The Dubai Frame. Business activity in Dubai's non-oil private sector economy improved at the end of the second quarter. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Dubai Frame. Business activity in Dubai's non-oil private sector economy improved at the end of the second quarter. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Dubai Frame. Business activity in Dubai's non-oil private sector economy improved at the end of the second quarter. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Dubai Frame. Business activity in Dubai's non-oil private sector economy improved at the end of the second quarter. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Business activity in Dubai's non-oil economy improves in June


Sarmad Khan
  • English
  • Arabic

Business activity in Dubai’s non-oil private sector economy expanded in June, supported by a seventh monthly rise in output and an upturn in construction and tourism activity.

The emirate's seasonally adjusted IHS Markit Purchasing Managers' Index slipped from 51.6 in May to 51 in June. A reading above the neutral 50-mark indicates economic expansion while one below points to a contraction.

The latest data pointed to a moderate improvement in Dubai’s non-oil business activity as both output and new orders grew at a softer pace in June, pulled down by a weaker rise in sales and global supply shortages that hampered business activity.

"Business activity in the Dubai non-oil sector was hindered by weaker sales growth and raw material shortages in June,” said IHS Markit economist David Owen.

Panellists underscored an improvement in economic conditions as the effects of Covid-19 eased. Business activity continued to increase across the construction, tourism and wholesale and retail sectors, albeit at a softer pace from the preceding month. The wholesale and retail sector also recorded a rise in new orders.

There was a renewed upturn in activity levels in the travel and tourism sector after a slight decline in May, according to the survey. The sector recorded a drop in sales in June linked to the cancellation of flights from some destinations to curb the spread of the virus.

Dubai’s non-oil private sector economy is expanding as the emirate's Covid-19 inoculation programme picks up pace.

Widespread testing and high vaccination rates have helped the UAE to boost business confidence as its economy continues to bounce back from the coronavirus-induced slowdown.

Stimulus packages worth Dh7.1 billion ($1.93bn), which were unveiled by Dubai to support its economy and soften the pandemic's blow on businesses and people, have also fuelled business confidence.

The emirate’s economy is forecast to expand by 4 per cent in 2021, according to government projections released in December.

Businesses surveyed by IHS Markit expressed growing optimism in June regarding future output growth prospects as Expo 2020 Dubai, a six-month-long global fair, approaches. The degree of optimism for the next 12 months was the second strongest since September 2020, according to the survey.

There were renewed efforts to raise employment in the emirate at the end of the second quarter. The rate of job creation hit its quickest pace since November 2019.

However, input cost inflation increased in June, pushing output charges higher for the second time in three years. Elevated input prices forced some companies to lower their purchases and draw from current stocks to meet new orders.

“Lengthening delivery times, supply shortages and rising freight costs were often cited by panellists, leading to a second rise in output prices in three months following a near three-year run of decline," said Mr Owen.

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Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

The%20specs
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Profile of Tarabut Gateway

Founder: Abdulla Almoayed

Based: UAE

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 35

Sector: FinTech

Raised: $13 million

Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

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Representing%20UAE%20overseas
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SCORES

Yorkshire Vikings 144-1 in 12.5 overs
(Tom Kohler 72 not out, Harry Broook 42 not out)
bt Hobart Hurricanes 140-7 in 20 overs
(Caleb Jewell 38, Sean Willis 35, Karl Carver 2-29, Josh Shaw 2-39)

Most F1 world titles

7 — Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01 ’02, ’03, ’04)

7 — Lewis Hamilton (2008, ’14,’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20)

5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57)

4 — Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93)

4 — Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)

The specs: 2019 Haval H6

Price, base: Dh69,900

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

THE%20HOLDOVERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlexander%20Payne%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Paul%20Giamatti%2C%20Da'Vine%20Joy%20Randolph%2C%20Dominic%20Sessa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Qosty Byogaani

Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny

Four stars

Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

The Gandhi Murder
  • 71 - Years since the death of MK Gandhi, also christened India's Father of the Nation
  • 34 - Nationalities featured in the film The Gandhi Murder
  • 7 - million dollars, the film's budget 
RESULTS

Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO

Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke

Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke

Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO

Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision

Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision

Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO

Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)

Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)

Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision

Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke

Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO

Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision

Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision

SANCTIONED
  • Kirill Shamalov, Russia's youngest billionaire and previously married to Putin's daughter Katarina
  • Petr Fradkov, head of recently sanctioned Promsvyazbank and son of former head of Russian Foreign Intelligence, the FSB. 
  • Denis Bortnikov, Deputy President of Russia's largest bank VTB. He is the son of Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB which was responsible for the poisoning of political activist Alexey Navalny in August 2020 with banned chemical agent novichok.  
  • Yury Slyusar, director of United Aircraft Corporation, a major aircraft manufacturer for the Russian military.
  • Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank, a state-owned defence conglomerate.
The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz

Director: Kushan Nandy

Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami

Three stars

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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