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US private payrolls rebounded less than expected in December, the ADP's national employment ‌report showed Wednesday.Private employment increased by 41,000 jobs ‌last month after a revised ‍decrease of 29,000 in November. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast private employment would rise ⁠by 47,000 jobs after a previously ⁠reported decline of 32,000 in November.The services sector accounted for the ‍rebound, adding 44,000 positions, though the professional and business services industry lost 29,000 jobs and employment in the information sector fell by 12,000. Payrolls in the goods-producing sector decreased by 3,000 jobs, with manufacturing shedding 5,000 positions. Construction payrolls increased by 1,000 jobs."The visual signal from today's headline is that jobs were gained in December, but at a ‌relatively slow pace," said Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics.The ADP report is jointly developed with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. It was released ‍ahead of the Bureau ⁠of Labor Statistics' more ‌comprehensive and closely watched employment report for December on Friday.The monthly estimate has historically diverged from the government's private payrolls count in the employment report, which some economists said limited its value as a labour market gauge."ADP's payroll estimate continues to attract more attention than warranted by its track record," said Samuel Tombs, chief US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. "Its first estimate of private payrolls has been adrift from the first official estimate on average by 83,000 since its methodology was overhauled in August 2022."Though job growth has slowed ​significantly amid weak demand for labour, ‌layoffs remain relatively low by historical standards. Economists say policy uncertainty mostly related to import tariffs has ⁠left businesses reluctant to ‍increase their headcounts. Some employers also are integrating artificial intelligence in certain roles, diminishing the need for labour.A Reuters survey of economists forecast that the BLS report would show private payrolls increased by 64,000 in December after rising by 69,000 in November. With further government job losses anticipated, overall non-farm ​payrolls were estimated to have increased 60,000 last month after advancing by 64,000 in November.But attention is likely to be on the unemployment rate, which is projected to have eased to 4.5% after jumping to a more than four-year high of 4.6% in November. The November unemployment rate was partially distorted by the 43-day federal government shutdown, which also prevented the collection of household data for October.The unemployment rate for October was ⁠not published for the first time since the government started tracking the series in 1948. 

QNB Private Banking continues to strengthen its position as a leading wealth management institution in Qatar and the wider region, following its recognition in 2025 by respected financial publications, including Global Finance and MEED. During the year, QNB was named ‘Best Private Bank in Qatar’ and ‘Best Private Bank in the Middle East’ by Global Finance. This recognition reflects QNB’s continued leadership in delivering exceptional private banking and wealth management services, offering clients-tailored financial solutions that combine innovation, expertise, and trust.**media[398932]**QNB also received significant recognition from MEED for the strength of its private banking proposition, underscoring the bank’s consistent performance and service excellence. The Mena Banking Awards by MEED celebrate the region’s most distinguished financial institutions, recognising those that demonstrate outstanding performance, innovation, and client-centric strategies in the evolving wealth and private banking landscape. The recognition in 2025 reaffirms QNB Private Banking’s commitment to leadership in Qatar and the region, as it continues to set high standards for quality, innovation, and sustainable value creation. A relationship-led private banking model: These accolades reflect QNB Private Banking’s success in delivering bespoke wealth management solutions and maintaining a high standard of client service. The bank’s private banking model is built on professionalism, discretion, and long-term relationships, enabling it to respond effectively to the evolving needs of high-net-worth individuals and families. Integrated wealth solutions with regional expertise and European presence: QNB Private Banking offers a comprehensive range of services spanning wealth and asset management, advisory solutions, specialised lending, and real estate services, ensuring an integrated approach aligned with clients’ long-term objectives.**media[398933]**The bank also provides private banking services in its branches in France, Switzerland and UK, supporting clients with cross-border wealth structuring and international investment requirements across key European markets. Digital innovation and advanced technologies: In 2025, QNB continued to invest in digital innovation and advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and client experience, while preserving the personal engagement that remains central to private banking. This approach reflects a balance between modernisation and the trusted relationship-based service expected by private banking clients. A strong legacy supporting regional leadership: As the first private bank to be established in Qatar, QNB Private Banking is underpinned by a strong legacy of stability, sound performance, and forward-looking vision. Its regional footprint, complemented by its presence in Europe, enables the bank to deliver private banking services to consistent, high standards, including a range of tailored wealth management solutions, investment advisory, and exclusive access to global opportunities.

