RERA looks to reduce service fee-related disputes at the Rental Disputes Center, enhance financial stability in the real estate sector, and improve service fee allocation across projects. You can register for a period of two months through any of the 19 property management firms onboarded to the program. The full list of companies can be found here.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Abu Dhabi’s Taqa is reportedly in talks with Spanish gas producer and renewables player Naturgy’s largest shareholder to revive acquisition talks, Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. Taqa Chairman Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi met with an executive of Naturgy’s shareholder, Criteria Caixa, in Spain. Criteria Caixa currently owns a 26.7% stake in the company.

Refresher: Taqa had pulled the plug on talks with Criteria Caixa in June last year, after speculations that the potential acquisition could meet resistance amid a rising wave of protectionism in the EU, which would have prompted the Spanish government to negotiate maintaining a stake. The company was reportedly eyeing a 40% stake in the firm, which would have required it to launch a mandatory tender offer (MTO) for 100% of the company, since Spanish law dictates that any offer to buy more than 30% of a company automatically triggers an MTO requirement.

The same sticking points remain: One of Bloomberg’s sources said that Naturgy’s shareholders are open to a sale, provided it’s only of a minority stake, and the Algerian government — which at the time of the initial talks was considering blocking the transaction, to protect its stake in the company — is on board. Naturgy owns two pipelines that carry fuel from Algeria to Spain.

#2- Dana Gas mulls potential USD 500 mn issuance: Dana Gas’ board of directors is meeting on 16 April to discuss issuing a non-convertible bond or sukuk issuance worth up to USD 500 mn or its equivalent in another currency, with a fixed tenor of three to five years, according to a disclosure (pdf) to the ADX. The issuance would either be offered directly or through a special purpose vehicle. It is also set to consider paying AED 384.7 mn in dividends for 2024.

#3- Sidara gets more time to make (yet another) move on Wood Group: UK-based engineering services firm Wood Group is giving Dubai-based engineering and consulting group Sidara until 17 April to decide whether to make a formal takeover offer, according to a statement. Sidara initially had until yesterday to make a formal offer, but it is still waiting for a governance report and a complete financial audit on Wood Group. The two companies are reportedly negotiating a lower price due to the recent decline in Wood’s share price.

REMEMBER- This is Sidara’s second attempt in under a year. Last August, it walked away from a GBP 1.56 bn bid, citing market instability and geopolitical concerns. WG’s shares dropped nearly 80% over the past year, slashing its market value to just over GBP 200 mn. Investors are also worried about financial governance issues, rising debt, and leadership changes, especially after CFO Arvind Balan resigned in February.

#4- UAE investors are doubling down on gold in 2025 as prices hover near record highs of USD 3k an ounce, according to an Equiti Group report shared with Enterprise. The surge is driven by sustained central bank demand amid global uncertainty. The gold-to-money ratio stands at just 0.13—around 30% of its 1980 level—suggesting prices “might have much more room to rise,” said Equiti’s Farah Mourad. Central banks snapped up over 1k tonnes of gold for a third straight year in 2024, reinforcing gold’s status as a safe-haven asset. With inflationary pressures persisting, analysts see gold climbing as high as USD 3.4k by year-end.

But jewelry sales are dipping as buyers wait for prices to cool: Jewelry demand in the UAE, which typically accounts for 60% of the gold market, is cooling as consumers balk at high prices, Reuters reports. “A lot of Indian tourists usually shop in Dubai to avoid import taxes, but even they’re holding back,” a Dubai-based bullion seller said. Buyers are shifting to lower-weight items or holding off entirely, according to the World Gold Council’s Middle East and Public Policy head Andrew Naylor. However, data indicates that while fewer jewelry pieces were purchased last year, the total value of sales still rose, Naylor said.

Meanwhile, FX trading is booming, with the Middle East’s online market on track to hit USD 1 tn in 2025. The Middle East is “one of the few regions in the world where client numbers are expanding rather than contracting,” according to Equiti. The UAE is leading the charge as traders target major pairs like the EUR/USD and the USD/JPY, riding central bank policy divergence. Fed cuts, European Central Bank easing, and Japan’s rate hikes have fueled volatility, pushing the EUR/USD up 6% and the USD/JPY down 6.6%, while opening up further plays for currency investors.

#5- Is your landlord asking for single-cheque payments? You’re not alone. Dubai landlords are increasingly using single-cheque payments as a bargaining tool for lower rent rates as landlors look to navigate caps on rent hikes implemented via Dubai’s rental index, Gulf News reports. Tenants seeking lease renewals are being offered a rent reduction if they pay the full contract amount upfront in a single cheque. However, those opting for multiple cheques—whether four or six—face rent hikes ranging from 5% to 25% compared to their previous rates. These increases are particularly common in high-rated buildings with better construction and maintenance standards.

