The Fortune Gulf Brief highlights Dubai’s emergence as a major hub for retail trading, with trading activity surging as investors react to swings in gold, oil, AI stocks, and Donald Trump’s market-moving statements. Dubai’s large expatriate population, entrepreneurial culture, and relatively limited traditional financial safety nets have helped fuel the rise, with UAE retail trading activity now reportedly comparable to Singapore’s.
The newsletter also examines Iran’s deepening economic crisis, as the rial hits record lows and the UAE cuts trade and financial ties with Tehran, further restricting Iran’s access to foreign currency and international markets. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and France announced more than $8 billion in deals spanning entertainment, infrastructure, AI, and defense.
In Abu Dhabi, several major concerts have been canceled amid war-related uncertainty, but Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remains scheduled, providing an important boost to the UAE’s tourism and events economy.
