17th - 23rd March 2026| WEEKLY BUSINESS ROUNDUP

Reports reveal most rated insurers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are likely to remain broadly stable in the short-to-medium term. It is further highlighted GCC insurers have sufficiently robust capital buffers to absorb a potential increase in capital market volatility

 

UAE bank stocks jump after Central Bank launches resilience package

Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE) unveiled a package to strengthen banks' liquidity - making its most significant policy move since the pandemic. Under the package, banks will gain enhanced access to ⁠reserve balances of up to 30% of the cash reserve requirement and term liquidity facilities in both UAE dirhams and US dollars.

 

UAE aviation sector recovers as local carriers expand to around 150 destinations

Amid challenging circumstance for the UAE aviation sector owing to the conflict, UAE airlines are operating flights to 150 cities across the globe - although with reduced schedules.  UAE airlines continue to be connected to key destinations such as London, Paris, Hong Kong, New York, Mumbai and Karachi, among others.

 

UAE announces tax incentives to strengthen innovation ecosystem

Recently UAE announced the first phase of a tax incentives programme for research and development (R&D) to strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem. Under the first phase, businesses will be able to benefit from a non-refundable R&D tax credit of up to 50% on qualifying expenditure of up to AED 5 million to encourage private-sector investment in research and innovation.

 

Minister of Foreign Trade engages UAE International Investors Council on long-term economic strategy initiatives

Top officials from the UAE government met with members of the board of the UAE International Investors Council (IIC) to discuss strategic priorities shaping the UAE’s foreign trade agenda and broader economic objectives. The Ministry of Foreign Trade offers a set of strategic initiatives to the Council to support the UAE’s long-term trade and economic strategy.

 

Dubai to add 9,300 hotel rooms, create up to 13,900 new jobs by 2028

As per industry reports Dubai’s hotel inventory reached 158,700 keys across 770 establishments in 2025. Between 2026 and 2028, Dubai is expected to add 9,300 new hotel keys. Industry executives further estimate that an average of 1.3 to 1.5 jobs per room will be created for the 9,300 new hotel rooms.

 

Dubai unveiled a “green corridor” with Oman for sea-air cargo shipments

In a move that could redefine logistics across the region, Dubai has unveiled a “green corridor” with Oman for sea-air cargo shipments – aiming for faster, efficient and streamlined trade Asia, the Middle East and beyond. This corridor signals a bold shift toward integrated, multi-modal solutions.

 

Dubai’s real estate services sector reports strong growth, reinforcing transparency & market efficiency

Dubai’s real estate services ecosystem recorded notable growth in 2025 marking the institutional maturity of the emirate’s real estate market and the growing demand for regulatory and technical roles. According to data from Dubai Land Department, the number of registered real estate valuers reached 133 by the end of 2025, highlighting importance of valuation as a core component in investment and financing decision-making.

 

Sharjah records AED 2.3 billion worth of property deals in first 2 weeks of March

Sharjah’s real estate sector recorded AED 2.3 billion in property transactions across 3,556 deals in the first two weeks of March. These figures indicate a strong market resilience and investor confidence amid regional uncertainties. Data revealed that 822 sales transactions were completed in this emirate, highlighting steady demand for property in the emirate.