UAE Weekly Business News 03/08/2026
- Jenny Hunt
- 11 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Welcome to Gateway Group's weekly collation of trade and investment headlines shaping the Abu Dhabi and Dubai economies.
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UAE Weekly Business News: Issue 298 published 3rd August 2026.
UAE FREE ZONE NEWS
Illumin8 expands manufacturing operations at SAIF Zone (WAM 03/08/2026)
UAE free zones guide: Everything entrepreneurs and investors need to know (Arabian Business 31/07/2026)
Incentives are no longer enough to win global finance, DIFC CEO says (Arabian Business 30/07/2026)
Sixth Street opens Abu Dhabi office as global investment firms deepen Middle East expansion (Arabian Business 29/07/2026)
Mohammed Bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (WAM 28/07/2026)
DIFC records industry-leading achievements in H1 2026 (WAM 28/07/2026)
UAE VISA NEWS (inc. employment, Emiratisation, human resources, jobs, training and women)
'Shadow workloads': UAE employees take on wider roles; AI adoption grows (Khaleej Times 03/08/2026)
Cost-cutting dismissal: Can UAE employees claim compensation for arbitrary termination? (Khaleej Times 02/08/2026)
Can an employer refuse maternity leave in UAE? (Khaleej Times 02/08/2026)
Bangladesh Embassy collects data from expats reporting UAE visa cancellations (Khaleej Times 02/08/2026)
flydubai to host UAE National Careers Open Day on August 16 (WAM 31/07/2026)
Dubai CEO hired on $68,100-a-month package despite cooler property jobs market (Arabian Business 31/07/2026)
UAE residents get visa-free entry to Montenegro with 10-day stay permit (Khaleej Times 28/07/2026)
UAE automates health insurance checks for work permits (Khaleej Times 28/07/2026)
UAE Golden Visa holder loses AED100,000 compensation claim against employer (Khaleej Times 27/07/2026)
UAE BUSINESS NEWS
DEWA’s IWPP model attracts over AED47.4b investments (WAM 03/08/2026)
New ‘Rail to Road’ car rental service announced for Etihad Rail passengers (Khaleej Times 03/08/2026)
Dubai public transport records 348 million riders in H1 2026 (WAM 02/08/2026)
Dubai Future Foundation, Oxa launch Autonomous Logistics Future Lab (WAM 02/08/2026)
Burjeel opens Al Ain’s first integrated Urgent Care Centre (WAM 01/08/2026)
Why Chinese car brands are taking over UAE roads (Arabian Business 01/08/2026)
SAKINA, Sustainable Health Management partner to strengthen workplace mental health in Abu Dhabi (WAM 31/07/2026)
DCD, Emirates Medical Association to advance integrated social and healthcare services (WAM 31/07/2026)
2PointZero Group reports net profit of AED7.7b in H1 2026 (WAM 31/07/2026)
Borouge delivers 23% increase in net profit in Q2 2026 (WAM 31/07/2026)
Abu Dhabi advances Guggenheim, Sphere and Disney projects as tourism hits 26.6m visitors (Arabian Business 31/07/2026)
Abu Dhabi introduces responsible food placement policy for supermarkets, online platforms (WAM 30/07/2026)
Dubai population tops 4.5 million by end of 2025, up 7.5% (WAM 30/07/2026)
Emirates Engineering launches Material Futures Studio (WAM 30/07/2026)
Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority encourages organisations to apply for Cycle-4 of Parent-friendly Label, with 14 August 2026 deadline (Abu Dhabi Media Office 30/07/2026)
flydubai increases frequency to Naples, Milan (WAM 29/07/2026)
Dubai awards 237 hotels with Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp (WAM 29/07/2026)
Dubai Diamond Week 2026 announced as global industry leaders gather after record $41.7b trade milestone (Arabian Business 29/07/2026)
Inside du’s plan to become much more than a telecom company (Arabian Business 29/07/2026)
ADNOC Distribution launches UAE’s first retail media network (Arabian Business 29/07/2026)
Only 18% of UAE families have a Will despite 88% expatriate population (Arabian Business 29/07/2026)
Dubai launches Economic Survey 2026 as GDP climbs to $265b and employment reaches 4.69m (Arabian Business 29/07/2026)
