Business Extra

Sentiment among investors appears to have rebounded following a bleak end to last year, despite global issues such as the US government shutdown, Washington’s trade battle with China and disappointing data from the world’s second-largest economy. All that plus the ongoing Brexit saga do have the potential to cause ripples – or worse.

Bucking the global trend, however, it seems the UAE is a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy picture. 

In this week’s Business Extra Podcast, Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson talks to Tim Fox, chief economist and head of research at Emirates NBD, and a regular columnist for The National, about how the global and regional investment outlook might be affected near-term.

US stocks have rebounded from an end-of-year lull, but many are forecasting a recession on the horizon. Complicating the US outlook is President Donald Trump's ongoing government shutdown and frayed trade relations with China.

What are all the factors driving a negative US outlook? Economic analyst Omar Al-Ubaydli gives his take to host Chris Nelson in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast. Listen here:

Also discussed in this episode:

• We speak with The National's Kelsey Warner about the positives coming out of the region. Adnoc is among the top 10 most influential companies and organisations in the energy sector, the only company in the Middle East with this distinction. Adnoc also expects to increase unconventional gas discoveries.

A fast-growing Africa could change the face of the aviation industry and the continent’s rising demand for aviation could also lift Africa’s economic prospects in the future.

Hassan El-Houry, Group CEO of National Aviation Services and co-author of Fly Africa, tells The National’s Mustafa Alrawi about the African aviation sector and discusses the future of tourism in and out of the continent.

To mark the occasion of both our 100th Business Extra podcast and the end of 2018, we are taking a look back at a few of our favourite interviews from the past year.

In this episode:

• Saygin Yalcin is the Founder and CEO of SellAnyCar.com as well as other start-ups. He sat with our Chris Nelson in July, and talked about the challenges he faced setting up new businesses in the UAE, but how the government is doing the right thing for business by granting 10-year visas. More: Who qualifies for 10-year visas?

Host Mustafa Alrawi, The National's Assistant Editor in Chief and Sarmad Khan, Company & Markets Editor, discuss what the outlook will be for the biggest Arab economy after it forecast spending in 2019 to reach 1.106 trillion riyals (Dh1.083tn), up 7 per cent from the finance ministry’s figure of 1.030tn riyals for 2018.

Also in this episode, Assistant Business Editor Chris Nelson talks about the realities of the "gig economy" with Greg Hucker, the founder and chief executive of Maharati in Dubai. 

Listen here: 

More Business Extra:

Biz Extra

There is uncertainty in the UK, across Europe there is leadership upheaval, in India the Central Bank governor has quit and US President Donald Trump oscillates on a trade war with China. How is global political uncertainty affecting markets, and how should investors react?

Ahead of a crucial vote for the British Prime Minister Theresa May on her political future, hosts Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor-in-Chief and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editor talk to Gaurav Kashyap, market strategist at Equiti Global Markets and a regular contributor for The National, on the outlook for markets and investment going into 2019 in the latest episode of the Business Extra podcast.

Qatar breaks ranks as it says it will withdraw from the 15-member Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on January 1. Why now, and what are the ramifications? We discuss in this episode of The Business Extra podcast. Listen here:

Mustafa Alrawi, The National's Assistant Editor-in-Chief, and regular contributor Robin Mills, the CEO of Qamar Energy, discuss the different reasons behind the move including changing dynamics for gas markets and the political rift with its Gulf neighbours. Also, they look at how Opec may respond after losing one of its Middle East members for the first time.

Emaar Hospitality is taking a new approach by selling five of its UAE hotels to Abu Dhabi National Hotels. While the value of the deal was not disclosed, Dubai-based Emaar said moving to an asset-light model will enable the business to unlock its potential. The hotels are Address Dubai Mall, Address Boulevard, Address Dubai Marina, Vida Downtown and Manzil Downtown. 

The National’s Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the possible reasons behind the move, which will likely see Emaar focus on the issue of management and hotel management contracts like other global brands such as Hilton and Marriott. Is it a good move for both sides?

Also in this episode

• John Lacey, the founder and chief executive of Dubai’s Power League Gaming, or PLG, talks to Chris about the wonderful world of professional video-gaming ahead of the e-Sports Grand Slam world championship event in Abu Dhabi next month – a first for the UAE and the wider Middle East.

Over the past decade, 85 per cent of new businesses in the United States have been started by Latinos, with the women among them being the biggest drivers of that trend. That data comes a study by Zeno Group and the We Are All Human Foundation, and we talk to their founder in this week's episode of the Business Extra podcast. 

Claudia Romo Edelman is an advocate for equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as co-host of the Global Goalscast focused on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Edelman explains to The National's Mustafa Alrawi that part of the reason statistics like the one above could be surprising to business people interested in the American market, is because Hispanic representation in media and politics does not match that of the demographic's economic impact. She hopes to use her platform to change that, and help expand Hispanic representation and inclusion.

Optimism was high at this year's Adipec gathering in Abu Dhabi. Is the positive sentiment around the oil and gas sectors warranted? Mustafa Alrawi and Chris Nelson discuss the numerous headlines emerging from Adipic this week and what it all means for the wider energy sector in this episode of The Business Extra podcast.

Also in this episode, Jennifer Gnana speaks with Ahmed Attiga, chief executive of  Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (Apicorp), about the political and investment landscapes for oil in the Middle East and the wider energy sector. The outlook for renewables is also shifting as multi-lateral organisations increasingly look to finance the development of clean-energy capacity in the region to meet growing demand.