Category: 3. Business

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market will be closed on March 2 and March 3, the UAE Capital Market Authority said in an emailed statement. “The Authority will continue to monitor developments in the region and assess the situation on an ongoing basis, taking any further measures as necessary,” it added.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi have faced hundreds of missiles and drone attacks from Iran, which has been responding to an onslaught from the US and Israel, since Saturday morning. Most have been intercepted and there are few reports of casualties and damage to multiple areas across both cities. But the attacks are causing panic among residents and pose a huge threat to the UAE’s economy and status as a stable financial, logistics and tourism hub.

“US-Israel attacks on Iran threaten demand shocks for UAE property sales, risking absorption of 350,000 units in new supply, as well as 120 million footfalls into Dubai Mall and tourism into retail and hospitality,” Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Edmond Christou and Salome Skhirtladze wrote in a note. “UAE developers, such as Emaar, are vulnerable as are UAE banks with greater cyclical exposure.”

The UAE stock exchanges’ market capitalization stands at $1.1 trillion, making it the 19th largest in the world. It holds a 1.4% weight on MSCI Inc.’s emerging markets benchmark. 

Read More: Dubai’s Worst Nightmare Unfolds as Iran Strikes Neighbors 

The market closures are unusual in the country. Outside regularly-scheduled holidays, UAE bourses are typically shuttered only during periods of national mourning, such as one that followed the death of President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in May 2022.

Still, it’s not uncommon for countries to shut their stock markets during times of uncertainty and turmoil. Among recent examples, Turkey suspended trading for a week after an earthquake in 2023 and the market soared upon reopening. Russia halted its market for about a month in 2022 after its invasion of Ukraine. In Greece, the Athens Stock Exchange shut in 2015 for five weeks during the sovereign debt crisis and plunged when trading resumed.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, the Kuwait Capital Markets Authority said the country’s stock exchange will resume trading on March 2 after halting operations on Sunday.

KARACHI:

Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance President Malik Shehzad Awan has strongly criticised the recent increase in petroleum prices and warned that transporters may announce a countrywide strike after Eid following consultations with stakeholders across Pakistan.

In a statement, Awan said transporters across the country condemned the hike in fuel prices, noting that diesel prices had increased by Rs23-24 per litre and petrol by Rs13 per litre over the past two months. Despite the rise in fuel costs during the holy month of Ramazan, he said, transporters had not increased fares.

He added that higher fuel prices affect not only transporters but every citizen, as they trigger a wave of inflation. According to him, both the federal government and the Punjab government were pushing transporters into a difficult position. He recalled that transporters had previously observed a 10-day nationwide strike due to what he described as flawed policies.

Awan further alleged that agreements reached with the government were not being implemented.

The situation remains extremely fluid, and while retaliatory strikes by Iran are for now isolated to the Middle East, the impact from a transportation perspective is widespread and profound.

On the airfreight side, flights and airports in the Middle East have grinded to a halt with all airlines suspending flights to and from the region with immediate effect.

On ocean freight, any hopes of a Red Sea return have for now been cancelled. Furthermore, all ocean carriers have informed of a full suspension of all shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

While the situation is still developing, we can already now advise of significant delays ahead for both shipments already in transit and for upcoming shipments to and from the Middle East. It is also likely that there will be delays on the Asia-Europe trade lane as a result of this, and we will do our utmost to provide timely delay updates and any available alternative routings.

Immediate war-risk surcharges have already been imposed by several ocean carriers, and we overall expect rate levels and related surcharges to increase in the short term until the situation stabilises. 

Last, but not least, the safety of our colleagues on the ground in the Middle East is our main priority, and we are taking all precautions to ensure their safety. As we speak, we expect our daily operations and customer service teams will be able to service all our customers with contingency plans in place and rolled out.

Deep dive on the expected impact on airfreight, ocean freight and road freight flows

Airfreight

Regional airspace restrictions and airline network suspensions have already created major shipment backlogs. We expect this backlog to build further in the coming days, with many airlines having imposed a full booking stop until further notice. Consequently, we also expect that backlogs will take weeks to clear once the airspace reopens.

• Emirates SkyCargo: Flights are suspended for now until 15:00 UAE time on Monday, 2 March 2026, due to evolving airspace restrictions. Emirates is also placing temporary restrictions on booking and acceptance of all new shipments for the next 24 hours to stabilise operations and comply with regulatory directives. Recovery and rebooking for impacted shipments are underway.
• KLM: Not operating flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam through 5 March (and avoiding multiple regional airspaces).
• Turkish Airlines: Cancellations have been announced across multiple Middle East destinations, with some cancellations in place until 2 March and additional changes possible depending on airspace decisions.

