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Saturday, February 14, 2026 | Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.

Tag Results for "AI investment" (102 articles)

Gulf Times
Business

Qatar, Egypt sign deal to implement $29.7bn urban development project

Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company signed an investment partnership agreement with Egypt's New Urban Communities Authority to implement an integrated urban tourism project according to the highest international standards, in the Alam El Roum area on the North Coast of Matrouh Governorate.The project extends over an area of ​​around 4,900 acres and along 7.2km of Mediterranean beaches, with total investments estimated at more than $29.7bn.The signing ceremony was attended on the Egyptian side by Prime Minister Dr Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Finance Dr Ahmed Kouchouk, and Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Sherif El Sherbini.On the Qatari side, it was attended by His Excellency Minister of Municipality and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatari Diar Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al- Attiyah, CEO of Qatari Diar Ali Mohammed al-Ali, and Chief Development and Project Delivery Officer — Asia and Africa at Qatari Diar, Sheikh Hamad bin Talal al-Thani.The project aims to transform Alam al-Roum into a comprehensive tourism and investment destination, encompassing residential, tourist, commercial, and service areas. It will feature upscale residential complexes and neighbourhoods, tourism and entertainment projects, open artificial lakes, golf courses, and a marina for yachts, including one international and two inland local marinas. The project will also include a complete infrastructure, such as a service free zone, electricity distribution and water desalination and treatment plants, hospitals, schools, universities, and several government offices.Stretching along a 7.2 km waterfront, the project is expected to be one of the largest development projects in the region and is anticipated to attract investments, boost economic growth, and create both direct and indirect job opportunities.The agreement includes a cash price of $3.5bn and an in-kind consideration of 396,000 square meters of built-up area, the sale of which is expected to generate revenues of at least $1.8 bn. In addition, 15 % of the project's profits will be allocated to the New Urban Communities Authority after the company recovers its full investment costs. These profits include the output of the company and its subsidiaries.The land use within the project is distributed as follows: residential land constitutes approximately 60 % of the total area, 15 % is allocated to service areas, and 25 % to roads, squares, and open green spaces. The project land will be delivered free of any encumbrances in two main phases and several sub-phases.In this context, Dr Mostafa Madbouly emphasised that this agreement represents a major investment partnership reflecting the depth of the fraternal relations between Egypt and Qatar. He said that it is an important step in strengthening economic and investment cooperation between the two countries, given the distinguished relationship between President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. He added that the partnership embodies the vision of both leaderships for integrated economic cooperation that contributes to supporting sustainable development and attracting high-quality investments to the Egyptian market.He noted the government's commitment to removing any obstacles facing investors and its keen interest in partnering with Qatar on this project, which is one of the largest Arab investments in the real estate and tourism development sector and reflects investor confidence in the Egyptian economy.For his part, HE Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah al- Attiyah said that the project represents a strategic step toward enhancing the status of Egypt's North Coast as a comprehensive global destination, and embodies Qatar's commitment as a partner in supporting the Egyptian government's efforts to achieve sustainable development and year-round operation of coastal areas.The project represents one of the most prominent investment ventures in the region, with a total investment of approximately $29.7 bn, he said, noting that this is expected to provide more than 250,000 direct and indirect job opportunities.HE Minister of Municipality and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatari Diar added that the project also reflects Qatari Diar's confidence in the strength of the Egyptian economy and its belief in the value of investing in Egypt's unique geographical location.Speaking to Qatar News Agency following the signing of the deal, CEO of Qatari Diar Ali Mohammed al-Ali emphasized that the "Alam al-Roum" project represents a new step in developing luxury destinations in Egypt, as part of a series of strategic investments targeting high-value tourist destinations. He added that the project will be a landmark in the development of the North Coast and a global destination that will redefine tourism standards on the Mediterranean through development spanning more than 20mn square meters and boasting over 4,500 hotel rooms.He indicated that the project will be implemented by a special-purpose project company wholly owned by Qatari Diar, in coordination with the New Urban Communities Authority to ensure the design adheres to the highest international standards.

