Trump factor weighs on the region’s economies
2 January 2025
If 2024 was a slow road back to stabilisation for economies in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, with lower interest rates and generally improved fiscal positions providing some ballast against tumultuous geopolitical risk events, the coming year portends yet more instability with the return to the White House of Donald Trump. This will, for good or ill, have a decisive impact on the region’s economic trajectory.
The region is looking at a more rapid economic growth rate in 2025 than the previous year. The World Bank, which estimated real GDP growth in the Mena region of 2.2% in 2024, sees region-wide growth at 3.8% in 2025, with Gulf economies driving this improvement.
This reflects the gradual phasing out of voluntary oil production cuts starting from December 2024.
Mena oil importers will see real GDP growth expand from just 1.3% in 2024 to 3.4% in 2025, says the World Bank.
Interest rates are a key ingredient in the mix, linking to the second Trump presidency, with its likely ramp-up of global trade-war pressures.
If the president-elect follows through on his tariff plans, which range from a proposed 60% on Chinese imports to 20% on the rest of the world, it will trigger higher inflation, thereby slowing the Federal Reserve’s moves to cut interest rates.
So while Mena exports to the US are unlikely to suffer direct fallout from planned tariffs – according to consultancy Capital Economics, the share of Mena goods exports going to the US stood at just 3.5% this decade – it is the secondary effects that could knock regional economies off their stride.
“If we do get the tariffs, and that leads to higher inflation in the US, that also means there will be tighter monetary policy in the Gulf countries with dollar pegs than would otherwise be the case,” says James Swanston, Mena economist at Capital Economics.
The possibility of a stronger dollar in 2025 means that for those economies with dollar pegs, their domestic industries could become less competitive. This jars with the thinking behind regional economic diversification schemes such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which are predicated on developing manufacturing sectors that are mainly export-oriented.
Regional fortitude
The largest Gulf economies should at least be well positioned to withstand such headwinds, even if a trade war hits the global economy. According to the World Bank, a lower interest rate environment, together with further investment and structural reform initiatives, will yield non-oil growth of more than 4% in the region’s two largest economies, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This – plus higher oil production – should be enough to offset any loss of momentum from lower oil prices and weaker fiscal balances.
Saudi Arabia is expected to show steady growth in 2025, with its Q3 2024 average GDP growth of 2.8% underscoring the kingdom’s stronger performance. However, the robust spending of past years is giving way to a more conservative fiscal approach, and that will inevitably impact project activity.
Riyadh’s 2025 pre-budget statement revealed a tougher fiscal stance for 2025, with anticipation of a deficit of 2.9%. With revenues expected to be 3.5% weaker in year-on year terms in 2025, this will mean reduced spending – around 3% lower than that outlined in the 2024 budget.
“Saudi Arabia is being a bit more prudent about how they spend their money,” says Swanston.
While there will be continued support for current spending, and for the official gigaprojects, capital expenditure will shoulder the burden of cuts. This will likely feed through to weaker non-oil GDP growth.
The UAE should see comparatively stronger growth momentum in 2025, driven by a combination of healthier dynamics in its touchstone real estate and tourism sectors, and the impact of infrastructure investment programmes.
NBK Economic Research sees the UAE non-oil economy enjoying another year of 4%-plus growth in 2025, possibly as high as 5.1%. However, the bank’s economists offer a note of caution, as this is still below the 7.2% annual average growth rate the government requires to achieve the Vision 2031 target of a doubling in GDP by 2031.
On the fiscal front, the UAE is looking at a better situation in 2025. “The UAE has diversified its revenues to the point where non-oil revenues are larger than oil revenues. So, even if oil prices turn negative, they still wouldn’t run a deficit,” says Swanston.
Qatar is maintaining a tight fiscal policy, but from late 2025 it will begin to feel the effects of a significant predicted revenue boost when the first phase of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion comes on stream. This will eventually add 40% to the country’s existing LNG export capacity of 77 million tonnes a year.
Kuwait, meanwhile, is set to run continued budget deficits, although the country’s non-oil economy has emerged from two years of negative growth and is forecast by NBK Research to expand by 2.6% in 2025. But Kuwait faces structural challenges, including a low investment rate and the need for fiscal consolidation, which will absorb policymakers in 2025.
