VISIT ABU DHABI

Senior Iranian officials say Tehran is prolonging talks to deny Trump a political gain before US midterms. Disputes over sequencing and fears of renewed attacks are blocking a deal.

AstraZeneca and Amgen’s asthma drug achieved remission in 69% of patients with an inflammatory oesophageal disease. It also reduced swallowing difficulties after 24 weeks.

Super Micro forecast first-quarter revenue of $18.5bn to $19.5bn, above the $15.23bn analyst estimate. AI data-centre demand also lifted its expected gross margin to 12%-12.5%.

Salesforce agreed to buy Braze for $5.66bn, paying $47.50 cash per share. The price represents a 58.1% premium and the transaction is expected to close in fiscal 2028.

Dubai Islamic Bank’s gross revenue rose 7% year on year to Dh18.6bn. Net financing assets increased 10% year to date to Dh287.1bn, while non-performing financing stood at 2.4%.

The UAE and France signed an intergovernmental agreement covering the Rafale F5 programme. Further agreements span defence autonomy, AI, energy and advanced technology.

Roche will present late-stage data showing divarasib outperformed current KRAS G12C lung-cancer treatments. Giredestrant improved breast-cancer outcomes without hurting quality of life.

US civilian agencies must remove and stop acquiring DeepSeek products and services built on its models. Homeland Security cited data-transfer, intelligence and malware risks.

Tradeweb agreed to acquire corporate-bond platform Trumid for $1.97bn, including $220m of tax assets. The deal is expected to close in H1 2027 and be earnings-accretive.

UAE officials and state-linked investors explored Chinese partnerships in batteries, clean energy and electric mobility. Talks covered smart ports, hydrogen and technology deployment in the UAE.

DIP Holding will offer 1.74bn existing shares, a 20% stake, in the UAE’s first IPO of 2026. Subscriptions open 27 October and DFM trading is expected around 11 November.

Kenya confirmed its eighth Ebola case, linked to the first Nairobi infection. Congo’s outbreak has reached an eighth province, increasing cross-border transmission concerns.

Anthropic will commit 5% of its shares to a public benefit fund. It may receive another 2% for each 50% valuation rise and support work on AI’s labour-market impact.

Cleanaway agreed to be acquired by EQT in a deal valuing it at A$9.3bn ($6.5bn), including debt. The A$3.13 offer carries a 32.1% premium and has unanimous board support.

Dubai’s real GDP reached Dh473bn in H1 2026, down 2.3%. Finance and insurance grew 8.8% and healthcare 14.3%, partly offsetting weaker trade and transport.

The UAE signed an agreement to host the meetings in Abu Dhabi in October 2029. They draw over 10,000 attendees from 190-plus countries and return to the UAE for the first time since 2003.

Trump waived Russia-related sanctions and tariffs pending a review of up to 60 days. Russia is also set to supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US.

Australia confirmed H5N1 in an elephant seal and kelp gull on Macquarie Island. Officials warn the virus could cause major seal deaths during the breeding season.

SpaceX agreed to buy Grain’s 800 MHz spectrum licences for about $8bn. TD Cowen estimates a nationwide terrestrial network would cost more than $80bn.

AkzoNobel and Axalta offered remedies to win EU approval for their $25bn merger, extending the review deadline by 10 working days. The Commission will seek market feedback.

CBUAE Governor Khaled Balama said UAE banks retain strong liquidity and capital. Priorities include tougher supervision, risk management and safeguards for digital finance.

DWTC aims to lift Dubai’s annual events output to Dh54bn by 2033, backed by a Dh10bn exhibition-centre expansion. Its major events generated Dh25.03bn in 2025.

Novartis ended a mid-stage Fabhalta trial for lupus nephritis after its first phase, citing strategic considerations. The registry did not cite safety or efficacy concerns.

China proposed export controls covering 23 AI technologies, including models, agents and computing clusters. APIs, apps and cloud access would remain exempt.

Britain cleared Axel Springer’s planned purchase of Telegraph Media Group. The culture minister declined a deeper competition investigation, allowing the deal to proceed.