SoftBank Group Corp agreed to acquire private equity firm DigitalBridge Group Inc in a deal valuing the data centre investor at $4bn including debt.The Japanese conglomerate will pay $16 per share in cash for New York-listed DigitalBridge, the companies said in statement Monday, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News. The acquisition is part of SoftBank’s push to invest in the digital infrastructure fuelling the artificial intelligence boom.SoftBank’s billionaire founder, Masayoshi Son, aims to capitalise on soaring demand for digital infrastructure, driven by the AI boom. The past year has seen a wave of multibillion-dollar deals in the space, largely focused on data centres and the computing power necessary to build and power the technology.The need for capacity has fuelled massive transactions, including BlackRock Inc’s $40bn purchase of Aligned Data Centers and Oracle Corp’s agreement to supply OpenAI with about 4.5 gigawatts of computing power worth as much as $300bn.DigitalBridge is one of the biggest investment firms focused on digital infrastructure, with about $108bn of assets under management at the end of September, according to its website.The deal represents a 15% premium to DigitalBridge’s closing share price on December 26, the companies said. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.Shares of DigitalBridge rose 45% on December 5, when Bloomberg first reported the talks to take the company private. It had a market value of about $2.5bn and an enterprise value of $3.8bn including debt as of Friday’s close, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.The deal will bring to SoftBank relationships with more investors keen to deploy money in the data centre industry. DigitalBridge is led by Chief Executive Officer Marc Ganzi and its portfolio includes digital infrastructure operators such as AIMS, AtlasEdge, DataBank, Switch Inc, Vantage Data Centers and Yondr Group.SoftBank has also held discussions with closely held Switch about a possible acquisition, which specialises in designing and operating energy-efficient data centres, Bloomberg reported this month, citing people familiar with the matter.While SoftBank’s most famous bets include Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Arm Holdings Plc and WeWork, it has previously done deals in the asset management space. In 2017, it acquired Fortress Investment Group for more than $3bn. It later sold its stake to a group including Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co and Fortress management in a deal completed in 2024.In January, SoftBank announced the $500bn Stargate project, alongside OpenAI, Oracle and Abu Dhabi’s MGX, to build data centres in the US. While Son pledged to deploy $100bn “immediately,” the rollout of Stargate has been slower than planned, in part because of disagreements over where the data centres should be located.SoftBank initially sought project financing from outside investors including insurance companies, pension funds and investment funds. Some of the conversations dragged due to market volatility, uncertainty around US trade policy and questions about the financial valuations of AI hardware, Bloomberg News reported in May.SoftBank’s newest investment push has meant moving some funds around to free up capital. Son this month said he “was crying” over his need to sell a $5.8bn Nvidia Corp stake to reallocate the money to other AI spending. 