Oman, in contrast, looks to be in a better position than in previous years. According to an Article IV assessment released by the Washington-headquartered IMF in November, reform implementation under Oman Vision 2040 is proceeding decisively, along with initiatives to improve the business environment, attract large-scale investments and empower small and medium-sized enterprises.
The sultanate’s economy continues to expand. Growth, says the IMF, is set to rebound starting in 2025, supported by higher hydrocarbons production and the continued acceleration of non-hydrocarbons growth.
Bahrain faces a challenge when it comes to containing the country’s rising debt-to-GDP ratio, which grew from 100% in 2020 to just under 130% in 2024. The country needs to press ahead with fiscal consolidation moves if it is to improve the debt position.
Wider region
Outside the GCC, the picture will vary in 2025. Egypt has realistic expectations of a better year ahead, with falls in inflation and interest rates providing relief after a tough 2024. But foreign investors may feel a note of alarm at recent indications from President Abdul Fattah El-Sisi that the challenges associated with the country’s reform programme – a hint at the tough impact of reform on Egyptian consumers – might lead it to review its existing IMF deal.
Tunisia presents a similar challenge. President Kais Saied’s proposed bill stripping the central bank of its ability to set interest rates and influence exchange rate policy without government consent is unlikely to encourage investors.
In Egypt at least, there are silver linings that should assure investor confidence, even if the government’s commitment to reform wavers. “When it comes to the debt issue, everything’s in a pretty good place in Egypt,” says Swanston.
“Yes, interest service payments on the debt have risen over the past 12 months, and the feed-through means that they will still be paying quite high debt servicing costs over the next six months. But yields are coming down in terms of its dollar-denominated debt. Worries about default are not as strong as before.”
President El-Sisi may also find support from other sources. Given his previous close ties with the Trump administration in 2016-20, there may be a greater willingness in Washington to disburse funds to such an integral partner of US foreign policy, particularly when it has been buffeted by the Gaza conflict and the impact of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
Iraq’s economic fortunes remain bound up with the price of oil, which accounts for 90% of state revenues. The IMF has forecast a 4.1% GDP growth rate for Iraq in 2025, reflecting in part its surprising resilience to regional conflicts. However, lower oil prices may yet erode the country’s economic momentum.
Progress on major projects such as the Development Road would at least suggest prime minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s government is focused on long-term delivery and tackling Iraq’s overreliance on hydrocarbons exports.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s larger neighbour Iran, which saw GDP growth increase to 5% in the 2023-24 Iranian year, faces still bigger challenges linked to Trump’s return. It can expect to face a much tighter sanctions regime on its oil sector in 2025, with efforts to curb its ability to sell its crude oil on international markets expected to gain traction. The effects of these moves are still in the balance.
The positive news for Tehran is that several of its crude buyers appear to be undaunted by a reimposition of deeper curbs on exports. For example, Chinese refiners have been importing Iranian oil to the tune of 1.5 million barrels a day. The country’s seeming imperviousness to international financial pressures could undercut the impact of a beefed-up US sanctions regime, although few would relish being in the shoes of Iranian economic policymakers right now.
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Petrofac completes sale of Abu Dhabi business unit
1 June 2026
UK-headquartered Petrofac has completed the sale of Petrofac Emirates, a business unit it established in Abu Dhabi in 2008.
The unit has been bought by a consortium of financial investors led by the New York-headquartered hedge fund Mason Capital Management and UK-based asset management firm Pearlstone Alternative.
In a statement, Petrofac said the sale was completed after the satisfaction of all required conditions and approvals.
The business unit was originally founded with a strategy to provide engineering, design, procurement and construction services for oil, gas, refining, petrochemical and renewable energy projects.
Petrofac Emirates has engineering and construction (E&C) capability and includes E&C teams based in the UAE and India.
In its latest statement, Petrofac said: “Petrofac Emirates encompasses Petrofac’s core E&C capability in the UAE.
“The transaction positions Petrofac Emirates as a strong, self-sustaining company with no funded debt on its balance sheet and substantial growth opportunities.”
