This Week In Business

Arabian Business

This Week in Business is Arabian Business’s weekly news podcast on the stories shaping life, work and power across the Gulf. Every Friday morning, Arabian Business reporters sit down to discuss the week’s most important news, from billion-dollar deals and government decisions to property, technology, aviation, energy and the changes being felt by businesses and residents across the region. The Gulf moves quickly. New industries emerge, old assumptions shift and decisions made in Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and beyond can reshape markets almost overnight. This podcast cuts through the noise to explain what happened, why it matters and what comes next. Expect sharp analysis, informed debate and the weekly top picks from the Arabian Business newsroom, in a Gulf-focused news podcast built for anyone trying to understand the way business, politics and daily life now intersect across the Middle East.

  1. 9h ago

    This Week in Business: Republicans suffer midterm blow, Aramco profit rises and Binance's $6bn crypto breach

    Head of News Tom Evans and Managing Editor Tala Michel Issa unpack a consequential week in global business and politics, from the US midterms and rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz to a major cyberattack on Binance. They also examine: Democrats win Congress in major setback for TrumpUS strikes Qeshm as tanker incidents raise Strait of Hormuz risksFrom oil to microchips: Tom Evans revisits 1914 in analysis of today’s power politicsADIPEC warns global energy buffers have been eroded as UAE plans up to $54.5bn in energy investmentSam Altman warns AI could disrupt jobs and says people must remain in controlAramco adjusted Q3 profit rises 9% as refining earnings surgeBinance details $6bn cyberattack built on fake job interviewsDubai’s BrokerageFinder targets 20% share of real estate recruitment market

    This Week in Business: Republicans suffer midterm blow, Aramco profit rises and Binance's $6bn crypto breach

  2. Oct 30

    This Week in Business: Rockefeller moves into Dubai, Netanyahu’s uncertain future and the business of living to 150

    Can money buy you a longer life? Why is the Rockefeller family betting on Dubai? And could Israel's election deadlock have consequences for the wider Gulf? In this week's episode of This Week in Business, Arabian Business Managing Editor Tala Michel Issa and Head of News Tom Evans unpack the biggest stories shaping the Gulf's business and political landscape, from renewed fears of an escalation in the Iran war to the extraordinary sums being spent on longevity treatments in Dubai. On this week's agenda: Israel's election deadlock and the Iran war: What Netanyahu's uncertain political future means for the Gulf, and why Washington's next move could prove critical.Rockefeller's big Dubai bet: Inside plans for an 87-storey commercial skyscraper and the growing demand for luxury office space.Dubai's AED 50,000 anti-ageing craze: Can expensive longevity programmes really slow biological ageing, or is the science struggling to keep up with the hype?UAE-Canada trade ties: A landmark trade agreement, major investment ambitions and the sectors attracting international capital.Dana White's Abu Dhabi ambitions: Following a record-breaking UFC 333, the UFC boss reveals plans to extend the organisation's partnership with the UAE capital beyond 2028.From geopolitics and global investment to health technology and the business of sport, we break down what happened, why it matters and what comes next. Listen to This Week in Business every Friday on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

    This Week in Business: Rockefeller moves into Dubai, Netanyahu’s uncertain future and the business of living to 150

  3. Oct 23

    This Week in Business: Macron's diesel diplomacy, Musk's $5 trillion merger and the growing Houthi threat

    French President Emmanuel Macron turns to the Gulf as an energy crisis fuels unrest at home. The UAE makes a bid for one of the world's most powerful diplomatic positions. And Elon Musk considers a $5 trillion merger that could reshape the global technology industry. In this episode of This Week in Business, Arabian Business Managing Editor Tala Michel Issa and Head of News Tom Evans unpack the biggest business and geopolitical stories of the week. From Macron's Gulf energy deals and the escalating disruption to Middle East trade routes to the UAE's nomination of Lana Nusseibeh for UN Secretary-General, the pair examine the shifting balance of global economic and political power. They're joined by Arabian Business journalist Rana Tabbara, who reveals the hidden cost of airspace closures, why disrupted flight corridors are putting critical cargo at risk, and how global supply chains are being forced to adapt. Plus, Netflix's growing ambitions in the Middle East, Elon Musk's proposed Tesla-SpaceX mega-merger, and what it all means for Gulf investors. This Week in Business brings you the stories that matter, the context behind the headlines, and what to watch next. New episodes every Friday.

    This Week in Business: Macron's diesel diplomacy, Musk's $5 trillion merger and the growing Houthi threat

  4. Oct 16

    This Week in Business: World economy poised for AI boom, Dubai strengthens China ties, UAE reaches for the stars

    Is the global economy heading for an AI-driven boom? And why is Dubai looking to China to help transform its manufacturing and technology sectors? This week, Tom Evans and Rana Tabbara unpack Rana’s exclusive interview with Nouriel Roubini, including his confidence in AI-driven economic growth, his criticism of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and why he believes financial markets can force governments to change course. Also on the show: Dubai’s push to attract Chinese manufacturers and technology companies, the latest escalation in Middle East tensions, and the growing uncertainty over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, Rana examines former US Vice President Mike Pence’s stark warnings over Iran, his disagreements with Trump’s economic policies, and what the shifting geopolitical landscape means for businesses across the Gulf.