Abu Dhabi established TAMM Global to license its digital-government platform worldwide. TAMM combines more than 1,200 services and has cut service-delivery costs by 30%.

EFG Hermes UAE launched market-making and liquidity services on ADX. The firm will quote selected securities to support liquidity, trading efficiency and market access.

Europe reported 1,855 West Nile virus cases and 141 deaths across 18 countries in 2026. EU and EEA cases reached 1,715, well above the past decade’s 693 average.

ByteDance’s Seed unit created an Alignment & Preparedness team and is recruiting 10 researchers globally. The group will focus on model safety, testing and emerging risks.

GTCR and Elliott agreed to buy CCC Intelligent Solutions for $6.1bn in cash. The $7.75-a-share offer carries a 44% premium and is expected to close in early 2027.

Gargash Prime and JINGDONG Property signed an MoU for a Dubai logistics hub spanning 2.5m sq ft. The planned facility will support regional distribution and fulfilment.

Sharjah recorded Dh46.8bn of property transactions in the first nine months of 2026, drawing about 10,000 new investors. Rental yields were estimated at 8% to 12%.

Iran is using new tactics and a faster tempo against shipping in and beyond Hormuz, officials said. Tehran aims to keep oil prices high before the US midterm vote.

Galderma agreed to buy ZO Skin Health for an enterprise value of $1.5bn. The deal expands its physician-dispensed skincare business and is due to close by early 2027.

Anthropic told prospective investors that quarterly revenue rose 45% to $16.8bn. It also reported adjusted profitability as it targets a valuation above $2tn.

UAE-based BR Shetty sued Bank of Baroda and 25 others for $15bn over NMC Health’s collapse. The lender said the claims are untested and it will defend itself.

Dubai ranked eighth and Abu Dhabi tenth in Savills’ global index for next-generation wealth. They were the only EMEA cities in the 29-location list.

Zealand Pharma and Generate Biomedicines agreed an AI-led obesity-drug partnership worth up to $1.2bn. Generate will lead research, while Zealand will handle trials, approvals and global sales.

Nvidia agreed to buy stakes in French technology start-ups Doctolib and Genesis AI. Doctolib said the minority investment would support development of its artificial intelligence tools.

Ithaca Holdings will take Bumble private in a $1.3bn deal, offering $6.05 a share. The dating app’s paying users fell 16.4% to 3.2m in the second quarter as engagement weakened.

ADNOC Logistics & Services is in advanced talks for a large minority or controlling stake in HEA Energy, valuing it at up to $3bn. The deal would expand the UAE group’s offshore services footprint.

Ukraine said Russia struck at least six energy sites after the US announced an energy ceasefire. The EU added 1,569 names to its sanctions list as Moscow said talks were continuing.

A lower dose of Bristol Myers' admilparant slowed lung-function decline in a 1,255-patient late-stage trial. If approved, it would be the first LPA1 inhibitor for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Steris will buy surgical-products maker Xodus Medical for $2.1bn, funded mainly with debt. The deal expands its healthcare consumables business and is expected to close by 31 December.

Microsoft plans to deploy potentially more than one million Maia 300 AI chips in 2027. It says the custom processor delivers about 40% more useful computing per megawatt than leading GPU systems.

BCG expects UAE net wealth to rise by more than $2.3tn to $6tn by 2030, a 10.6% annual growth rate. The number of residents worth over $100m is forecast to grow from 500 to about 800.

The UAE approved Dh292.5bn of federal spending for 2027-2029, up 28.3% on the prior cycle. The 2027 budget allocates Dh90.1bn, with 38.4% for social development and benefits.

A drone attack shut Yandex's Vladimir data centre and disrupted some services, with no injuries reported. It was the third major company data centre taken offline within days.

TSMC is expected to report a sixth straight record quarter, with profit rising 65% to T$746.3bn. AI-chip demand drove third-quarter revenue up 50% to a new high.

Amazon is in talks to acquire AI start-up Decart for about $7bn, the Wall Street Journal reported. Decart's Nvidia-backed models edit live video and simulate environments for robotics.