Leadership role
Under current plans, Tareq Kawash, who has been the group chief executive of Petrofac since April 2023, will become the chief executive of Petrofac Emirates to lead the E&C business through its next phase under new ownership.
Kawash has over 30 years of international leadership experience at engineering procurement and construction (EPC) companies.
Prior to working at Petrofac, he was a senior vice-president at McDermott International.
Following the completion of the sale, Afonso Reis e Sousa will step down as group chief financial officer of Petrofac.
Commenting on the sale of Petrofac Emirates, Kawash said: “The completion of this transaction marks an important milestone for Petrofac Emirates and the beginning of an important new chapter for the business.
“Under our new ownership structure, with a focused platform for growth, we are well-positioned to build on our track record, strengthen our long-standing customer relationships and pursue new opportunities across the wider Mena region.
“The transaction is not the destination; it is the platform from which we move forward with confidence, discipline and ambition.”
Sam Read, a partner at Mason, said: “Our mission is to empower Petrofac Emirates to achieve its strategic goals, capitalise on new market opportunities, and leverage significant growth potential in the dynamic energy EPC sector.
“Petrofac Emirates has market-leading capabilities and an unmatched track record of delivering for its customers, and we look forward to partnering with the company to help drive continued success.”
The sale of Petrofac Emirates follows the completion of the sale of Petrofac Asset Solutions in April.
In December, it was announced that US-based CB&I had entered into a sale agreement to buy the unit.
Petrofac’s asset solutions unit provides operations, maintenance and decommissioning services for onshore and offshore energy assets.
In a statement, CB&I said that the acquisition would strengthen its portfolio with “a complementary reimbursable contracting model business, delivering predictable cash flow and enhancing service capabilities”.
Restructuring disruption
Amid Petrofac’s dramatic restructuring, there has been disruption to progress at some of the company’s projects.
In March, MEED reported that Petrofac, along with its partner China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corporation (HQCEC), had stopped work on a petrochemicals project in Algeria, valued at approximately $1.5bn.
The news about the Algeria project came just over two weeks after MEED reported that Petrofac had also stopped work on an oil project in Libya and cut staff in the North African country.
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Chinese-Saudi joint venture to build 18GWh battery storage plant
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Middle East stocks recover unevenly
1 June 2026
The combined market capitalisation of the MEED Top 100 largest listed companies in the Middle East and North Africa rose to $3.73tn in mid-May 2026, against $3.48tn a year earlier – a 7.2% gain that recovers most of the value lost in the prior two years’ editions. The aggregate is not the story.
Saudi Aramco recovered by $181bn, rising from $1.64tn to $1.82tn and providing substantial support to the aggregate Top 100 valuation. The broader movements in the list differentiated along sectoral lines, with key trends including the continued growth of regional banks, the upward repricing for fertiliser and logistics names amid the Hormuz crisis, and the correction of Saudi mid-tier stocks as valuation peaks have failed to hold.
Oil and gas reweights
Aramco’s share price recovered from about SR25 to SR30, lifting the company’s market cap by 11% and raising the oil and gas sector’s share of the list back to 54.5%.
The company reported first-quarter 2026 net profit of $32.5bn, up 25%, on revenue of $115.5bn – giving it a price-to-earnings ratio of about 18, in line with the Saudi market average as of April.
Aramco’s diversion of crude to Yanbu through its 7 million-barrels-a-day West-to-East pipeline has supported a higher volume of sales at the now elevated prices compared to its Gulf peers, the exports of which have been more seriously affected by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Other Saudi names also benefiting from this combination of ongoing access through Yanbu and energy repricing produced the cleanest gains, with Rabigh Refining more than doubling in value to $11.7bn despite a $1.1bn loss, Ades Holding rising 40% to $5.8bn, Luberef rising 28% to $5.8bn and Yansab also seeing double-digit returns.
In the UAE, by contrast, Adnoc Gas has remained broadly flat at $66.7bn, with its Q1 2026 net income dropping 15% and conflict damage estimates indicating that full capacity will not be restored until 2027. Borouge meanwhile held, while Adnoc Drilling and Adnoc Distribution gained by 14% and 8%, respectively.
