As the world navigates rough waters due to the high level of inflation, which has led central banks to sharply hike interest rates, and as uncertainties linked to geopolitical tensions continue to be a concern, investors must be cautious and savvy in setting up their strategy.
But they should be even more active in pursuing investment opportunities that might yield considerable returns within an adequate amount of time.
In doing this, they should follow and take full advantage of the long-term strategy set out by the UAE and GCC leadership, which has pursued a diversification of its economy and investment portfolio, enacting a series of initiatives to support investments in key areas from both national investors and foreign direct investments.
One of the most evident trends is linked to technology and innovation. This is a high-growth economic sector, which has been boosted by the advent of extremely powerful technologies such as generative artificial intelligence.
The rising level, likelihood and impact of cyber risks are also attracting investments to create the tools to adequately manage them.
This particular field is extremely interesting for investors, as the efforts to counter cyber risk and related innovation efforts are continuous by nature and constitute a strong element of stability for the companies that will be successful in this field.
Tech and innovation is also an area in which governments around the world compete to attract the most prominent and sizeable companies, as well as the most innovative ventures.
Tech hubs and strong local education frameworks are being created, along with attracting the best talents, to support these companies and create positive returns for the country’s community as a whole. The UAE is at the forefront of these efforts.
Property and infrastructure is another crucial sector which deserves a space in the trends to look at.
The GCC region, and the UAE in particular, are set to become even more prominent global business and tourism hubs, as well as the most sought-after jurisdictions for expats to fully relocate and set up their professional and personal lives.
If we look at the mid- to long-term trends, the real estate sector has been growing constantly, of course with the short-term volatility linked to economic cycles and external shocks, and has yielded interesting returns for investors.
In order to sustain the growth, investment in infrastructure and constant innovation in the related structures and linked services will be a constant in the years to come.
Linked to the above are investments in health care and education. It is evident how critical these sectors are to creating a favourable environment for constant and sustainable growth of all players in the global arena.
The two sectors have a direct impact in boosting the overall economy, given their high intrinsic value and the impact on the “value” of a jurisdiction when such services are rendered locally at a level of excellence.
Again, linked to infrastructure and real estate development is the sector of tourism and hospitality.
The latest figures about the tourism sector show a booming trend, impacting all economic activities linked to it.
Such skyrocketing growth needs huge investment in infrastructure, to both maintain and upgrade the existing ones and build new ones, after a careful assessment on their impact and sustainability from both a financial and environmental point of view.
Talking about sustainability, another major trend is linked to the increased awareness of the impact of human activities on the environment and the urgent necessity to develop policies aimed at sustainable development and reduction of carbon emission.
Therefore, the renewable energy sector and the (still) niche sectors of companies operating in the field of emission offsetting must definitely be part of an investment portfolio, as their importance is growing, and it is likely to grow exponentially.
The above is just a general review of the major trends in investment for the decades to come.
As hinted at the beginning of this column, diversification is key to investing wisely and control volatility of returns, and as we can all see, we have quite a lot to play with.
Roberto d’Ambrosio is the chief executive of Axiory Global
Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un shake hands ahead of one-on-one discussion
US and North Korean teams sit down for bilateral summit
Kim: “I believe this is a good prelude for peace."
Trump: “We will solve it, we will be successful.”
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Freezer tips
Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