  5. Oct 9

    This Week in Business: Trump accused of treason and Dubai's Michelin guide sparks backlash

    What happens when an “America First” ally accuses Donald Trump of betraying American interests? And what does the fallout mean for the Gulf? This week, Tom Evans and Rana Tabbara unpack Tom’s exclusive interview with Tucker Carlson, including his fierce criticism of the Iran war, his account of private Oval Office conversations and his praise for the UAE's leadership. Also on the show: the latest escalation in Saudi Arabia, uncertainty over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and why Dubai’s latest Michelin Guide has sparked a backlash over its inclusion of closed restaurants. Plus, Rana explores Abu Dhabi’s push to turn AI investment into real-world results and investigates the UAE’s growing fertility industry, where expanding patient choice raises difficult questions about the commercialisation of care.

  6. Oct 2

    This Week in Business: Turkey changes its pitch to millionaires and and Hormuz edges towards a breakthrough

    The Gulf has spent years trying to diversify beyond oil. But after a year of geopolitical disruption, is diversification itself being redefined? This week, Tala Michel Issa and Tom Evans look at how the GCC is rethinking economic resilience, infrastructure and regional integration, as negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz edge closer to a potential breakthrough. Also on the show: Turkey’s attempt to turn passport buyers into long-term residents and investors, why global founders are increasingly looking to Abu Dhabi, and Arabian Business reporter Rana Tabbara takes us aboard the first Etihad Rail journey between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Plus, what the Gulf’s next phase of growth could look like when the question is no longer simply whether an investment makes money, but whether it can survive the next shock.

    This Week in Business: Turkey changes its pitch to millionaires and and Hormuz edges towards a breakthrough

  7. Sep 25

    This Week in Business: Venezuela next out of OPEC? RAK’s ‘haunted’ palace and Amazon HQ rumours

    Could Venezuela follow the UAE out of OPEC? Hosts Tala Michel Issa and Tom Evans unpack that question and the other stories shaping business in the Gulf this week. Arabian Business reporter Rana Tabbara joins them for the aviation story. Venezuela next out of OPEC? Why leaving the group would not suddenly bring more Venezuelan oil to market.What happened to the Hormuz talks? The latest from the UN General Assembly, new US aviation sanctions and rising Saudi-Houthi tensions.Would you buy RAK’s ‘haunted’ palace? Tala investigates the 35-room property for sale near Wynn Al Marjan Island.Is Amazon leaving the UAE? The company responds to claims that it is moving its regional operations.Why are airlines still buying planes? Rana reports from an Airbus event and shares what its regional boss told her about fleet expansion during the conflict.Plus, The Briefing returns on November 25 in Abu Dhabi, and nominations for the Arabian Business Industry Awards are open until September 28. Read the stories at ArabianBusiness.com. New episodes every Friday.

    This Week in Business: Venezuela next out of OPEC? RAK’s ‘haunted’ palace and Amazon HQ rumours

  8. Sep 18

    This Week in Business: Syria could be the big winner from the Hormuz crisis, here's why

    Is Syria about to become one of the biggest economic winners from the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz? This week, Managing Editor Tala Michel Issa and Head of News Tom Evans unpack President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s extraordinary pitch to turn Syria into a $200 billion economy, and why its Mediterranean ports could suddenly matter far beyond the country’s reconstruction. We hear froom Business Reporter Rana Tabbara about how Dubai's tourism comeback after months of regional disruption. At ATM, airlines and hotels reveal what actually kept the industry moving. The US Federal Reserve’s latest rate hike spells more expensive mortgages, loans and borrowing across the Gulf. And because that wasn’t quite enough for one episode: Singapore has found a new way to stop people doomscrolling. It involves books, virtual coins and an extremely long wait for a cup of coffee. This is This Week in Business, your weekly guide to what happened, why it matters and what to watch next.

    This Week in Business: Syria could be the big winner from the Hormuz crisis, here's why
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About

This Week in Business is Arabian Business’s weekly news podcast on the stories shaping life, work and power across the Gulf. Every Friday morning, Arabian Business reporters sit down to discuss the week’s most important news, from billion-dollar deals and government decisions to property, technology, aviation, energy and the changes being felt by businesses and residents across the region. The Gulf moves quickly. New industries emerge, old assumptions shift and decisions made in Riyadh, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and beyond can reshape markets almost overnight. This podcast cuts through the noise to explain what happened, why it matters and what comes next. Expect sharp analysis, informed debate and the weekly top picks from the Arabian Business newsroom, in a Gulf-focused news podcast built for anyone trying to understand the way business, politics and daily life now intersect across the Middle East.

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