Doha Bank has received the ‘Best Private Equity Offering – MENA’ award at the MEED MENA Banking Excellence, Wealth & Private Banking Awards 2025.The bank describes the award as “a distinguished recognition” that celebrates its excellence in delivering innovative private equity solutions and exceptional wealth management services to high-net-worth and institutional clients across the region.Organised by MEED, one of the region’s leading business intelligence and financial information platforms, the MENA Banking Excellence Awards honour outstanding institutions driving innovation, performance, and client-centric excellence in the financial sector.The Wealth & Private Banking edition, launched as the first regional awards dedicated exclusively to private banking and wealth management, spotlights banks that demonstrate a deep understanding of the complex needs of high-net-worth individuals and family offices, setting new benchmarks for service excellence in the Mena region.Doha Bank’s recognition in the Best Private Equity Offering category underscores its leadership in designing and managing high-value private equity opportunities tailored to clients’ objectives. The bank’s Private Banking and Wealth Management division has built a strong reputation for combining global investment access with local insight, ensuring that each opportunity is structured to achieve optimal value creation and sustainable growth.Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Fahad bin Faisal al-Thani, Group CEO, said: “Being awarded the ‘Best Private Equity Offering – MENA’ by MEED is a testament to the trust of our clients and the excellence of our teams. This recognition underscores Doha Bank’s commitment to offering world-class wealth management solutions that contribute to the prosperity of our clients and the sustainable growth of the region’s financial ecosystem. We take great pride in leading innovation that reflects both global best practices and Qatar’s strategic vision for financial excellence.”The accolade reflects Doha Bank’s strong corporate strategy focused on diversification, responsible investment, and innovation across its Wealth and Private Banking operations. The bank continues to enhance its product portfolio, strengthen regional partnerships, and introduce forward-looking investment structures that position it at the forefront of private banking excellence in the Mena region.The recognition by MEED adds to Doha Bank’s growing list of prestigious industry awards, reaffirming its position as one of Qatar’s leading financial institutions and a trusted regional partner in wealth management and investment advisory. 

Qatar Chamber board member Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Obaidli has emphasised that business integrity has become a strategic pillar for strengthening trust, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the private sector.Speaking at the ‘Private Sector Forum 2025’ held Monday in Doha under the theme ‘Future-Proofing Business Integrity: AI, Innovation and Global Collaboration’, al-Obaidli emphasised that integrity is no longer limited to regulatory compliance, but is a national necessity and a core driver of responsible governance and sustainable economic development.He pointed out that business integrity is built on ethical values, transparency, responsible decision-making, and effective governance frameworks, including adherence to laws and international standards, anti-corruption measures, transparent reporting, and fair dealings with partners and suppliers.Al-Obaidli also highlighted Qatar’s leading role in promoting transparency and combating corruption in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, noting that the country has established a strong legislative and institutional framework following its ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2007.He also commended the pivotal role of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA) in leading national initiatives that promote ethical conduct and accountability.Al-Obaidli further pointed to the launch of the National Strategy to Promote Integrity, Transparency, and Combat Corruption 2025–2030, which introduced more than 78 national projects implemented in partnership with government entities, the private sector, and civil society organisations.Addressing future challenges, al-Obaidli noted that while artificial intelligence (AI) offers significant opportunities to enhance business performance, compliance, and transparency, it also raises ethical and governance considerations that require clear regulatory frameworks. With proper oversight, AI can serve as an effective tool for risk detection, financial monitoring, and transparency across supply chains, particularly benefiting small and medium-sized enterprises.He also highlighted Qatar’s progress in innovation and AI, positioning the country as a regional hub for emerging technologies through continued investment in research, talent development, and digital infrastructure across sectors such as healthcare, education, transportation, and cybersecurity.Al-Obaidli reaffirmed Qatar Chamber’s commitment to supporting innovation, digital transformation, and the responsible adoption of AI across industries. He noted that Qatar Chamber joined the UN Global Compact in 2020, underscoring its dedication to responsible business practices, sustainability, and anti-corruption principles. 

Qatar Executive, the private jet charter division of the Qatar Airways Group, has announced a major milestone in private aviation connectivity. By early 2026, every Gulfstream and Bombardier aircraft type in the Qatar Executive fleet will be equipped with Starlink, the world's leading ultra-high-speed, low-latency Internet.This ambitious rollout builds on Qatar Executive's commitment to innovation and client experience. Half of the Gulfstream G650ER's and entire Bombardier Global 5000's fleet are already operating with Starlink, delivering seamless, ultra-fast Internet that allows passengers to work, stream, and communicate at ground-like speeds.All installations are performed in-house and will continue at a record pace with all remaining G650ER's and the entire G700 fleet scheduled for completion by early 2026.Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Badr Mohammed Al Meer said: "We are pleased to consistently go above and beyond the expectations of our clients. By equipping our entire ultra-long-range fleet with Starlink, and completing installations with our own skilled technical teams, we are now setting a new standard for private aviation as well. This initiative aligns with our relentless commitment to excellence, delivering an experience that goes beyond expectations and truly feels like a home in the sky."The fleet-wide upgrade, combined with Qatar Executive's world-class service, creates an exclusive and unmatched experience that elevates connectivity and enhances synergies across the Qatar Airways Group.Qatar Executive is the private jet charter division of the Qatar Airways Group. Luxury jet services are available for worldwide charter on board the operator's wholly-owned business jet fleet.The ultramodern fleet includes eight Gulfstream G700's, fifteen Gulfstream G650ER's, two Bombardier Global 5000's and one Airbus A319CJ, all of which operate on a ‘floating fleet' concept, repositioning as needed, around the world, to meet customer demand and minimising the flying required to move from one customer to the next.

