Banking•🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia•Jul 19, 2026

Saudi Arabia’s top banks post record-breaking profits despite major slowdown in corporate lending

The story in brief

Nida Sohail New fees for UAE universities, vocational institutions: What you need to know Education Neesha Salian UBP Middle East’s Ahmad Chahidi why uncertainty is reshaping how families plan their wealth Finance View More Article Inside 25 years and counting: VFS Global’s Zubin Karkaria on secured mobility built on trust Interviews Neesha Salian Article Inside Armed group hijack tanker off Yemen, divert it towards Somalia Middle East Article Inside Dubai’s famous Toyota Building to be demolished in 2027 Dubai Article Inside Dubai riders can now book fully driverless taxis on Uber Insights The strongest form of AI leadership lies in a nation’s ability to shape how AI is developed and governed, leveraging the expertise of its own people.

Detailed summary

Nida Sohail

New fees for UAE universities, vocational institutions: What you need to know

Education

Neesha Salian

UBP Middle East’s Ahmad Chahidi why uncertainty is reshaping how families plan their wealth

Finance

Article Inside

25 years and counting: VFS Global’s Zubin Karkaria on secured mobility built on trust

Interviews

Neesha Salian

Article Inside

Armed group hijack tanker off Yemen, divert it towards Somalia

Middle East

Article Inside

Dubai’s famous Toyota Building to be demolished in 2027

Dubai

Article Inside

Dubai riders can now book fully driverless taxis on Uber

Insights

The strongest form of AI leadership lies in a nation’s ability to shape how AI is developed and governed, leveraging the expertise of its own people.

Podcast

Our podcast brings you the latest updates from across the Gulf and beyond, breaking down the headlines that matter most.

Background & context

This story sits within Saudi Arabia's broader reform agenda and efforts to grow Technology as a pillar of non-oil GDP. The region benefits from supportive energy prices, expansionary government budgets, and rising interest from sovereign wealth funds and foreign investors.

Key numbers & facts

No specific figures were provided in the available source. See the original publisher for detailed numbers.

Key points

Nida Sohail New fees for UAE universities, vocational institutions: What you need to know Education Neesha Salian UBP Middle East’s Ahmad Chahidi why uncertainty is reshaping how families plan their wealth Finance View More Article Inside 25 years and counting: VFS Global’s Zubin Karkaria on secured mobility built on trust Interviews Neesha Salian Article Inside Armed group hijack tanker off Yemen, divert it towards Somalia Middle East Article Inside Dubai’s famous Toyota Building to be demolished in 2027 Dubai Article Inside Dubai riders can now book fully driverless taxis on Uber Insights The strongest form of AI leadership lies in a nation’s ability to shape how AI is developed and governed, leveraging the expertise of its own people.
Podcast Our podcast brings you the latest updates from across the Gulf and beyond, breaking down the headlines that matter most.
Top Stories Energy Schneider Electric’s Frédéric Godemel on AI, hybrid grids and Dubai’s energy future Aviation Amadeus EMEA’s Maher Koubaa on the AI reshaping travel and the barriers that remain Technology Sandisk’s Ghassan Azzi on the AI-driven future of flash GymNation redraws the thobe for a fitness generation Technology Hisense’s Jason Ou on helping people build AI-powered smart homes Brand View Tag Markets fits into Dubai’s growing financial technology ecosystem Industry BMW brings AI-powered vehicle configurator to ChatGPT DMCC launches incentives package to cut costs for 26,000 Dubai businesses SITA expands airline AI strategy with Big Blue Analytics acquisition Cleanco’s Jamal Lootah on compliance, continuity and the new rules of facilities management Technology Sandisk’s Ghassan Azzi on the AI-driven future of flash Technology Hisense’s Jason Ou on helping people build AI-powered smart homes Technology UAE’s under-15 social media ban could affect far more businesses than expected The future of AI is human, says Thales’ Bernard Roux UPDATE: UAE issues alert for missile threats after NCEMA detects threat Offlimits Abu Dhabi postponed: Shakira festival will not go ahead in 2026 Abu Dhabi Flight cancelled in the UAE?

Why this matters

This matters because activity in Technology, Banking, Capital Markets shapes capital flows, hiring and investor sentiment across Saudi Arabia.

Economic & market impact

Potential impact: - Tech founders, VCs and digital platforms may see knock-on funding or adoption effects. - Banks may see shifts in mortgage, project finance and corporate lending pipelines. - Listed GCC equities and indices may see direct trading reaction.

Potentially related sectors

TechnologyBankingCapital Markets

GCC angle

For the rest of the GCC, this is a signal on the pace of activity in Technology, Banking, Capital Markets. Capital flows and regulatory decisions in one Gulf state typically travel across borders given the similar economic structures and the coordination inside the GCC framework.

Risks & uncertainty

There is uncertainty around the read-through: projections can be moved by swings in oil prices, by US monetary policy tightening that most GCC central banks track via dollar pegs, and by regional geopolitical events. Headline numbers may also be revised when subsequent official data is published.

What happens next?

Watch for upcoming disclosures from listed names in Technology, Banking, official macro releases for Saudi Arabia, and any commentary from regulators or sovereign wealth funds. Tharwa will refresh this briefing as new public information becomes available.

Sources used

Arabian Business

This is an original Tharwa briefing based on the available source material. Read the full article from the publisher.

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