Ocean freight

All major carriers have already announced a full stop to passage through the Bab el-Mandeb strait and thus the Suez Canal, and as well a full stop on passage through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is also one of the most important oil chokepoints in the world, representing roughly a fifth of globally traded oil. It is consequently likely that we will also see a sharp and abrupt increase in oil prices, in addition to the impact on global container shipping.

• Jebel Ali (DP World): DP World has temporarily suspended operations across Jebel Ali terminals as a precautionary measure following an incident linked to intercepted aerial threats, with a reported fire within the port. Expect vessel delays, yard congestion, and recovery disruption even after reopening.
• MSC: Suspension of all bookings for worldwide cargo to the Middle East until further notice.
• Maersk: Suspension of all vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice, with knock-on delays and schedule adjustments for Arabian Gulf calls.
• CMA CGM: Instructed all vessels in and outbound for the Gulf to proceed to shelter and consequently suspending Suez Canal passage. 

Road freight 

• Border crossings are functioning, but security-related delays at checkpoints are likely to occur.
• For UAE–Oman movements, the newly opened Al Rawdah crossing (Al Buraimi) provides an additional corridor connecting to Al Madam (Sharjah). This may help relieve congestion at other border points, subject to security controls and border processing.

What you should do now

• Confirm new bookings before dispatch through your dedicated SGL contact person
•  Add buffer time for all upcoming shipments to and from the Middle East 

For time-critical shipments, we are on standby to assess potential alternative routings and solutions, and we urge you to contact us immediately to discuss available options.

For shipments in transit, we are working on a full overview of impacted shipments, and a delay notice will follow within the coming days from our customer service teams.
We will continue to provide regular updates as the situation evolves and will do all we can to keep service and cost disruptions to a minimum.

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• GE HealthCare Technologies (NasdaqGS:GEHC) announced a 10 year alliance with UCSF Health to roll out advanced imaging solutions across the UCSF network.

• The company entered a commercial collaboration with Gentuity LLC to broaden access to high frequency OCT imaging in interventional cardiology.

• GE HealthCare received FDA clearance for three MRI products, adding new options to its medical imaging portfolio.

GE HealthCare Technologies, trading at $84.27, is focusing on areas where imaging is central to clinical decision making. The stock is up 6.7% over the past 30 days and 10.9% over 3 years, with a 1 year return of 3.3% decline, which provides context for how the market has treated the name recently.

For investors watching NasdaqGS:GEHC, these alliances and FDA clearances highlight how the company is working to widen its role in both academic medicine and commercial cardiology. The moves also broaden the product set in MRI, which could matter for hospitals and health systems that are planning long term equipment refresh cycles.

Stay updated on the most important news stories for GE HealthCare Technologies by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on GE HealthCare Technologies.

We’ve flagged 1 risk for GE HealthCare Technologies. See which could impact your investment.

The UCSF alliance, Gentuity collaboration, and new MRI clearances all point in the same direction for GE HealthCare, focusing on deepening its role inside large health systems and high value procedure areas. A 10 year agreement with an academic center like UCSF can help embed GE platforms into everyday workflows, from remote scanning support to protocol standardization. That kind of stickiness often supports recurring software, service, and education revenue around the installed base. In cardiology, partnering with Gentuity gives GE HealthCare more to offer in the cath lab, where it competes with Siemens Healthineers and Philips, by bringing high frequency OCT imaging into its existing interventional portfolio. On the MRI side, the three FDA cleared systems target pressure points many hospitals talk about, such as helium supply, energy usage, exam throughput, and staffing constraints. If these solutions are adopted at scale, they could make GE HealthCare more competitive in future tenders without relying solely on hardware pricing. For you as an investor, a key question is how quickly these types of alliances and product approvals turn into contracted orders and recurring service commitments.

• The UCSF alliance and Gentuity partnership align with the idea that new relationships with large health systems and procedure focused technologies can support expansion of market presence and recurring revenue.

• Relying on high end imaging and cardiology partnerships may concentrate exposure in areas where competitors such as Siemens Healthineers and Philips also invest heavily, which could challenge assumptions about easy market share gains in this narrative.