There was some slippage in the petrochemicals sub-cluster, with Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) posting a net loss of $6.96bn and sliding 3%, alongside a 2% slide for the energy sector-adjacent Industries Qatar.
Banking and industry
The banking sector, which accounts for 33 of the 100 entries and 18% of the list by value, expanded by an aggregate 6.3% in absolute terms. Al-Rajhi Bank, the largest banking entry at $107.9bn, reported FY2025 net profit up 26% to SR24.8bn ($6.6bn); total assets passed SR1tn for the first time and Q1 2026 net profit rose a further 14%.
Emirates NBD, up 23% year-on-year to $47.1bn, reported FY2025 record profit before tax of AED29.8bn ($8.1bn) and likewise crossed AED1tn in total assets.
Kuwait Finance House also rose by 19%, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank 19% to $28.7bn and Saudi National Bank 11%. Qatar National Bank stalled and slid 1%, while several smaller banks saw gains. Egypt’s Commercial International Bank rose 74% to $8.4bn off a depressed base, Jordan’s Arab Bank meanwhile rose 55%, Oman’s Bank Muscat by 52% and RakBank by 32%.
Several sectors have gained significantly owing to their direct exposure to the Iran conflict’s supply-chain repricing, including logistics, fertilisers and mining.
Logistics firms in the list gained 44% in absolute terms, with Saudi Arabia’s Bahri reporting Q1 2026 net profits up 303% year and revenue up 129%.
Marsa Maroc, the Casablanca-listed port operator, also entered the list at $6.6bn, up 85% on an African expansion that spans 34 terminals across 20 ports following a Liberia management deal signed in February.
Adnoc Logistics rose 32% to $11.6bn, while Air Arabia, the Sharjah-based low-cost carrier, joined the list at $6.1bn as it absorbed redirected long-haul flows. Nakilat, the Qatari liquefied natural gas shipping operator, was the sector’s sole softener, down 12% on slower throughput.
Mining and fertiliser entries sit alongside the logistics gainers. Jordan Phosphate Mines is the cleanest single expression of the post-Hormuz repricing visible on the list – up 127% year on year to $13.2bn, as the World Bank’s April 2026 Commodity Markets Outlook projects fertiliser prices to rise nearly 31% in 2026.
Maaden rose 23% to $65.3bn after FY2025 net profit jumped 156%, backed by record phosphate production; high aluminium output; and rising silver, copper and aluminium prices linked to artificial intelligence, data centre, solar and electric vehicle demand.
Morocco’s Managem also entered the list at $19.7bn, having almost tripled in value in the past two years on cobalt, silver and copper prices and African expansion.
Sabic Agri-Nutrients rose 44% on a 30% 2025 net profit increase, while Fertiglobe rose by 40% – both potentially anticipating a 60% forecasted rise in urea prices.
Property and other trends
The direction of the property and real estate sector has been uniformly downward. The Iran conflict has driven both a slump in UAE property sales and prices and a similar tourism-adjacent correction in Saudi Arabia. Both the Mecca-focused Umm Al-Qura and Jabal Omar development firms have seen their valuations slashed by more than a third, while Makkah Construction & Development slid by 15%.
The UAE’s Emaar Properties and Dar Al-Arkan and Qatar’s Ezdan Holding have also all seen slides of more than 15%. Kuwait’s Mabanee, which rose by 22%, is the one exception in the sector.
In Saudi Arabia’s mid-tier, Acwa Power shed 29% in value even as its revenue rose 18% and its net income 5.4%. Elm Company likewise shed 33%, Dr Sulaiman Al-Habib 19% and the Saudi Tadawul Group 21%.
Mouwasat Medical Services, MBC Group, Nahdi Medical and Saudi Logistics Services fell out of the list entirely on the same trajectory. Each had reported FY2025 earnings rises before the decline. What corrected was the valuation, not the operations.
Acwa Power’s trailing four-quarter average price-to-earnings ratio was 166x, and even after this year’s decline sits at 88x against the Saudi market average of 17.8x. Elm sits at 26x, Al-Habib at 33x, Saudi Tadawul Group at 42x – all rich by any comparable benchmark.
Many of these entries have fallen away from their peak valuations as the cooling of the gigaproject programme since early 2025 has undermined sentiment.
