عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Saudi Arabia’s ‘SERB’ Unveils Locally-Made Unmanned Aircraft

SERB’s booth at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
SERB’s booth at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia’s ‘SERB’ Unveils Locally-Made Unmanned Aircraft

SERB’s booth at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
SERB’s booth at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

SERB, a Saudi company for advanced industries, showcased four locally-made drones at the World Defense Show in Riyadh.

This move aligns with Saudi Arabia’s goal to produce over half of its military equipment and services domestically by 2030.

SERB CEO Abdullah Al-Mufaqai highlighted the company’s focus on training and developing local talent for defense manufacturing.

SERB collaborates with government bodies like the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) and MODON to enhance its defense capabilities, Al-Mufaqai revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat.

He disclosed that the company produced four unmanned products entirely designed, analyzed, and manufactured by national talents comprising engineers and experienced specialists.

The CEO emphasized that localizing military industries is a prime objective of the National Industries Development Program, with Saudi Arabia aiming to localize over 50% of government spending on military equipment and services by 2030.

Saudi Arabia initiated the “Made in Saudi” program to support local industries, encouraging people to buy locally-made products and motivating Saudi companies to export to key markets.

The aim is to boost the Kingdom’s global industrial appeal and increase non-oil exports to 50% of GDP by the end of the decade.

At the World Defense Show 2024, SERB emphasized the link between local and global manufacturing in defense, covering land and maritime sectors.

Market research firm Mordor Intelligence projected a 15% annual growth in the market for unmanned systems, which reached $15.31 billion in 2022.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

OECD Cuts 2026 Global Growth Forecasts Over Mideast War Fallout

A drone view of vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 3, 2026. (Reuters)
A drone view of vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 3, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

OECD Cuts 2026 Global Growth Forecasts Over Mideast War Fallout

A drone view of vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 3, 2026. (Reuters)
A drone view of vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 3, 2026. (Reuters)

The war in the Middle East has dented economic growth prospects worldwide, with a more severe shock likely if no effective ceasefire is agreed before 2027, the OECD warned Wednesday.

Global economic growth is now forecast to slip to 2.8 percent for 2026 if Gulf exports of oil and gas return to pre-conflict levels in the third quarter, the group of 38 industrialized countries said in its quarterly update.

Previously the OECD had forecast full-year global growth of 2.9 percent.

But if the Middle East war continues into next year, however, global growth could slow to 2.1 percent, the OECD said -- well below the average annual growth of 3.4 percent seen from 2013 to 2019, before the Covid pandemic.

"The longer the disruptions last, the larger the economic and social costs become," the group's chief economist Stefano Scarpetta said in the report.

Many countries would risk falling into recession, he noted, and a drop in investment spending -- "including in energy-intensive AI" -- would likely push up unemployment.

Sustained high prices for energy as well as fertilizer and other key products from hydrocarbon production in the Gulf would weigh especially hard on developing countries that have "higher shares of energy and food in household consumption".

Even if the war sparked by US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February ends in the coming weeks, the OECD forecast global inflation rising to 4.0 percent this year from 3.4 percent in 2025.

In this "time-limited disruption scenario", the group expects US growth to slow to 2.0 percent this year and 1.8 percent in 2027, after growing 2.1 percent last year.

In the eurozone, where many countries are highly dependent on energy imports, GDP growth will slump to 0.8 percent this year after 1.4 percent last year, assuming a Mideast ceasefire is secured in the coming weeks.

Business

Saudi Non-oil Private Sector Activity Hits 3-month High in May

The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)
The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)
TT
TT

Saudi Non-oil Private Sector Activity Hits 3-month High in May

The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)
The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector expanded at the fastest pace in three months in May as domestic demand improved and supply chains stabilized, while business optimism remained subdued amid conflict in the region, a survey showed on Wednesday.

The seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers' Index, compiled by S&P Global, rose to 52.8 in May from 51.5 in April. The 50 mark separates growth from contraction, Reuters reported.

Output accelerated at the ⁠fastest pace in ⁠three months after March's downturn following the start of the Iran war, as firms cited normalizing working conditions, revived contracts and stronger local demand.

Export sales fell for a third straight month, hit by shipping disruption, higher freight and fuel costs, geopolitical tensions and stronger competition. The pace of decline eased only modestly from April's survey-record contraction.

However, supply chains improved, with suppliers' delivery times shortening for the first time in three months as ⁠firms relied ⁠more on local vendors. Backlogs of work rose for an 11th consecutive month, albeit moderately.

“Overall, the latest PMI reading supports the expectation that Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy will continue its upward trend during the remainder of 2026," said Naif Al-Ghaith, Riyad Bank's chief economist.

Business

Regional War Weighs on Output, New Business Growth in UAE

The sun sets over a vessel off the coast of Dubai on June 2, 2026. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
The sun sets over a vessel off the coast of Dubai on June 2, 2026. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
TT
TT

Regional War Weighs on Output, New Business Growth in UAE

The sun sets over a vessel off the coast of Dubai on June 2, 2026. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)
The sun sets over a vessel off the coast of Dubai on June 2, 2026. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

The UAE's non-oil private sector expanded only modestly in May as war in the region and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz weighed on output and new business growth, a business survey showed on Wednesday.

The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UAE Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 52.6 in May from 52.1 in April, remaining above the 50 mark separating growth from contraction.

"The continued cut-off to maritime trade had a cascading effect through the UAE economy in May... ⁠Export orders declined in ⁠May, driven by both the actual shipping disruption as well as the continued sense of uncertainty over how long the conflict will last," Reuters quoted David Owen, principal economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, as saying.

Input deliveries were delayed to the greatest extent since the ⁠height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, Owen said.

Output growth accelerated to a three-month high but remained weaker than the survey's long-run average. New business also rose only modestly, close to April's 62-month low, while export sales contracted again, though the pace of decline eased markedly.

The new orders subindex inched up to 52.6 in May from April's 52.5.

Backlogs of work increased at the slowest pace in nearly three years ⁠as ⁠firms found more capacity to clear outstanding orders, but job creation eased to its weakest pace since October 2025 and cost pressures remained elevated on higher material and transport costs.

But surveyed businesses remained optimistic about the year-ahead outlook.

The UAE's non-oil GDP grew 6.8% in 2025 from a year earlier, outperforming overall GDP growth at 6.2% last year.