• The specific push into helium light MRI systems and AI supported workflows in MRI and ultrasound is not fully spelled out in the narrative, yet these product choices could meaningfully influence how margins and capital intensity evolve over time.

Knowing what a company is worth starts with understanding its story. Check out one of the top narratives in the Simply Wall St Community for GE HealthCare Technologies to help decide what it is worth to you.

• ⚠️ Analysts have highlighted that debt is not well covered by operating cash flow, so funding multi year alliances, product rollouts, and AI development could tighten financial flexibility if cash generation does not keep pace.

• ⚠️ The MRI, cardiology, and ultrasound markets are crowded, with large peers and smaller specialists competing on price and technology, which could limit the commercial impact of these announcements if hospitals delay purchases or choose alternatives.

• 🎁 Earnings are forecast to grow 8.05% per year and have already grown 0.8% per year over the past 5 years, and these new alliances and FDA cleared products sit directly in areas that are central to that earnings story.

• 🎁 Shares are currently trading at 27.6% below one estimate of fair value and at what is described as good value compared to peers and the industry, so successful execution on these partnerships and products could support the existing reward case.

From here, it is worth tracking whether the UCSF alliance expands into additional sites and programs, and whether GE HealthCare discloses equipment or service volumes tied to the agreement. In interventional cardiology, watch for signs that Gentuity’s high frequency OCT system is being adopted through GE’s cath lab customer base, especially in hospitals that were not previously using OCT. On MRI, pay attention to customer references and order momentum for the helium light 1.5T system and the 3T scanner, as well as feedback on the AI driven workflow tools, since those factors often influence follow on purchases and service contracts. Finally, keep an eye on how these growth efforts interact with the company’s balance sheet and liquidity, given the flagged risk around debt coverage and the new US$0.5b revolving credit facility.

To stay updated on how the latest news impacts the investment narrative for GE HealthCare Technologies, head to the community page for GE HealthCare Technologies to follow the top community narratives.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include GEHC.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com

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• ACM Research (NasdaqGM:ACMR) has delivered its first 300mm single wafer cleaning systems to a major foundry in Singapore, marking its entry into Southeast Asia.

• The company has received new orders for advanced packaging equipment from leading global semiconductor customers.

• ACM Research recently completed a private share offering, adding fresh capital to support its expansion plans.

ACM Research is stepping up its global presence as its share price sits at $55.68. The stock is up 24.1% year to date and 114.6% over the past year, although it has seen a 16.4% decline over the past week and a 4.2% decline over the past month. These moves suggest investors are reacting actively to both company specific news and broader sector sentiment.

The new deployment in Singapore, equipment orders from major customers, and the recent capital raise together indicate a phase of broader customer reach and product rollout for ACM Research. For investors, the combination of expanding geographic footprint, deeper engagement in advanced packaging, and added balance sheet flexibility provides context for how future execution and market conditions could influence the company’s profile over time.

Stay updated on the most important news stories for ACM Research by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on ACM Research.

3 things going right for ACM Research that this headline doesn’t cover.

For ACM Research, this cluster of updates ties operational progress to a heavier capital requirement. The first Singapore deployment and new advanced-packaging orders show the company pushing further outside Mainland China and into higher-value process steps. This is where peers like Applied Materials, Lam Research and Tokyo Electron also focus. At the same time, the private share offering that raised about US$623m, together with the sale of a portion of its stake in ACM Shanghai, means the growth push comes with ownership dilution and a shift in how future earnings are shared between investors in the listed entity and minority holders.

• The move into Southeast Asia and new packaging orders support the narrative that ACM is broadening its global footprint and aligning its tools with AI related demand in advanced logic and memory.

• The reliance on equity capital and reduced stake in ACM Shanghai could challenge earlier assumptions about how much of China driven growth ultimately flows to ACM’s shareholders.

• The scale of the private offering and international tool shipments may not be fully reflected in earlier expectations around execution risk, capital intensity and the pace of non China expansion.

Knowing what a company is worth starts with understanding its story. Check out one of the top narratives in the Simply Wall St Community for ACM Research to help decide what it’s worth to you.

• ⚠️ Earnings volatility and margin pressure, with Q4 2025 net income at US$8.05m versus US$31.08m a year earlier, show that revenue growth has not translated into steady profitability.

• ⚠️ The large equity raise and reduced ownership in ACM Shanghai may dilute existing shareholders and could limit ACM’s direct participation in any future profit growth from the China business.