UAE and Singapore discussed deeper trade and investment links after non-oil trade rose 25.3% to $6.54bn in 2025. UAE direct investment in Singapore totalled $5.12bn over 2021-2025.

ADIO convened PALT 2026 to move alternative proteins from pilot projects to commercial scale. Regulators unveiled novel-food tasting guidelines and Al Ghurair Foods is set to supply fermentation feedstock.

The FDA approved pritelivir for persistent herpes infections in some immunocompromised patients. In a 101-person trial, 62.7% healed within 28 days versus 34% on alternatives.

Nvidia is in early-stage talks to invest further in Reflection AI or acquire it, the FT reported. Nvidia has already invested $800m in the open-source coding start-up.

Ardian and Oak Holdings are arranging financing for a potential INWIT take-private, Reuters reported. Mubadala is expected to take a stake in the $7.1bn Italian tower group.

ADGM fined PKF and an audit principal $100,000 after finding significant deficiencies in an entity audit. The regulator said fraud risks and evidence standards were mishandled.

UAE prosecutors say a flydubai co-pilot planned to seize a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport. The captain and others restrained him before a safe diversion.

The US sanctioned Iran’s rail and auto sectors, including Iran Khodro, SAIPA and the state railway. The measures also target suppliers in the UAE, Indonesia and Turkey.

Global M&A fell 41% quarter on quarter to $993bn, the first sub-$1tn quarter since Q2 2025. Year-to-date deal value remains 28% higher at $3.9tn despite fewer transactions.

Sanofi and Regeneron will develop four drugs in a deal worth up to $8bn and settle prior litigation. Sanofi will pay $1bn upfront and up to $7bn in milestones.

Broadcom agreed to lend Anthropic up to $42bn to finance chip leases, with debt potentially convertible into shares. The funding could cover a third of Anthropic’s $125.2bn TPU commitment.

Abu Dhabi launched a family-centred urban framework with five goals, 15 strategies and 63 actions. A phased roadmap will embed family needs into planning, services and public spaces.

ADGM’s Registration Authority set 10 priorities covering filings, audit quality, beneficial ownership, innovation, consumer protection and enforcement. The agenda gives firms clearer compliance expectations.

Varda raised $250m at a $1.6bn valuation to expand pharmaceutical manufacturing in orbit. The round lifts total funding to $598m ahead of its first dual-capsule launch.

Google unveiled Argon, its top Gemini 4 model, for complex workloads and selected cybersecurity partners. A public launch date was not provided after months of delays.

Lynas agreed to buy Meteoric Resources for $672m in shares at a 68% premium. The deal gives the largest rare-earths producer outside China access to Brazil's Caldeira project.

Abu Dhabi plans Dh240bn of infrastructure investment over 10 years to advance a 15-minute city model. Cycle tracks now exceed 2,000km and 350 parks have been added.

Pantheon opened its first ADGM office and appointed Firas Mallah to lead its Middle East business. The $84bn private-markets manager now has 13 offices across four continents.

South Korea said North Korean mines caused a DMZ blast that injured two personnel and breached the armistice. Seoul said it would take phased response measures.

Smart-ring maker Oura postponed its US IPO as volatile markets weakened demand for new listings. The company had targeted a $2.2bn raise by selling 50m shares.

OpenAI launched always-on agents called dots that pursue user goals across apps with little supervision. The product pushes its enterprise offering beyond chatbots.

The UAE and Egypt renewed a Dh5bn currency swap agreement for five years. The deal supports trade, local-currency settlements and financial co-operation.

Mubadala and Together AI will explore UAE artificial intelligence infrastructure investments. Together AI will also open an Abu Dhabi office to serve regional developers.

Indonesia will inject 20tn rupiah ($1.11bn) into BPJS Kesehatan to cover its 2026 deficit. The insurer has 285m policyholders and has paid 14tn rupiah more in claims than revenue this year.

Samsung and five affiliates committed $1bn to KKR-backed Helix Digital’s global AI infrastructure expansion. Helix invests in data centres, power and connectivity assets.

