DUBAI: The value of Middle East investments in real estate outside the region surged 64 percent to $11.5 billion in the first half of 2015, although two deals by sovereign funds accounted for nearly half this year’s total, consultants CBRE say.
The splurge came despite a 44 percent drop in USlight crude oil prices in the 12 months to June 30.
The CBRE said sovereign wealth funds accounted for $8.3 billion of the spending in the first six months of this year — almost quadruple their outlay of $2.27 billion in the prior-year period.
“The size of the region’s foreign investment makes the Middle East the third-largest source of cross regional capital globally as Arab investors look for brighter investment prospects internationally,” Nick Maclean, CBRE Middle East managing director, said in the statement.
This year’s spending includes Qatar’s $2.5 billion investment in Maybourne Hotels and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority’s (ADIA) $2.4 billion purchase of a 50 percent stake in three Hong Kong hotels.
These deals helped make London, with $2.75 billion, and Hong Kong, with $2.4 billion, the top destinations for Middle Eastern property investors. New York was third with $1.1 billion and Milan’s $990 million placed it fourth.
In terms of sectors, hotel investments rose 437 percent to $6.75 billion — or 59 percent of total Middle East spending — while office acquisitions fell by nearly half to $1.99 billion and retail purchases dropped 40 percent to $708 million.
Other buys, which include residential property, jumped 144 percent to $1.66 billion.
“Hotels (are) growing in importance as sovereign wealth funds and high-net-worth individuals focus on real assets that generate long-term revenue,” said Iryna Pylypchuk of CBRE Global Research.
Property purchases by non-sovereign wealth funds fell to $3.2 billion in the first half of 2015, from $4.7 billion a year earlier, according to Reuters calculations based on CBRE data.
Middle East property investments outside region rise in H1: CBRE
Middle East property investments outside region rise in H1: CBRE
GCC chambers plan Gulf Guarantee project to boost intra-regional trade
DAMMAM: The Federation of GCC Chambers, in cooperation with the Customs Union Authority, intends to launch the Gulf Guarantee Project to provide a unified mechanism for exports and trade transactions and to enhance the efficiency of intra-GCC trade, which reached about $146 billion by the end of 2024, Saleh Al-Sharqi, Secretary-General of the federation, told Al-Eqtisadiah.
Al-Sharqi said, on the sidelines of his meeting with media representatives at the federation’s headquarters in Dammam, that the initiative represents a qualitative leap in supporting intra-GCC trade by facilitating transit movement through a single point, contributing to cost reduction, accelerating the flow of goods, and enhancing the reliability of trade operations among Gulf markets.
He explained that the federation recently launched a package of strategic initiatives, including the Tawasul initiative aimed at strengthening communication among Gulf business owners and supporting the building of trade and investment partnerships, in addition to the Gulf Business Facilitation initiative, which seeks to address challenges facing Gulf investors and traders, simplify procedures, and improve the business environment across member states.
He noted that these initiatives fall within an integrated vision to address obstacles hindering investment and intra-regional trade flows by developing regulatory frameworks, activating communication channels between the public and private sectors, and supporting Gulf economic integration in line with the objectives of the Gulf Common Market.
In a related context, the Secretary-General affirmed the direction of GCC countries to leverage artificial intelligence technologies to support trade and investment flows, stressing the importance of establishing a unified Gulf committee for artificial intelligence to coordinate efforts and exchange expertise among member states. He said the federation will support this direction in the coming phase, drawing on leading international experiences, particularly the Chinese experience in this field.
Regarding the recently announced electric railway project between Riyadh and Doha, Al-Sharqi revealed that technical and advisory committees are working to complete the necessary studies for the project, confirming that it will positively impact passenger and freight movement between the two countries, enhance Gulf logistical integration, and support regional supply chains.
On investment opportunities available to Gulf nationals in the Syrian market, he said the federation is coordinating with private sector representatives in Syria to overcome obstacles that may face the flow of Gulf investments, in addition to working to provide adequate guarantees to protect these investments and ensure a stable and attractive investment environment.
In response to a question from Al-Eqtisadiah about the impact of tariffs imposed by the US on imports of iron, steel, and aluminum, he said that economic and technical committees in GCC countries are continuously monitoring the repercussions of these tariffs on the Gulf private sector, assessing their effects, and taking the necessary measures to protect it from any potential negative impacts.
Al-Sharqi also pointed to the launch of two specialized committees in the transport and logistics sectors and in real estate activities, given their pivotal role and active contribution to Gulf gross domestic product, stressing that developing these two sectors is a fundamental pillar for enhancing economic diversification and increasing the competitiveness of GCC economies.
He added that during the past year the federation held more than 40 meetings and official engagements with Gulf and international entities, participated in nine regional and international events to strengthen the presence of the Gulf private sector on the global stage, and signed 12 agreements and memoranda of understanding with Gulf, regional, and international entities to open new horizons for economic and investment cooperation.
During the same year, the federation launched four digital platforms to support the Gulf private sector, bringing the total number of its digital platforms to eight serving the business community across member states.
The Secretary-General affirmed that the federation will continue working with relevant economic entities to unify procedures and regulations, reduce non-tariff barriers, and accelerate mutual recognition of products and standard specifications, in a way that enhances the competitiveness of the Gulf economy and supports the growth of intra-GCC trade.