Qatar Chamber recently participated in the ‘First Gulf Forum for Building the Capacities and Skills of Home-Based Business Owners’, hosted by Kuwait.The two-day forum was organised by the Executive Office of the Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs of the GCC States, in partnership with the Federation of GCC Chambers. The event brought together representatives of government entities, the private sector, and entrepreneurs from across the Gulf region.Fatima Issa al-Kuwari, Training Department head, represented the chamber at the forum and participated in a panel discussion on the role of GCC federations and chambers of commerce in supporting emerging projects.In her remarks, she emphasised the importance of home-based and emerging projects, which are among the promising engines of economic and social growth in GCC countries, calling for a supportive ecosystem that enables training, development, and access to opportunities for this category.She also highlighted the pivotal role played by Qatar Chamber in empowering home-business owners by designing high-quality training programmes, organising specialised events, and connecting them with numerous supporting entities through the training workshops it hosts.These workshops, she noted, focus on developing entrepreneurship skills and presenting inspiring success stories, contributing to enhancing the capabilities of project owners and improving their readiness to enter the market and transition toward sustainable business models.Al-Kuwari said the chamber also enables home-based projects to promote their products, and adopts initiatives that raise awareness about commercial transformation, while offering opportunities that strengthen the role of entrepreneurs in the national economy.She added that the shared vision of GCC chambers today is to build an integrated Gulf environment that supports innovation and enables home-based and emerging projects to evolve from simple initiatives into commercial ventures capable of competing and generating significant economic and social value. 

Property developers in the United Arab Emirates are raising billions through a growing arsenal of funding tools — from Islamic bonds to private credit — as they ride one of the Gulf country’s longest real estate booms in years. Data compiled by Bloomberg show dollar bond and sukuk issuance alone has grown more than twelve-fold to $6bn since 2021, underscoring how widely developers have accessed the market in a short time.Names once unknown to international debt capital markets, including Arada Developments, Binghatti Holding and Omniyat Holdings, are now regular sukuk issuers, joining heavyweights like Emaar Properties, Aldar Properties, and Damac Properties. More new names like Samana Developers are planning to test capital markets, and Arada is even weighing a convertible sukuk, a rare move in a region still new to equity-linked financing. Many firms are racing to get more cash to buy land as the competition to secure prime locations in the UAE intensifies. Their push into new pockets of the credit market highlights a growing role for local and international bond investors in Dubai real estate. Property prices have already risen more than 70% since 2019 in the city, and are also surging in the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Still, the flood of issuances has created a growing wall of maturities, with about $8bn due by 2030. Some analysts have flagged rising risks from Dubai’s extended boom, though most say the sector’s fundamentals remain solid for now. The emirate continues to see record pre-sales and strong inflows from wealthy overseas buyers, boosting developers’ profitability and cash buffers. “The demand for UAE real estate bonds and sukuk is unlikely to dry up anytime soon,” said Apostolos Bantis, managing director of fixed income advisory at Union Bancaire Privee. “Global investors remain attracted to higher-quality developers offering yields that stand out compared to developed markets.” At the same time, a global slowdown, regional unrest, or a drop in oil prices could sap confidence and leave some homebuyers exposed if any developers struggle to deliver. A wave of new property supply has also led Fitch Ratings to forecast a “moderate correction” in late 2025 into 2026. UBS Group AG has warned that Dubai’s bubble risk has surged since 2022, though the city still sits below the bank’s “high-risk” category, helped by strong rental yields and comparatively affordable home prices. In debt markets, the flood of new real-estate sukuk deals could test market appetite, particularly as investors look to avoid over-exposure to a single sector. Fady Gendy, fixed-income portfolio manager at Arqaam Capital, said the large volume of deals this year has led to some signs of “investor fatigue,” apparent in how some recent deals have been trading below their re-offer price and with higher new issue premiums paid.