AstraZeneca will invest $2bn in Summit Therapeutics at an 18.6% premium to Monday’s close. The companies will test Summit’s ivonescimab with AstraZeneca cancer treatments.

Abu Dhabi and Singapore signed a three-year framework to promote investment and knowledge exchange. Kezad and two Singapore groups also plan an industrial corridor.

JD.com’s infrastructure arm will build a 150,000-square-metre logistics hub at Kezad Al Ma’mourah by 2028. The project is expected to create about 1,000 direct jobs.

Bangladesh launched a month-long campaign targeting 3.4m children amid its worst measles outbreak. The outbreak has caused 1,087 confirmed and suspected measles-related deaths.

TakeMe2Space will launch India’s first orbital computing satellite on a SpaceX rocket on 1 October. The Nvidia-powered spacecraft has 23 customers across agriculture, mining and other sectors.

Northern Star rejected Gold Fields’ A$38.7bn takeover proposal, saying it undervalued its portfolio. Its shares rose 10.6%, while the offer implied a 14% premium to Friday’s close.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Abu Dhabi and met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, an Israeli official told Reuters. The UAE did not immediately comment.

Al Ain Future Business Forum closed with 11 agreements and MoUs across multiple sectors. The new platform links investment, talent and entrepreneurship to support regional economic development.

Russia and Germany's foreign ministers held their first talks since before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Talks covered bilateral ties, the war and Black Sea grain exports.

The US and China agreed tariff cuts covering $30bn of goods in each direction. They will also launch an AI dialogue and set up a channel for AI-related incidents.

A US jury ordered Apple to pay Taction more than $5.7bn over haptic technology patents. Apple denied infringement and said it would appeal the record verdict.

Apax is nearing a deal to buy Warburg Pincus out of their joint Odido investment, the FT reported. The transaction would value the Dutch telecoms group at about €6.5bn.

XRG approved the next phase of Azerbaijan's Absheron gas field, where it owns 30%. Output is set to reach 600m cubic feet of gas and 47,000 barrels of condensate a day.

The inaugural UAE Investment Majlis connected officials and investors around resilient supply chains and smart logistics. It also promoted new cross-border investment flows.

The programme will train one million Lebanese in generative AI and prompt engineering. It aims to build practical skills for using AI tools at work and in daily life.

The UAE is bringing investors, donors and government together as official aid suffers its sharpest annual fall on record. A new Emirates Foundation partnership will use AI to support inclusive growth.

Microsoft says 70.1% of working-age residents used generative AI in early 2026, more than four times the global rate. The UAE aims to deliver half of federal services through AI agents within two years.

US and Iranian negotiators are exploring a phased deal in which Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz and Washington lifts its blockade, Reuters sources said. Neither side is yet willing to surrender its main leverage.

The FDA approved Lilly’s Onswik, a once-weekly basal insulin for adults with type 2 diabetes. Lilly says it could eliminate more than 300 injections a year versus daily treatment.

The Federal Reserve proposed full reserve backing and capital requirements for supervised stablecoin issuers. The rules would also govern bank custody and issuance, with a 60-day comment period.

Akamai signed a seven-year, $11.6bn cloud-services deal with Anthropic and granted warrants for up to a 5% stake. Akamai expects about $5.5bn of capital spending for the initial commitment.

ADX-listed MAIR Group agreed to acquire 70% of Eslab, owner of Espressolab, in its first cross-border deal since listing. The coffee chain has more than 400 shops across 21 countries.

ADDED gave Tajer Abu Dhabi licence holders expiring in 2026 another year to operate without premises. The scheme now covers more than 1,200 activities, reducing start-up costs for entrepreneurs.

FDA advisers voted 7-2 that the benefits of Grail’s Galleri blood test outweigh its risks for adults aged 50 and older. A final decision on nationwide sales is expected in coming months.

Ember Infrastructure proposed buying Ashtead Technology for 615 pence a share, valuing it at about $660m. The non-binding bid is its fourth approach and carries a 12.8% premium.