90-day grace period to regularise status of entities operating in national space sector (WAM 28/07/2026)
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi to open 11th December 2026 (WAM 28/07/2026)
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi introduces Middle East's first robotically assisted bronchoscopy platform (WAM 28/07/2026)
Dubai unveils expanded 2026-27 promotions calendar (WAM 28/07/2026)
GDMO launches new International Media Briefing series (Government of Dubai Media Office 28/07/2026)
Abu Dhabi to launch world’s first AI judicial platform in September 2026 (Khaleej Times 28/07/2026)
UAE FINANCE AND ECONOMY NEWS
Taxable persons eligible for small business relief must submit simplified corporate tax returns (WAM 03/08/2026)
Average data breach cost in Middle East reaches $8m in 2026 (WAM 03/08/2026)
Alpha Dhabi net profit up 48% to AED9.8b in H1 2026 (WAM 03/08/2026)
Dubai Residential REIT reports 15% H1 2026 profit growth (WAM 03/08/2026)
Adnoc to change oil pricing benchmark to Platts Dubai from Murban futures (Khaleej Times 03/08/2026)
Zero income tax: Inside the strategy keeping Gulf salaries untouchable (Arabian Business 03/08/2026)
Abu Dhabi leads GCC markets in July as earnings bolster (Khaleej Times 02/08/2026)
(WAM 01/08/2026)
PureHealth reports net profit of AED1.2b in H1 2026 (WAM 31/07/2026)
EMSTEEL reports AED2.4b revenue in Q2 2026 (WAM 31/07/2026)
When every invoice becomes data: How e-invoicing is laying the foundation for trusted enterprise AI (Khaleej Times 31/07/2026)
CBI pre-tax profit rises 68% to AED156m in H1 2026 (WAM 30/07/2026)
e& posts 11.6% revenue growth to AED38.1b in H1 2026 (WAM 30/07/2026)
Mashreq posts AED4b net profit in H1 2026 (WAM 30/07/2026)
AED13.5b in loans benefit from repayment deferrals in UAE (WAM 30/07/2026)
TECOM Group reports AED805m net profit, up 9% in H1 2026 (WAM 30/07/2026)
TAQA Group successfully issues $750m Blue Bond (WAM 30/07/2026)
UAE Capital Market Authority abolishes 15 fees (WAM 30/07/2026)
Treasury Sukuk & Bonds auctions attract AED4.83b in bids (WAM 30/07/2026)
Sukoon Insurance reports AED3.8b in H1 2026 gross written premiums (WAM 30/07/2026)
CBUAE maintains Base Rate at 3.65% (WAM 29/07/2026)
ADIB delivers AED4.3b net profit before tax for H1 2026, up 9% (WAM 29/07/2026)
Waha Capital reports H1 2026 net profit of AED338m (WAM 29/07/2026)
Al Seer Marine records AED578.9m in H1 total revenue (WAM 29/07/2026)
Are your crypto gains tax-free in the UAE? New rules change the game (Arabian Business 29/07/2026)
Gross banks’ assets up 1.1% to AED5,633.1b in May 2026 (WAM 28/07/2026)
Fertiglobe more than doubles Q2 2026 EBITDA (WAM 28/07/2026)
Dubai targets global wealth as family offices surge 61% and investor interest grows (Arabian Business 27/07/2026)
UAE M&A NEWS
Emirates NBD to acquire retail banking business of HSBC Egypt (WAM 02/08/2026)
ADNOC buys five supertankers in $590m deal (Arabian Business 31/07/2026)
DAE completes $9b acquisition of Macquarie AirFinance (WAM 29/07/2026)
UAE BILATERAL TRADE NEWS
Techies Infotech’s expands into South Africa (WAM 03/08/2026)
UAE and Ukrainian Presidents discuss bilateral cooperation (WAM 01/08/2026)
UAE and Serbian Presidents discuss strengthening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (WAM 30/07/2026)
UAE, Egypt agree on phased expansion of bilateral air traffic rights (WAM 29/07/2026)
Zayed University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology launch Dual Campus Initiative (WAM 29/07/2026)
Saqr Ghobash, Nawaf Salam discuss strengthening UAE-Lebanon ties (WAM 28/07/2026)
Masdar, EPCG advance 2GW partnership in Montenegro with first solar and energy-storage projects (WAM 28/07/2026)
DEWA International expands cooperation with Greek energy companies (WAM 28/07/2026)
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Written by Jenny Hunt
Founder, Gateway Group, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates
FORBES' Top 100 Most Influential Women in the Middle East