Gulf Times
Business

Qatar Exports concludes trade mission to Oman; clinches potential deals of QR223mn

Qatar Exports has concluded its 2025 trade mission to Oman, with participation from more than 45 Qatari firms, with the value of potential deals exceeding QR223mn.The mission represented a new milestone in advancing trade and investment cooperation between Qatar and Oman.It aligns with the joint statement issued earlier this year, which reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to supporting the private sector, intensifying efforts to increase trade exchange, and enhancing economic integration between the two countries."The strong coordination and joint efforts throughout this mission reflect the depth of economic relations between Qatar and Oman, and the real potential both countries share for building meaningful regional and international partnerships grounded in mutual interests," said Khalid Abdulla al-Mana, Qstar Development Bank (QDB) Vice President of Enterprise Development and Executive Director of Qatar Exports.Through Qatar Exports, QDB is committed to promoting Qatari products in Gulf and global markets, he said, adding "we will continue to support national exporters by building their capabilities and opening doors to new markets, helping them compete globally as part of our broader strategy to grow Qatar’s export ecosystem.”The mission brought together senior Qatari and Omani officials and featured in-depth bilateral discussions between the two sides, alongside a series of meetings and an exhibition for Qatari companies that highlighted the diversity and quality of Qatari products.In total, the program included 350 bilateral meetings, the mission’s activities attracted more than 450 visitors, and the value of potential deals exceeded QR223mn.

Gulf Times
Qatar

Chairman of Aqarat says real estate development dispute resolution committees strengthen investment environment and support market stability

Chairman of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Aqarat) Eng. Khalid Ahmed Al Obaidli affirmed that the issuance of Decision No. 166 of 2025 by His Excellency Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, appointing the chairperson and members of the Real Estate Development Dispute Resolution Committees, underscores the State of Qatar's commitment to enhancing the real estate investment environment and developing mechanisms for resolving real estate disputes. Al Obaidli said on this occasion that these committees will play a pivotal role in settling disputes that may arise between investors, developers, and other stakeholders in the real estate sector, ensuring the speedy resolution of cases and achieving prompt justice, in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 6 of 2014 on Real Estate Development Regulation, as amended by Law No. 5 of 2023. The Chairman of the Chairman of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority added that this decision represents significant support for the Authority's efforts to consolidate stability and transparency in the real estate market, contributing to strengthening investor confidence and achieving the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. He pointed out that Aqarat seeks to organize and stimulate the sector and contribute to its development in line with the sustainable development goals of Qatar Vision 2030, by achieving integration between governance and regulation, addressing challenges facing the sector, and protecting the rights of all parties involved in the real estate ecosystem. He also clarified that the Authority works in collaboration with relevant partners to establish the necessary regulatory frameworks and policies to advance the real estate sector and ensure compliance with them, overseeing the licensing of real estate developers, development projects, and companies operating in this field.

Gulf Times
Region

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan agree to launch economic cooperation framework

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan agreed to launch an Economic Cooperation Framework and affirmed mutual desire to strengthen trade and investment relations to serve their common interests.In a joint statement released today, the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif agreed during their meeting held in Riyadh yesterday (Monday) to launch an Economic Cooperation Framework between the two countries.As part of the framework, the statement said, several strategic and high-impact projects will be discussed in the economic, trade, investment, and development fields that will contribute to strengthening cooperation between the two governments, enhancing the pivotal role of the private sector, and increasing trade exchange between the two countries.Priority sectors include energy, industry, mining, information technology, tourism, agriculture, and food security.Both sides are currently studying several joint economic projects, including signing a memorandum of understanding for the electricity interconnection project between the Kingdom and Pakistan, in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of energy between the two nations.This framework reaffirms the two countries' shared vision toward building a sustainable partnership across various economic, trade, and investment fields.