“This is to be expected after the large volume printed from the sector this year, and that being concentrated across a few names,” he said. None of that is deterring developers who want to raise money in the short term. For many, private credit has emerged as a vital new source of liquidity as traditional banks approach their real estate exposure limits.Omniyat tapped Nomura for a $100mn private credit facility earlier this year, and private credit specialists say most of the current demand in the UAE is coming from developers. “Banks have hit sector limits and are prioritising lending to large, government-backed developers,” said David Beckett, head of origination and Middle East business development at asset manager SC Lowy. “That leaves private developers underfunded, but they’re seeing strong returns and are willing to pay private credit spreads.” Some firms are looking beyond debt markets to potential listings, although no definitive plans have been announced yet. Binghatti, Samana and Arada are among those weighing possible initial public offerings.Gendy would see a rise in IPOs as a welcome shift, not only to potentially provide fresh injections of capital, but also to strengthen transparency and corporate governance. One key risk to watch, he added, will be dividend policy, to ensure developers maintain sufficient buffers for any future downturns. Investors are no strangers to the Dubai property sector’s swings: Damac Properties was taken private in 2022 at a sharp discount to its original listing value. Despite potential challenges, real estate investors and developers are counting on demand to hold up, partly because expats continue to pour into Dubai and the nearby emirates. Gendy stressed that near-term sector fundamentals remain intact, and concerns about a potential supply glut in 2026 or 2027 may be overblown, as actual new developments typically fall short of projections. “That said, if there is a more severe correction, we would expect to see some dispersion in market pricing between the various real estate issuers, on account of differences in their business models, and operating and financial metrics,” Gendy said about the bonds the builders are issuing. 

Property developers in the United Arab Emirates are raising billions through a growing arsenal of funding tools — from Islamic bonds to private credit — as they ride one of the Gulf country’s longest real estate booms in years.Data compiled by Bloomberg show dollar bond and sukuk issuance alone has grown more than twelve-fold to $6bn since 2021, underscoring how widely developers have accessed the market in a short time.Names once unknown to international debt capital markets, including Arada Developments, Binghatti Holding and Omniyat Holdings, are now regular sukuk issuers, joining heavyweights like Emaar Properties, Aldar Properties, and Damac Properties.More new names like Samana Developers are planning to test capital markets, and Arada is even weighing a convertible sukuk, a rare move in a region still new to equity-linked financing.Many firms are racing to get more cash to buy land as the competition to secure prime locations in the UAE intensifies. Their push into new pockets of the credit market highlights a growing role for local and international bond investors in Dubai real estate. Property prices have already risen more than 70% since 2019 in the city, and are also surging in the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.Still, the flood of issuances has created a growing wall of maturities, with about $8bn due by 2030. Some analysts have flagged rising risks from Dubai’s extended boom, though most say the sector’s fundamentals remain solid for now. The emirate continues to see record pre-sales and strong inflows from wealthy overseas buyers, boosting developers’ profitability and cash buffers.“The demand for UAE real estate bonds and sukuk is unlikely to dry up anytime soon,” said Apostolos Bantis, managing director of fixed income advisory at Union Bancaire Privee. “Global investors remain attracted to higher-quality developers offering yields that stand out compared to developed markets.”At the same time, a global slowdown, regional unrest, or a drop in oil prices could sap confidence and leave some homebuyers exposed if any developers struggle to deliver. A wave of new property supply has also led Fitch Ratings to forecast a “moderate correction” in late 2025 into 2026.UBS Group AG has warned that Dubai’s bubble risk has surged since 2022, though the city still sits below the bank’s “high-risk” category, helped by strong rental yields and comparatively affordable home prices.In debt markets, the flood of new real-estate sukuk deals could test market appetite, particularly as investors look to avoid over-exposure to a single sector. Fady Gendy, fixed-income portfolio manager at Arqaam Capital, said the large volume of deals this year has led to some signs of “investor fatigue,” apparent in how some recent deals have been trading below their re-offer price and with higher new issue premiums paid.