Editorial desk

Outspoken Digest Gulf Economics Desk

Reports for The Outspoken Digest across Business.

Stories by Outspoken Digest Gulf Economics Desk

Business

The Gulf's Next Decade Will Be Decided by Capital, Not Barrels

Roughly six trillion dollars of sovereign wealth now sits behind the region's funds. What that money buys, and where it is deployed, matters more to the next ten years than the oil price does.

Aug 8, 2026/4 min read

A modern Gulf financial district skyline at dusk

Business

The UAE Now Earns Four Fifths of Its Economy Outside Oil

Non-oil activity reached 79.4 percent of national output in the first quarter, growing at 4.8 percent while the overall economy grew 3. The gap between those figures is the story.

Aug 6, 2026/4 min read

Business

Gulf Builders Keep Awarding Work While the Risk Premium Rises

Shipping, insurance and construction costs are all higher because of the Iran conflict. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are pressing ahead with project awards anyway, and the reasoning is deliberate.

Aug 4, 2026/4 min read

Construction cranes rising over a Gulf city skyline

Business

The UAE's Outlook Depends on Turning Non-Oil Resilience Into Durable Growth

The UAE enters the next period with diversified trade, services and investment buffers. Energy and shipping volatility still make credit quality and project selection important.

Aug 2, 2026/2 min read

A UAE skyline connected to modern port and logistics infrastructure

Business

Saudi Arabia's Recovery Case Now Runs Through Logistics as Much as Oil

The IMF sees Saudi growth recovering as maritime flows normalize. Diversified export routes, domestic demand and Vision 2030 investment are central to the resilience case.

Aug 2, 2026/2 min read

Modern Saudi logistics infrastructure connecting a port, rail line and city