Gulf Times
International

Russian envoy says Putin and Trump summit postponed to later date

The summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump will take place, but will likely be postponed to a later date, said Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Russian president's special envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries.In an interview with CNN, Dmitriev, who is visiting the US, said that the meeting between Putin and Trump had not been canceled, as the US president described it, and that the two leaders will likely meet at a later date."I believe Russia and the US and Ukraine are actually quite close to a diplomatic solution," the Russian envoy said.Last week, US President Donald Trump announced that he would meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Hungary to try to end the war in Ukraine, before later announcing the cancellation of the summit.

Gulf Times
Business

Egyptian Minister of Labour showcases Business Climate to attract Qatari investment

Minister of Labour of the Arab Republic of Egypt Mohamed Abdel Aziz Gibran discussed with His Excellency Mohamed bin Ahmed Al Obaidli, Board Member of the Qatar Chamber, ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the economic and investment fields and to encourage Qatari investors to enter the Egyptian market. The two sides also reviewed Egypt's labor law during the meeting and explored mechanisms to overcome challenges facing investors in the Egyptian labor market. During the discussions, he reviewed the latest amendments to the Egyptian Labour Law, which include the establishment of an emergency fund to support workers and struggling companies, as well as the creation of an entity dedicated to training and upgrading workers' skills. He noted that the new law aims to foster a stimulating work environment conducive to investment and to support a secure and stable investment climate in Egypt. The meeting also reviewed the outcomes of the Minister's recent visit to Qatar, during which he met with representatives of the Qatari private sector. The visit resulted in positive understandings aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of labor, training, and employment. For his part, Al Obaidli praised the deep fraternal relations between Qatar and Egypt, affirming the Qatar Chamber's keenness to expand cooperation between the two countries across economic, commercial, and investment domains.

Gulf Times
Business

Qatar Chamber joins Arab-African Investment Conference in Cairo

Qatar Chamber is participating in the 28th Arab-African Investment and International Cooperation Conference and Exhibition, which opened Sunday in Cairo. Board member and Chairman of the Food Security and Environment Committee, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Obaidly is representing the Chamber in the event, which addresses economic integration and opportunities for international partnerships. Held under the patronage of the League of Arab States, the conference serves as a strategic platform for fostering joint investments and forging international partnerships that support economic growth across Arab and African nations. The event brings together a high-level gathering of economic leaders, experts, policymakers, and investors from the Arab region, Africa, and the wider international community. Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Al Obaidly said the conference comes at a critical time of economic momentum in the Arab and African regions, calling for enhanced cooperation and the establishment of meaningful public-private partnerships. He stressed that industry and investment are key engines of modern economies and essential pillars for sustainable growth. He also noted their strategic importance in addressing global economic challenges, diversifying economies, and creating job opportunities. Al Obaidly highlighted Qatar's strong focus on both industry and investment under its National Vision 2030, which aims to build a sustainable, diversified economy less dependent on hydrocarbons. He pointed to the development of advanced industrial and free zones, world-class infrastructure, and a range of investor-friendly policies in Qatar, including full ownership incentives, streamlined procedures, and broad support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Al Obaidly further noted the vital role Qatar's private sector plays in driving industrial and investment development, with Qatari companies successfully contributing to the country's production base and engaging in strategic projects both at home and abroad. He concluded by emphasizing the role of Qatar Chamber in supporting industrial investments, facilitating partnerships between Qatari and international business leaders, and promoting initiatives that enhance the business climate and attract investment.

Gulf Times
Qatar

QCB Governor meets executives from Citigroup, Euroclear Group

His Excellency Governor of Qatar Central Bank and Chairman of Qatar Investment Authority, Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saoud Al-Thani met with Chairman of Citigroup, John Dugan and Chairman of Euroclear Group, Francesco Vanni d'Archirafi on the sidelines of the 2025 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) held in Washington DC in the United States of America from 13 to 18 October 2025. During the meetings, they reviewed the latest global developments in banking and finance.

