Short answer
UAE debt market hits $320bn; Saudi-France sign $7bn deal; India-GCC FTA talks advance.
Key facts
- Fitch confirms: Fitch Ratings reports the UAE's debt capital market grew 3% year-on-year to $320bn outstanding at end-H1 2026, with US dollar issuance of $24bn — 40% above H2 2025 levels.
- Saudi Arabia signed: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and French President Macron signed a €6bn ($7bn) amusement park deal in Paris, part of a broader package covering energy, defence, and AI.
- India-GCC FTA: India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia met GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi in Riyadh to advance free trade agreement negotiations between India and the six-nation Gulf bloc.
The big picture
UAE debt market hits $320bn; Saudi-France sign $7bn deal; India-GCC FTA talks advance.
Why it matters
A deeper UAE bond market widens funding options for banks and corporates, while a Saudi-France investment push and live India-GCC trade talks signal capital flows that directly affect expat jobs, portfolios, and remittance corridors.
The details
Arab News
Fitch confirms: UAE Debt Market Hits $320bn as Dollar Issuance Surges 40%. Fitch Ratings reports the UAE's debt capital market grew 3% year-on-year to $320bn outstanding at end-H1 2026, with US dollar issuance of $24bn — 40% above H2 2025 levels.
Read at Arab News ->
Al Jazeera
Saudi Arabia signed: Saudi Arabia and France Agree on $7bn Dragon Ball Z Theme Park Near Paris. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and French President Macron signed a €6bn ($7bn) amusement park deal in Paris, part of a broader package covering energy, defence, and AI.
Read at Al Jazeera ->
The Economic Times
India-GCC FTA: India and GCC Review Next Steps on Free Trade Agreement in Riyadh. India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia met GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi in Riyadh to advance free trade agreement negotiations between India and the six-nation Gulf bloc.
Read at The Economic Times ->
What to watch
Watch for India-GCC FTA negotiation milestones; a deal would reshape tariffs on goods and services used by the Gulf's largest expat community.
The Gulf Money digest surfaces reported news from third-party publications. We do not republish the stories themselves - every headline above links to the original source so you can read the publisher's own coverage.