“This is to be expected after the large volume printed from the sector this year, and that being concentrated across a few names,” he said.None of that is deterring developers who want to raise money in the short term. For many, private credit has emerged as a vital new source of liquidity as traditional banks approach their real estate exposure limits.Omniyat tapped Nomura for a $100mn private credit facility earlier this year, and private credit specialists say most of the current demand in the UAE is coming from developers.“Banks have hit sector limits and are prioritising lending to large, government-backed developers,” said David Beckett, head of origination and Middle East business development at asset manager SC Lowy. “That leaves private developers underfunded, but they’re seeing strong returns and are willing to pay private credit spreads.”Some firms are looking beyond debt markets to potential listings, although no definitive plans have been announced yet. Binghatti, Samana and Arada are among those weighing possible initial public offerings.Gendy would see a rise in IPOs as a welcome shift, not only to potentially provide fresh injections of capital, but also to strengthen transparency and corporate governance. One key risk to watch, he added, will be dividend policy, to ensure developers maintain sufficient buffers for any future downturns. Investors are no strangers to the Dubai property sector’s swings: Damac Properties was taken private in 2022 at a sharp discount to its original listing value.Despite potential challenges, real estate investors and developers are counting on demand to hold up, partly because expats continue to pour into Dubai and the nearby emirates.Gendy stressed that near-term sector fundamentals remain intact, and concerns about a potential supply glut in 2026 or 2027 may be overblown, as actual new developments typically fall short of projections.“That said, if there is a more severe correction, we would expect to see some dispersion in market pricing between the various real estate issuers, on account of differences in their business models, and operating and financial metrics,” Gendy said about the bonds the builders are issuing. 

The Qatar National Bank (QNB) predicted that the US economy could grow an above consensus 2% this year, on the back of strong consumption and private investment. In its Economic Commentary, the QNB said: "At the beginning of the year, the outlook on the US economy pointed to a gentle slowdown in growth. But an agenda of disruptive policy change by the new administration began to take place, and the climate of optimism and positive market sentiment started to shift. Economic indicators have stabilized and, more surprisingly, some gauges even point to an acceleration in activity. The "GDP Now" is an informative real-time, model-based "nowcast" produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, which delivers a running estimate of real GDP growth in the current quarter for the US economy. It leverages a large set of high-frequency indicators from key economic sectors, and is therefore a representative summary of economic conditions. The latest available estimate points to an annualized growth rate of 3.8% in Q3-2025, a significant re-acceleration in activity relative to the 0.6% contraction in Q1-2025. In our view, the consensus growth forecast of 1.7% for this year is still lagging with respect to the latest information available and is therefore relatively pessimistic. In this article, we discuss the key components of GDP that are contributing to an acceleration of economic activity and support a relatively better outlook. First, household consumption is providing a strong boost to US real GDP growth, underpinned by the combination of resilient, even if deteriorating, employment, record household net wealth, and adequate access to credit. Consumption represents close to 70% of GDP and is therefore a major driver of economic growth. Retail sales adjusted for inflation, a useful gauge of consumption strength, accelerated to 1.7% year-over-year according to the latest prints, significantly above the average of -0.3% from last year. Even as job gains have slowed, the unemployment rate at 4.3% remains in the range of balanced employment, and earnings have steadily grown in real terms, outpacing inflation. This helps to keep aggregate household incomes strong. At the same time, a positive wealth effect from rising stock markets has bolstered spending capacity. Directly and indirectly held equity represents 35% of household net wealth, and 14% year-to-date growth in major indices has a significant impact on wealth, providing a positive effect that bolsters consumption sentiment. Borrowing channels also