• 🎁 Record 2025 sales of US$901.31m, first tools installed in Singapore and multiple advanced-packaging orders point to broader customer reach and interest beyond Mainland China.

• 🎁 Analysts highlight solid revenue growth, expanding product platforms and a strengthening global position in areas like single wafer cleaning and copper plating as positives for the long term.

From here, you may want to track whether ACM can turn new Singapore and advanced-packaging wins into repeat business at healthy margins, and how quickly the expanded capacity in places like Oregon is utilized. Earnings quality will be important, given the recent Q4 earnings miss and margin compression, so keep an eye on how much of future sales growth drops through to net income after higher R&D and global expansion costs. It is also worth watching any updates on export controls or China demand, as well as further insider trading activity, to gauge confidence from management and large shareholders.

To ensure you’re always in the loop on how the latest news impacts the investment narrative for ACM Research, head to the community page for ACM Research to never miss an update on the top community narratives.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include ACMR.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com

Investing.com — Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index fell more than 2% in early trade on Sunday, weighed heavily by banking and materials stocks, even as energy heavyweight Saudi Aramco gained.

The Tadawul All Share Index was down about 2.2%, with financials leading declines. Major lenders including Al Rajhi Bank fell around 3.4%, while Saudi National Bank dropped more than 4%, reflecting broad-based selling across the sector.

In contrast, Saudi Aramco rose about 3.4%, tracking firmer crude prices amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The stock’s gains helped cushion losses in the broader index, given its heavyweight status.

Materials names such as SABIC and mining major Ma’aden were also lower, adding to downward pressure.

The divergence underscores how rising oil prices are supporting energy stocks, while concerns over regional escalation and broader risk sentiment weigh on financials and cyclical sectors.

Trading remains volatile as investors assess geopolitical developments and their potential impact on oil flows and regional economic activity.

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The humanoid arms race: can the U.S. and China actually coexist?

Steve Chen, who served as YouTube’s chief technology officer before it was acquired by Google in 2006, railed against the TikTok-ification of online life in a talk last year at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

“I think TikTok is entertainment, but it’s purely entertainment,” Chen said during the talk, which was published on YouTube. “It’s just for that moment. Just shorter-form content equates to shorter attention spans.”

Chen, who has two children with wife, Jamie Chen, said he wouldn’t want his kids only consuming short-form content, and then not be able to watch something longer than 15 minutes. He said he knows of other parents who force their kids to watch longer videos without the eye-catching colors and gimmicks that hook especially younger users. This strategy works well, he claims.

“If they don’t get exposure to the short-form content right away, then they’re still happy with that other type of content that they’re watching,” he said. 

Many companies have had to rush to offer short-form content after the rise of TikTok, he said, but these companies now have to balance their motivations for monetization and attracting users’ attention with content that’s “actually useful.” 

Companies that distribute short-form video, which includes his former company YouTube, could face problems with addictiveness. These companies should add safeguards for kids on short-form content, such as age restrictions for apps and limits on the amount of time some users can use them, he said.

The science seems to back up Chen’s opinion. Over the past few years, several studies have shown a mental health and attention problems are correlated with short-form video watching. A 20-year-old plaintiff has also taken Meta, the world’s biggest social media company, and other companies to court over accusations that she became addicted to their products leading to mental health problems.

Chen joins fellow tech trailblazers in sounding the alarm about social media’s impact on children, including early Facebook investor Peter Thiel, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, and Tesla’s Elon Musk. In a podcast interview, Altman specifically called out social media scrolling and the “dopamine hit” of short-form video for “probably messing with kids’ brain development in a super deep way.” Meanwhile, Thiel said he only allows his children to use screens for an hour-and-a-half per week.

Musk, who owns the social network X (né Twitter), said in 2023 he doesn’t have any restrictions on social media use for his children, but added this “might have been a mistake,” and encouraged parents to take a more active role in their kids’ social media habits.

“I think, probably, I would limit social media a bit more than I have in the past and just take note of what they’re watching, because I think at this point they’re being programmed by some social media algorithms, which you may or may not agree with,” Musk said.

A version of this story originally published at Fortune.com on July 29, 2025.

More on social media:

• 20-year-old claiming social media addiction in landmark trial says she was on it ‘all day long’ as a child. Meta brings up abusive environment
• Analog-obsessed Gen Zers are buying $40 app blockers to limit their social media use and take a break from the ‘slot machine in your pocket’
• Gen Z, desperate to get off their phones, is powering a sewing renaissance