Dubai PMI climbs to three-year high driven by upswing in travel and tourism: S&P Global

According to S&P Global, any reading above 50.0 indicates an improvement in operating conditions.
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Updated 13 July 2022
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Dubai PMI climbs to three-year high driven by upswing in travel and tourism: S&P Global

RIYADH: Dubai’s Purchasing Managers’ index climbed to a three-year high of 56.1 in June from the previous month’s 55.7, according to S&P Global.

This upturn indicates a robust improvement in Dubai’s non-oil private sector, primarily driven by travel and tourism.

According to S&P Global, any reading above 50.0 indicates an improvement in operating conditions.

“The Dubai PMI continued to trend upwards in June, reflecting further strength in new business and activity. Travel demand continued to support sales, and there was a renewed increase in new work in the construction sector,” said David Owen, an economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

New business volumes in June also witnessed a sharp surge in June, with the growth rate accelerating to the highest since July 2019.

Meanwhile, Dubai non-oil companies saw a sharp and accelerated rise in input costs in June due to a fuel price hike driven by supply chain concerns.

 “The economy also faced the challenge of rising inflationary pressures, which led to the quickest increase in input prices since the start of 2018. The sharp uptick in global energy prices weighed heavily on businesses, with consumers also likely to feel the pinch on spending as fuel prices spike,” added Owen.


Aramco achieves 70% local content target through iktva program 

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Aramco achieves 70% local content target through iktva program 

RIYADH: Saudi Aramco said its supply chain localization program has reached a target of 70 percent local content, underscoring the company’s push to deepen domestic industrial capacity. 

The state energy giant said its iktva program has added more than $280 billion to Saudi Arabia’s economy since its launch, converting procurement spending into local manufacturing, investment and job creation. 

Aramco plans to raise local content in its procurement of goods and services to 75 percent by 2030, extending a strategy aimed at strengthening supply chain resilience and supporting long-term economic diversification. 

Saudi Arabia has been accelerating local manufacturing and supply chain development as part of Vision 2030 reforms designed to diversify the economy beyond oil and create private-sector employment. 

Amin H Nasser, president and CEO of Aramco, said: “I am immensely proud of the transformational effect iktva has had on Aramco and its positive impact on Saudi Arabia’s economy.”  

He added: This announcement marks a major milestone in the program’s journey and reflects an important leap in the Kingdom’s industrial development, which is largely aligned with our ambitious national vision.”  

Nasser said that iktva is a core pillar of Aramco’s strategy to build a competitive national industrial ecosystem that supports the energy sector while enabling broader economic growth and creating thousands of job opportunities for Saudi nationals.  

“By localizing the supply chain, iktva ensures operational reliability while mitigating disruption. Its 10-year cumulative impact reflects the depth and sustainability of the value it continues to generate,” he added.  

Over the past decade, the program has identified more than 200 localization opportunities across 12 sectors representing an annual market worth about $28 billion. 

These have triggered more than 350 investments from companies in 35 countries, backed by $9 billion in capital, enabling 47 strategic products to be manufactured domestically for the first time, Aramco said. 

The initiative has also supported the creation of more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs across the Kingdom, helping expand Saudi Arabia’s industrial base. 

Saudi Arabia’s local content programs aim to keep more spending within the national economy by encouraging companies to manufacture goods, source services and develop expertise domestically rather than relying on foreign suppliers.