Gulf Times
Business

Foreign net purchases of S. Korean stocks hit 19-month high in September

Foreign investors' net investment in South Korean stocks reached its highest level in more than 1 1/2 years last month amid expectations of improved conditions in the chip industry, central bank data showed Wednesday. Offshore investors purchased a net $4.34 billion worth of local stocks in September, marking the largest amount since February 2024, when net investment stood at $5.59 billion, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). It marked the second consecutive month of net inflows in foreign securities' investment, following $180 million in August. Foreign investors also bought $4.78 billion worth of bonds in September, rebounding from a net selling of $770 million a month earlier. "Foreign investment was focused on the electronics sector amid expectations of better conditions in the semiconductor industry," the BOK said. "The growth in bond investment was driven by rising demand for mid- to long-term bonds." According to the Korea Exchange (KRX), its semiconductor index rose 26.8 %, from 3,780.05 on Sept. 1 to 4,792.07 on Sept. 30, while the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 9 % over the same period. The central bank also noted that the Korean won weakened against the US dollar in September, falling to 1,402.9 won from August's 1,390.1 won.

Gulf Times
Business

Google to invest $15 billion in major AI data hub in India

Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., announced plans to invest $15 billion to build a major artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud data hub in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, marking the company's largest single investment outside the United States. The new facility will be established in the port city of Visakhapatnam and will form part of Google's global network of AI data centers across 12 countries. "It's the largest AI hub that we are going to be investing in anywhere in the world outside the United States," said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, during an event in New Delhi on Tuesday, adding that the investment would be made over the next five years. Andhra Pradesh's Minister of Information Technology, Nara Lokesh, described the project as "a massive leap for our state's digital future, innovation, and global standing." According to the state government, the new hub will include a 1-gigawatt data center campus integrating advanced AI infrastructure, renewable energy systems, and an expanded fiber-optic network to support growing digital connectivity. The project comes amid intensifying global competition among major technology firms to expand data center capacity to meet surging demand for AI-driven services. Google has pledged to spend approximately $85 billion this year on data infrastructure worldwide, while competitors such as Microsoft and Amazon have also invested billions of dollars in India — a market with nearly one billion internet users.

Gulf Times
Business

Muscat Stock Exchange records OMR 2.4 billion in trading over nine months

The Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) posted record-breaking figures in 2025, with trading value reaching OMR 2.4 billion in the first nine months of the year, the highest level in 15 years. This surge was driven by aggressive buying from local investment funds and institutions, which fostered positive market sentiment. Their activity encouraged individual investors, as well as Gulf and foreign institutions, to increase their participation, resulting in higher stock prices, trading volumes, and overall market value. The benchmark index also saw notable gains. Trading in the first two quarters remained relatively calm, echoing previous years. Q1 recorded OMR 434 million in trades, rising to OMR 483.1 million in Q2. Activity then doubled in Q3, surpassing OMR 1.5 billion, including OMR 467.8 million in July, OMR 524.8 million in August, and OMR 511 million in September. By the end of September, MSX's market capitalization climbed to OMR 30.534 billion, gaining OMR 2.9 billion. This was supported by rising stock prices, capital increases by public shareholding companies, and growth in the bonds, sukuk, and closed market segments. The exchange also saw a sharp rise in the total number of traded securities, reaching 13.2 billion compared to 4.7 billion in the same period last year and 2.2 billion in 2023. Executed transactions exceeded 327,000 in the first nine months, up from 159,000 last year and 109,000 in 2023. The MSX benchmark index closed September at 5,181 points, its highest in over seven years, gaining 605 points. Sectoral indices rose collectively, led by the industrial sector index, which jumped over 1,760 points to close at 7,031.

Gulf Times
Business

QNB expects reacceleration of the US economy in 2025

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."