One example that sits on the same axis from the UAE side is Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa), which fell by 28% from $95.3bn to $69.0bn despite a 6% net income rise, even as capital expenditure also expanded by 50%.
There are now nine entries from Morocco’s Casablanca bourse against six a year ago, with an aggregate value of $74.7bn, up from $50.8bn. Industrial contractor Societe Generale des Travaux du Maroc,entered via a December 2025 initial public offering (IPO). Several Moroccan stocks have also slipped, however, including Taqa Morocco, down 42%; Maroc Telecom, down 18%; Banque Populaire, down 13%; and Bank of Africa, down 10%.
There has been a similarly divergent trend among 2024 IPO entrants. While OQ Exploration & Production rose 68% to $10.1bn and is now the largest stock on the Muscat Securities Market, the UAE’s Talabat – 2024’s second-largest IPO at $9.2bn – has corrected 33% to $6.1bn.
The Multiply Group has been replaced on the list through its November 2025 merger into 2PointZero Group, which now sits in the top 30 entries at $19.6bn.
Regional repricing
Four trends underpin the list’s 7.2% recovery. The conflict has repriced specific cohorts sharply higher – logistics up 44%, mining and fertilisers up 43%, the Yanbu refiners returning, and Aramco recovering to $181bn – with gains contingent on the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed.
Regional banks have maintained last year’s momentum, with assets crossing trillion-unit thresholds and loan books supported by project activity. Six names have posted double-digit gains that are unlikely to reverse if conditions normalise.
Saudi mid-tier stocks have corrected largely on valuation rather than operations, despite many reporting earnings growth through 2025, as confidence in gigaproject-driven growth has weakened. Property has also softened in the region as conflict has reduced routine and religious tourism.
The 12-month outlook depends on whether Hormuz reopens, whether Saudi mid-tier valuations stabilise, and whether banking expansion holds under broader repricing.
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Developers win deals for $3.5bn of Mecca projects
1 June 2026
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites has awarded six real estate development deals. The projects, which cover a total land area exceeding 2.7 million square metres (sq m), will require a total investment of SR13.3bn ($3.5bn).
The sites are located within the neighbourhoods of Jurhum South, Al-Khalidiyah, Al-Hajlah, Al-Hindawiyah East, Al-Hindawiyah South and Al-Hindawiyah West. The projects will be delivered as partnerships with domestic real estate developers, institutional investors and dedicated private investment funds.
A consortium consisting of Makkah Construction & Development Company, Umm Al-Qura for Development & Construction Company and Al-Rajhi United Real Estate Company will develop the Hindawiya West and Hindawiya South districts, which have a combined area of nearly 1.15 million sq m, adjacent to the Masar Destination project. The consortium informed the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) that it received letters of award for the project on 31 May.
The initial cost of the project is estimated at SR6bn. Umm Al-Qura will act as the consortium leader and development manager, while Makkah Construction & Development Company will serve as the financial partner. The infrastructure works will be executed by Al-Rajhi United Real Estate Company as the technical partner, with the entire development financed through a private, closed-ended real estate investment fund overseen by a Capital Market Authority-licensed manager.
A consortium comprising First Avenue for Real Estate Development Company, Dar Al-Majed Real Estate Company and Rekaz Real Estate Company has been awarded the concession for the East Hindawiyah site. Located 1.8 kilometres from the Holy Grand Mosque, the 235,000 sq m plot is expected to cost SR2bn to develop, which includes land acquisition and foundational infrastructure. The development will be structured as a real estate investment fund managed by Jadwa Investment, with the ultimate goal of creating an integrated urban destination featuring retail, office, hospitality and residential components. The final contract signing for this deal is expected by 10 June 2026.
Ladun Investment Company, in partnership with Al-Ayuni Investment & Contracting Company, has signed a deal for the Al-Khalidiyah district. With a targeted sales value exceeding SR6bn, the consortium will establish a closed-ended private real estate investment fund to execute extensive infrastructure works, subdivide the land plots, and handle subsequent marketing and sales. The detailed scope of works involves complete engineering designs, public park planning and utility coordination with entities such as National Water Company and Saudi Electricity Company, before a contract is signed by 9 June.
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