remain dynamic, with total household credit growing USD 352 Bn in the first two quarters and continuing to support expenditures this quarter. Together, these factors are contributing to maintaining household consumption as the key driver of real GDP momentum, accounting for 2/3 of real GDP growth expected for this quarter. Second, business investment is showing a strong performance, on the back of favourable financial conditions, fiscal incentives, and technology and AI-related capital expenditures. The latest data releases have shown accelerating growth in "core capital goods orders," a timely and representative signal of private-sector capital expenditures ("capex"). This measure tracks non-defence capital goods and excludes aircraft orders, which are typically sensitive to irregular procurements, and are therefore noisier. In recent months, this indicator has been growing at a rate of close to 4% in annual terms, a remarkable acceleration from the 0.9% average contraction last year. Several factors are contributing to investment growth. Demand for equipment and technology is surging, as firms continue to invest to support productivity and AI-related expansion. Policy incentives, such as the CHIPS Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and infrastructure programs are spurring construction of semiconductor facilities, factories, and clean energy projects. Additionally, healthy corporate profits and high expected returns on invested capital give businesses the means and the incentives to move forward with long-term projects. Taken together, these investment trends are contributing to an acceleration of economic growth. All in all, a reacceleration of the US economy is taking place on the back of strong momentum in consumption and private investment. In our view, the US economy could grow an above consensus 2% this year, on the back of strong consumption and private investment."

Qatar’s PMI climbing to 51.9 in August indicates accelerating non-oil private sector activity in the country, according to Oxford Economics.Last month, the PMI climbed to 51.9, which Oxford Economics noted is “fuelled by the fastest job creation and employment growth in the region”.Business activity in the GCC’s non-oil private sector continued to strengthen in August, Oxford Economics said.The UAE’s PMI rose to 53.3 from July’s four-year low of 52.9, driven by faster output growth. Saudi Arabia’s PMI edged up slightly to 56.4, supported by stronger client demand and infrastructure projects.“Overall, the GCC's non-oil private sector has seen sustained expansion this year, and we expect 4% growth in the region's non-oil output this year,” Oxford Economics said.In Saudi Arabia, credit growth slowed to 15.2% y/y in August but remained well above deposit growth of 8.4%. A sharper drop in mortgage lending suggests softer real estate activity, although consumer credit stayed strong.“We expect early interest rate cuts to support credit demand, likely pushing the average loan-to-deposit ratio to a new high. This could raise liquidity concerns in the coming months, especially if deposit growth continues to lag,” Oxford Economics noted.In a recent report the researcher noted Qatar's fiscal balance is estimated to scale up to 5.4% (of country’s GDP) in 2026 from 1.8% this year.A growing fiscal balance signals improved macroeconomic stability and a stronger ability to manage government debt in the country, an analyst noted.In an indication of the country’s level of international competitiveness, Qatar’s current account will improve further reaching 18.3% of the country’s GDP in 2026, from 17.5% this year.Qatar’s real GDP growth has been forecast at 2.7% year-on-year (y-o-y) this year, rising to 4.8% in 2026.Inflation has been forecast at 0.4% this year and 2.8% in 2026.In its last country report, Oxford Economics noted Qatar’s GDP growth “will more than double” in 2026-2027, with both the energy and non-energy sectors contributing positively this year and beyond, according to Oxford Economics.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued on Monday Amiri Decision No. 27 of 2025 establishing the Qatar Award for Localisation in the Private Sector.The decision states that the award aims to foster healthy competition among private sector entities in the area of job localisation, by recognising establishments that have met nationalisation targets and contributed to realising Qatar's national vision. Additionally, it seeks to honor distinguished citizens working in the private sector, along with exceptional talents, visionary leaders, and innovative pioneers.Under the decision, a Board of Trustees will be formed within the Ministry of Labor to oversee the award's management, determine its criteria, define its categories and levels, and set the necessary procedures.The law is effective starting from its date of issue and is to be published in the official gazette.