Many tenants hesitate to pay in one go due to budget constraints, Avison Young UAE CEO Simon Townsend told the newswire. “Of concern has been the number of tenants who have taken on additional liabilities whether short-term loans or credit cards to use to pay rents – potentially at higher cost to the rental premiums being sought,” Townsend said. Meanwhile, rental prices in more affordable areas have stabilized, but a significant drop remains elusive after years of continuous increases.

REMEMBER- The Dubai Land Department’s rental index aims to regulate rental price adjustments and enhance market transparency, with hikes capped at 20% or less depending on the unit’s market value.

DATA POINTS-

Royal family offices in the Gulf now oversee an estimated USD 500 bn in assets, emerging as influential players in the region’s sovereign wealth ecosystem, Zawya reports, citing Deloitte. The UAE is home to most of the 35 Royal Private Offices (RPOs) in the GCC identified by the Global Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) Institute.

Notable mentions: The Royal Group, led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, manages USD 300 bn and holds 61% of IHC, which Al Nahyan also chairs. In 2024, IHC launched 2PointZero, a USD 27 bn holding company.

RPOs are getting deeper into private credit: The rise of RPOs has spurred the creation of new or parallel sovereign funds—often linked to ruling families—blurring the line between public and private capital, Deloitte notes. In 2022, Chimera Capital (now Lunate), an affiliate of Royal Group, partnered with Alpha Wave Global to launch a USD 2 bn private credit fund. The USD 110 bn Lunate, has since considered acquiring a stake in HPS Partners, while Mubadala has invested over USD 5 bn in private credit partnerships with Apollo, Ares, and Blackstone, expanding its global footprint.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Trump tariffs are back on the front pages: US President Donald Trump said auto tariffs will land “in the next few days,” with additional duties on pharma, lumber, and semiconductors set to follow “down the road.” Speaking to reporters at the White House yesterday, Trump said many of these levies will take effect on 2 April, which he framed as a “Liberation Day” for the US economy, though some duties may be phased in later and certain allies could receive exemptions. “We’ve been ripped off by every country,” Trump told reporters, arguing the tariffs will help shrink America’s trade deficit.

Trump also confirmed a new 25% “secondary tariff” on any country purchasing oil or gas from Venezuela, which will also take effect 2 April, the US President said on his social media platform Truth.

Markets reax: Wall Street closed higher on Monday on hopes that Trump’s long-threatened tariff package may end up being narrower in scope than initially feared. The S&P 500 gained nearly 1.8%, hitting a two-week high. But one White House official told Reuters that people “should not expect a reprieve,” saying the president is still “determined to implement reciprocal tariffs that are very strong.” (Reuters | Bloomberg | CNN | BBC | CNBC | New York Times)

AND- Egypt continues its diplomatic push for a Gaza ceasefire, proposing a one-week pause in return for the release of five hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid — a proposal reportedly welcomed by Hamas. (AP | Reuters)

***

You’re reading EnterpriseAM UAE, your essential daily roundup of business, economics, and must-read news about the UAE, delivered straight to your inbox. We’re out Monday through Friday by 7am UAE time.

EnterpriseAM UAE is available without charge thanks to the generous support of our friends at Mashreq. Tap or click here to get your own copy of EnterpriseAM UAE.

Want to send us a story idea, request coverage, ask for a correction, or otherwise get in touch? Reach out to us on UAE@enterpriseAM.com .

DID YOU KNOW that we also cover Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the MENA climate and logistics industries?

***

MARKET WATCH-

#1- Global energy demand grew 2.2% last year, faster than the average rate, largely driven by emerging and developing economies which accounted for 80% of the uptick, according to the International Energy Agency ’s (IEA) 2025 Global Energy Review (pdf). Electricity demand led the rise, growing 4.3% at its highest level yet. Country-wise, China and India saw the largest uptick in demand for energy, with extreme weather patterns triggering increased energy needs. The Middle East saw a 2.2% uptick in energy demand.

Demand for oil slowed to 0.8% in 2024, after a 1.9% increase in 2023, and made up less than 30% of total energy demand on the back of slower industrial growth, increased electric vehicle use, and a slowdown in the road transportation sector. Natural gas, however, saw a 2.7% uptick in demand, largely driven by China, while global gas demand hit a new all-time high.

Also growing to a record high: Renewables capacity rose by 700 GW (GW) in 2024 to another all-time high, accounting for 80% of global growth alongside nuclear energy. Renewables also made up nearly three-quarters of the growth in power generation.

#2- The Gulf Mercantile Exchange (GME) has launched trading on its Alternative Crude Ecosystem (ACE), state news agency Wam reports. The first transaction saw 500 contracts of Oman Crude Oil sold for May 2025 delivery.

What’s ACE? The bilateral trading platform allows participants to trade multiple crude grades as differentials against the GME Oman sour crude futures benchmark. These include Oman, Al Shaheen, Basrah Medium, Basrah Heavy, Dubai, Murban, and Upper Zakum.

ICYMI- GME logged a 12% increase in 2024 trading volume with 1.3 mn contracts. Meanwhile, front-month contract volume grew 20% y-o-y during the year to a record 959.6k.